In light of the worldwide success of Israeli television content, two Israeli TV series were screened at the Israeli Film Festival in Singapore, held October 28-30. This marked the first time in the festival’s history that Israeli TV programs were shown.
The Israeli Film Festival was operated by the Israeli Embassy in partnership with the Singapore Film Society (SFS). During the festival, four Israeli films were screened – “Forgiveness,” “One More Story,” and two films from director Avi Nesher – “The Matchmaker” and “Image of Victory,” his most recent movie that opened the festival. Nesher, one of the most important and influential directors in the history of Israeli cinema, is celebrating 45 years of filmmaking.
The selected films presented a variety of Israeli stories on topics relevant to the Singaporean audience.
Marking thirty years of its existence, the festival screened the first two episodes of Keshet Media Group’s successful series, “When Heroes Fly” and “The Stylist.” In light of the audience’s enthusiastic response to these episodes, contacts are currently underway between Mediacorp, the Singaporean media conglomerate and Keshet, to examine the possibility of purchasing and broadcasting the remaining episodes of the series and other series as well.
At the festival's opening event, the Embassy held a festive reception at the Shaw Theatres, which hosted the festival, during which guests were served Israeli dishes from chef Eyal Shani’s “North Miznon” restaurant in the Telok Ayer neighborhood in central Singapore. Kenneth Tan, one of Asia’s most experienced media industry executives and the chairman of the Singapore Film Society, delivered a moving speech praising the longstanding cooperation between the Embassy and the Society, adding that “the Israeli Film Festival has long since become a beloved and appreciated event that every Singaporean awaits with anticipation.”