Pictured:  Ynon Kreiz (Mattel Chairman and CEO), from left, Gal Gadot (Actress/Producer) and Meir Fenigstein (IFF Founder/Executive Director) attend The 36th ISRAEL FILM FESTIVAL in Los Angeles Gala Opening Night and Premiere Screening at Saban Theater, on Wednesday, Nov 13th, 2024 in Los Angeles.   PHOTO CREDIT:  Jordan Strauss/JanuaryImages 

The 36^th ISRAEL FILM FESTIVAL in Los Angeles, the largest showcase for Israeli films in the United States, triumphantly returned after a 2 ½ year absence with sold-out screenings, the most sponsors in its history, and over 7,000 attendees.   The Festival’s Audience Choice Award for Best Feature Film was voted to Come Closer, written and directed by Tom Nesher in her feature film directorial debut and Israel’s submission for the Academy Awards’^® Best International Film. The Festival’s Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary was given to The Child Within Me, directed by Yaniv Amoday and Eti Aneta and winner of the Ophir Award for Best Documentary Film (Israel’s equivalent of the Academy Award^®).  The Festival’s Audience Choice Award for Best Student Film was awarded to Girl NO. 60427, directed by Shulamit Lifshitz, a student at The Ma'aleh School of Film and Television in Jerusalem, and winner of the BAFTA Student Film Award for Best Live Action Film.  The announcement was made by Meir Fenigstein, founder and executive director of the Israel Film Festival.

“Los Angeles audiences thoroughly embraced the return of the Israel Film Festival which had been postponed due to the war in the Middle East.  Residents from Santa Monica and Beverly Hills to the San Fernando valley gathered to be entertained and celebrate Israeli culture, storytelling, its filmmakers and talent both behind and in front of the camera,” said Fenigstein.  “As our hearts ache for so many effected by the war, the sense of community was pervasive as people shared, learned and were reminded of all that Israel has to offer.”

This year the Festival added the Community Partner screening series to its programming.  This included more than 20 exclusive premiere screenings sponsored by leading non-profit Jewish and Israeli organizations in Los Angeles for their respective members.  For the first time, the Festival hosted a panel of Israeli-American producers to discuss the option of co-productions between the U.S. and the Israeli film industries.  This was sponsored by the Israel Cinema Project-Rabinovich Foundation.

During the Festival’s November 13^th – 26^th run at six theatres located in Beverly Hills, West Los Angeles and Encino, over 40 features, documentaries and student short films from Israel’s top 7 film schools were screened.  Twenty visiting Israeli filmmakers and talent conducted post screening Q&As with audiences.  Actress/producer Gal Gadot awarded the 2024 IFF Industry Leadership Award to Ynon Kreiz, Mattel Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, who has transformed the company and spearheaded its global blockbuster film, Barbie. The 2024 IFF Lifetime Achievement Award was given to actor/comedian Shaike Levi, an Israeli comedian, singer and actor best known for his role in HaGashash HaHiver, at the Festival’s Closing Night ceremony.

The mission of the ISRAEL FILM FESTIVAL is to highlight Israel as the lively and innovative nation that it is as well as to shine a spotlight on its thriving film and television industry and enriching the American experience of Israel’s social and cultural diversity. As an international entertainment industry event, the festival has brought acclaim to both the films and participants and has opened new possibilities for cooperation and co-production between the U.S. and Israeli film and TV industries. Each year, the festival explores Israeli society by premiering Israeli features, documentaries and television dramas, and through conversations with visiting Israeli filmmakers. Since its inception 36 years ago, the festival has created an exciting and artistic platform for engaging diverse audiences with the richness of Israeli life and culture.

For nearly four decades, the Festival has presented more than 1,200 feature films, documentaries, television dramas and short films to nearly one million filmgoers, and brought hundreds of Israeli filmmakers to the U.S. to share their art.  The ISRAEL FILM FESTIVAL is produced by IsraFest Foundation, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization created in 1982. Some of the 36^th ISRAEL FILM FESTIVAL in Los Angeles sponsors are: The Adelson Family Foundation, CA State Art Recovery Fund (Lendistry), Cheryl & Haim Saban, David & Sheryl Wiener & Family, EL AL Israel  Airlines, Four Seasons Hotel, Insync PLUS, Israel Film Fund, Israel Ministry Of Culture & Sport, Jewish Federation Los Angeles, Katie McGrath & J.J. Abrams, LA County Department of Arts & Culture, Lamar Advertising, Mattel Inc., Molly & Israel Weinberg, The Maurice Marciano Family Foundation, Ruth Flinkman Marandy & Ben Marandy, Paramount Studios, The Rabinovich Foundation, Rubinstein Family Foundation, The Steve Tisch Foundation, , Variety and Warner Bros., among others.

Among the many organizations that were Community Partner sponsors were Adam & Gila Milstein Family Foundation, American Friends of Tel Aviv University (AFTAU), American Friends of the Jaffa Institute, American Friends of Magen David Adom, Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles, Craig Emanuel & Creative Community for Peace, Factor's Famous Deli, Jack Gottlieb & World Jewish Heritage Fund, Israeli House, Israel Ministry of Tourism, Jewish Federation Los Angeles, JNF - Arts and Entertainment Task Force, OpenDor Media, The Cornerstone Village, UCLA Nazarian Center for Israel Studies, USC DORNSIFE,  USC Casden Institute for the Study of the Jewish Role in American Life, Jewish Agency for Israel, and the Winkler Lowy Family Foundation & Beth Jacob Synagogue.