Sderot Film Festival Unveils New Incubator and Premieres During 25th Anniversary

The 25th edition of the Cinema of the South Festival will run from November 1 to 5 at the Sderot Cinematheque, highlighting the resilience of the local film community. The event serves as a platform for new works that reflect life in the western Negev, including perspectives shaped by the three years since the October 7 Hamas-led massacres in Israel. Organized by the School of Audio and Visual Arts at Sapir Academic College, the program balances international cinema with a strong emphasis on regional voices and industry development.

The festival opens with a discussion featuring Hanan Savyon and Guy Amir, the creators of the Netflix series "Bros." The event will include the world premiere of the first two episodes of the show’s second season. The series follows two childhood friends and Beitar Jerusalem fans who co-own a pub in Jerusalem, navigating their business and personal relationships as a series of crises unfolds.

Advance screenings will feature several prominent productions from KAN. These include "Motherland," a comedy-drama directed by Yael Hedaya and starring Dana Ivgy, Sasson Gabay, and Alma Zack. The program also presents "Whose Daughter Are You?", a documentary series about Mizrahi women in Israel directed by Efrat Shalom Danon and Keren Shayo. Additionally, the team behind the popular series "The Pshute" will host a session, bringing together director Dan Messer and creators Bar Elmaliach Donzov, Chen Rotman, and Oshrit Sarusi.

The closing event will center on Iris Zaki’s film "What Was She Thinking?," which explores the choice to remain childless in Israeli society. Zaki, who heads the school’s master's degree program, will preside over a tribute to editor Nili Feller, a two-time Ophir Award winner. This segment includes screenings of four films she edited, a master class, and meetings with filmmakers such as Ari Folman and Dani Rosenberg.

Graduates from Sapir Academic College will showcase new projects, including Efrat Corem’s "Heart of Gold," which stars Chen Amsalem, Menashe Noy, and Israel Atias. Other works include the documentary "100 Gates" by Shir Houri Abu and "Carlos Outside the Lines" by Tal Avitan, a Sderot filmmaker. The latter depicts a children’s soccer coach in Kiryat Gat. The festival will also screen eight award-winning films from previous years.

Regional programming includes "Sketches of the Soul," a collection of five short films by western Negev creators examining life after October 7. The event also marks the premiere of Sami Shalom Chetrit’s "My Beloved Gourama," which traces his father’s life in Morocco and Israel. Swiss director Thomas Imbach will present two films and lead a master class in cooperation with the Swiss Embassy. The closing ceremony will officially launch Negba, a new incubator designed to support young filmmakers from the south.

The festival aims to strengthen the cinematic infrastructure of the region while providing a venue for diverse storytelling. By combining premieres, educational workshops, and competitive screenings, the event continues to position Sderot as a significant hub for audio and visual arts. Further details regarding the schedule and participants are available on the Sapir Academic College website.