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Ophir Awards

Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar arrives at the Israeli Film Awards ceremony in Jerusalem, December 30, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
January 2, 2026, 1:22 pm
Culture minister says Gaza belongs to Israel, Palestinians merely ‘there as guests’
Likud lawmaker makes claim when asked about his response to the award-winning film ‘The Sea,’ which led him to establish alternative award ceremony and threaten funding cuts
By ToI Staff
Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar attends a plenum session at the assembly hall of the Knesset, in Jerusalem, November 26, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
December 28, 2025, 11:24 am
Nominees reverse decision to boycott culture minister’s alternate film awards
8 film professionals had refused to participate in new ceremony until producer Moshe Edery promised to work with Culture Minister Zohar to maintain funding for industry
By Jessica Steinberg
Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar attends an Education, Culture, and Sports Committee meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, May 7, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
December 22, 2025, 6:42 am
Culture minister threatens to end all state funding for film industry amid awards spat
Miki Zohar says he’ll work to cancel Film Law, hits out at ‘violent extremists’ he accuses of ‘threatening’ those taking part in his alternative ceremony to Ophir Awards
By Amy Spiro
A British colonial officer is depicted with a local Jew and a local Arab, in a still image from the trailer for the 2025 film 'Palestine 36.' (Screenshot via YouTube)
December 17, 2025, 1:41 pm
Oscars international shortlist features 4 films on Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Historical epic ‘Palestine 36,’ about Mandate-era revolt, and ‘Voice of Hind Rajab,’ about Gazan girl killed during war, up for top honors; film on Israeli hostage nominated for Best Documentary
By ToI Staff
Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar attends an Education, Culture, and Sports Committee meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, May 7, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
December 10, 2025, 4:24 am
Spurning Ophir Awards, government announces alternate film awards ‘to tell our story’
Culture Minister Miki Zohar sets state-run ceremony for December 30, in response to Israeli Academy of Film giving its top prize to a movie about a Palestinian boy, ‘The Sea’
By Jessica Steinberg
Muhammad Gazawi as Khaled in 'The Sea.' (Courtesy JCC Manhattan via JTA)
November 6, 2025, 5:34 pm
Controversial Israeli film ‘The Sea’ makes its North American premiere in NYC
The Arabic-language film, Israel’s Academy Award submission this year, has ignited criticism on the left and the right. On Thursday, it opens the Other Israel Film Festival in Manhattan
By Jackie Hajdenberg
From 'The Sea,' the 2025 Ophir Award-winning film directed by Shai Carmeli-Pollak (Courtesy)
September 17, 2025, 1:53 pm
Government cuts off funding for Ophir awards after film about Palestinian boy wins
Culture minister pans film, set to represent Israel at the Oscars, as a ‘slap in the face of Israeli citizens’; academy says selection a ‘powerful response’ to boycott attempts
By Jessica Steinberg
Filmmaker Tom Nesher, left, and movie star Gal Gadot in Los Angeles on November 11, at an event introducing Nesher's award-winning film 'Come Closer' to members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Courtesy)
November 12, 2024, 5:38 pm
Gal Gadot hosts Academy members for screening of Israel’s Oscars choice
Movie star introduces ‘Come Closer’ and filmmaker Tom Nesher to Academy Award members and industry leaders
By Jessica Steinberg
Filmmaker Tom Nesher at Ophir Awards on September 16, 2024, where she received the award for the best feature film, wearing a t-shirt that refers to the remaining 101 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. (Courtesy)
September 17, 2024, 12:33 pm
Tom Nesher’s ‘Come Closer’ wins Ophir, becomes Israel’s choice for Oscar nomination
Awards spread among nine different films at annual ceremony, which is overshadowed by ongoing war and hostage situation
By Jessica Steinberg
Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar attends a ceremony for the Israeli Olympic and Paralympic delegation competing at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, at the President's Residence in Jerusalem on June 19, 2024. (Oren Ben Hakoon/Flash90)
September 15, 2024, 6:00 pm
Culture minister not invited to this year’s muted Ophir Awards ceremony
Miki Zohar, who has been criticized for proposal to reform movie industry, says he wasn’t planning on attending event anyway ‘due to the situation in the country’
By Sam Sokol and ToI Staff
From 'Eid,' Bedouin filmmaker Yousef Abu Madegem's film about life in Rahat, one of the highly nominated films in the upcoming 2024 Ophir awards in September 2024. (Courtesy)
August 17, 2024, 9:52 am
Nominated films for Ophir prize include short docs dealing with October 7 atrocities
Nominees include dark comedies, drama about life in Bedouin city and documentaries about Hamas hostages and Nova desert rave
By Jessica Steinberg
A scene from '7 Blessings,' this year's big winner at the 2023 Ophir Awards, including Best Picture (Courtesy PR)
March 1, 2024, 11:21 am
‘7 Blessings’ lead actor and writer tells behind-the-scenes story of award-winning film
Reymonde Amsellem speaks to a sold-out Times of Israel audience about making family drama with members of her own Moroccan tribe
By ToI Staff
From the Ophir-nominated feature film '7 Blessings,' up for Best Feature at the September 10, 2023 Ophir Award ceremony (Courtesy PR)
February 14, 2024, 4:48 pm
ToI Presents: English screening of Israel’s Oscar pick ‘7 Blessings’ plus discussion
Join us on Feb. 28 in Jerusalem for an English-subtitled showing of award-winning drama and a conversation between screenwriter/lead actress and ToI’s Jessica Steinberg
By ToI Staff
A scene from '7 Blessings,' this year's big winner at the 2023 Ophir Awards, including Best Picture (Courtesy PR)
September 11, 2023, 3:50 am
‘7 Blessings’ wins big at Ophir Awards; ceremony features protest of Arab crime wave
Film about Moroccan family in 1990s Jerusalem wins 10 awards, will represent Israel at Oscars; actress wears gown depicting bullet hole and blood in solidarity with violence victims
By Jessica Steinberg and ToI Staff
Chancela Mongoza as Omari in 'Running on Sand,' nominated for best feature film in the 2023 Ophir Awards. (Courtesy: PR)
September 5, 2023, 9:05 pm
Ophir-nominated dramedy features Eritrean asylum seeker as lead character
‘Running on Sand’ cast includes African migrant actors as part of an effort to lift the curtain on racism and invisibility, while giving the issue a humorous twist
By Jessica Steinberg
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