Culture minister left off guest list for toned down film awards, says he’d skip it anyway

Culture Minister Miki Zohar says he was not invited to Israel’s version of the Oscars, which is being toned down this year in deference to the hostage situation, but would not have attended anyway.

This will be the second year in a row that Zohar will not attend the Israeli Academy of Film and Television’s Ophir Awards ceremony, amid anger from members of the film industry over proposed reforms.

“Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar did not intend to participate in the Ophir Awards this year at all due to the situation in the country. Minister Zohar believes that while the hostages are still languishing in Hamas captivity and the heroic IDF soldiers are risking their lives on various fronts it is inappropriate for him to participate in such a festive ceremony,” his office says, following inquiries from Hebrew media.

“The minister also was not invited to the ceremony,” it adds.

Organizers said earlier this month they would cancel some celebrations and move to a more modest format after six hostages were killed in Gaza and brought back to Israel.

In a statement to the Ynet website today, the Israeli Academy of Film and Television says that the Ophir Awards “will be held in a limited and informal format and will not even be broadcast live on television. For the same reason, the Academy also decided not to award a Lifetime Achievement Award for the first time in 32 years.”

The organization expresses hope that it will be able to return to a “normal” format in 2025.

The film community has protested Zohar’s plans for changes pushing government money toward commercially oriented movies rather than artistic films and documentaries that shed light on Israel’s periphery and minorities, with financing going to films based on audience numbers and ticket sales.

It is seen by professionals as an effort by Israel’s right-wing government to silence liberal voices and limit the opportunities to hear non-mainstream perspectives.