Film festival

Two Israeli films selected for Tribeca Festival

Ruthy Pribar’s new feature, "What Is to Come," has been selected for the international competition, while also heading to Tribeca is Gidi Dar and Shuli Rand's film, "Moishe Badhan."

|ByHANNAH BROWN
"What is to Come."
Matti Leshem on the set of the Mary episode, which he directed.

Jerusalem-born producer teams with Scorsese on TV series 'The Saints'

It was Leshem, who has lived in the US for years, who came up with the idea for a television show that presents the lives of Christian saints by humanizing them.

|ByHANNAH BROWN
A woman sits alone in a Frankfurt, Germany, cinema in November 2021.

Frankfurt cinema declines to participate in Jewish film festival, spurring backlash

Frankfurt's Astor Film Lounge declined to host movies during Jewish Film Days this year, citing economic reasons for its withdrawal from the film festival.

|ByTOBY AXELROD/JTA
Noam Ash (left) and Charlie Barnett (right) in the 2026 film "Bookends," written by Ash.

A Jewish writers initiative's first film: a comedy about a Holocaust survivor and his gay grandson

“The film is really a love letter to my grandparents, and the greatest generation,” Ash said. “I do consider my relationship with my grandparents to be one of the greatest blessings of my life.”

|ByJACKIE HAJDENBERG/JTA

Gaza girl’s desperate pleas in ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ shake Venice

Meanwhile, US director Julian Schnabel criticized calls for two of the stars of his latest film, Gal Gadot and Gerard Butler, not to show up at the festival over their support for Israel.

SEPTEMBER 6, 2025ByREUTERS, JERUSALEM POST STAFF
KAOUTHER BEN HANIA (left) and Saja Kilani hold a picture of Hind Rajab on the red carpet during arrivals for the screening ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ at the Venice Film Festival, September 3, 2025.

No reason to boycott actors over Gaza, director Schnabel says at Venice Film Festival

US director Julian Schnabel defended Gal Gadot and Gerard Butler after activists urged the Venice Film Festival to exclude them over their support for Israel.

SEPTEMBER 3, 2025ByREUTERS
Julian Schnabel poses during a photocall for the movie "In the Hand of Dante" out of competition, at the 82nd Venice Film Festival, Venice, Italy, September 3, 2025.

Etty, Hagai Levi's new series, premiered at the Venice Film Festival

The series is based on the tragic story but also inspiring story of Etty Hillesum, a Dutch Jewish woman who sought spiritual enlightenment and kept extensive diaries of great literary merit.

SEPTEMBER 2, 2025ByHANNAH BROWN
Hagai Levi (center) at the premiere of his series, Etty, at the Venice Film Festival, with stars Sebastian Koch (left) and Julia Windischbauer (right).

Gaza political issue is front and center as Venice Film Festival opens

The Venice Film Festival kicks off with controversy as over 1,000 industry professionals demand a stance on Gaza, while jury president Alexander Payne sidesteps the issue.

AUGUST 28, 2025ByHANNAH BROWN
President of Venezia 82 Competition jury Alexander Payne poses on the red carpet, ahead of the opening ceremony of the 82nd Venice Film Festival, in Venice, Italy, August 27, 2025.

Venice Film Festival urged to disinvite Gal Gadot

Venice4Palestine also called on the festival organizers to rescind Butler’s invitation to the festival, because he has made appearances at events for a pro-Israel group.

AUGUST 26, 2025ByHANNAH BROWN
Gal Gadot attends the 2025 Breakthrough Prize ceremony in Santa Monica, California, U.S., April 5, 2025

Noé Debré on making his own style of French-Jewish cinema

Debré, one of the most successful writer/directors in France, has gone all in on embracing his French-Jewish identity.

AUGUST 26, 2025ByHANNAH BROWN
NOÉ DEBRÉ, one of the guests of honor at the 27th Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival.

'Letter to David', about hostage David Cunio, to be shown in Tel Aviv

Letter to David is a moving documentary about David Cunio, who was kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz alongside his family by Hamas on October 7.

AUGUST 25, 2025ByHANNAH BROWN
Photos from Letter to David, a documentary about hostage David Cunio.

Italian film industry figures call for Venice Film Festival to support Palestinians

The letter called on the Venice Film Festival “to be more courageous and clear in condemning the ongoing genocide in Gaza."

AUGUST 24, 2025ByHANNAH BROWN
The logo for the 82nd Venice International Film Festival was designed at the Lido di Venezia on August 22, 2025 in Venice, Italy. The 82nd Venice International Film Festival is organized by La Biennale di Venezia and will take place at the Lido di Venezia from August 27 to September 6, 2025.

TIFF says Oct. 7 documentary can be shown in festival, reversing decision

TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey released a statement where he apologized and said that he remains committed to allowing the film to be screened at this year’s festival.

AUGUST 14, 2025ByHANNAH BROWN
CEO of Toronto International Film Festival Cameron Bailey arrives at the world premiere of "The Swimmers" at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada September 8, 2022.

TIFF withdraws Oct. 7 doc because filmmakers 'didn't receive permission from Hamas to use videos'

Deadline reported that TIFF management cited problems with copyright in their decision to rescind their invitation.

AUGUST 13, 2025ByHANNAH BROWN
Cameron Bailey speaks on behalf of Toronto International Film Festival, 2025 Inductees, Arts and Entertainment during the 2025 Canada's Walk Of Fame Induction Gala held at Metro Toronto Convention Centre on June 14, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario.