Photographer Gil Arbel, a graduate of Camera Obscura, has participated over the years in filming nature films in Israel and around the world. About a decade ago, he decided to embark on a personal and professional journey to find Israel's wildlife in their natural habitat. From thousands of hours of photography, he created several nature films, the first of which is "Wild Land", which focuses on the months of January, February, and March. It will be released in April 2025.
Premiere at the Tikotin Museum in Haifa
On Friday, November 7, 2025, a special event was held at the Tikotin Museum in Haifa: a screening of the film and a conversation with Gil Arbel, the photographer, director, writer, editor and producer of the work. The film is in English, with the intention of screening abroad as well.
Gil Arbel explained at the event: "Particularly now, in these difficult days, it is important to show the beautiful side of Israel... I am on a mission designed not only to preserve the nature that has disappeared, but also to show the world our beautiful country."
The environmental message: Documentation for future generations
Arbel expanded on the global threat of extinction: There are many reasons for the extinction of nature; in the last 100 years, about 50% of the world's wildlife has become extinct. According to him, future generations will only be able to see some of the animals through the television screen: "We are the lucky ones, living in a time when there are still wild animals and nature here. I document the animals both for our generation, so that they understand the importance of preserving nature, and for future generations to know what was here and what humans have done to nature."
The Israeli natural world on the big screen
The film is spectacular. It shows wildlife in their natural habitat, from the Galilee to the desert: herds running in the distance, puppies basking in the sun up close, and lots of migrating birds.
In the March episode, the screen was filled with the fluttering wings of the spring migration north from Africa to Europe. Israel is a vital "land bridge" on the migration route, where about a billion birds from about 300 different species stop to rest.
The stars of the film: Yael Novi, Zvi Negev and predators in pursuit
The film includes impressive documentation of: Yael Novi, with long, well-developed horns, Negev deerThe elegant, which has successfully bred in recent years in the South, and in a particularly dramatic segment, a thin, nursing she-wolf is seen successfully hunting a young deer that was left behind, carrying the prey to her cubs' den, a reminder of the simple but cruel laws of nature.
The Great Flood in the Desert—A Rare Photographic Achievement
Arbel managed to capture one of the powerful winter floods in the desert up close, an achievement he defines as a "professional success" in light of the danger involved in this type of photography, when standing in front of a rapidly moving and enormously powerful surge of water.
Julia the Mermaid — A harbinger of the coming chapters
At the beginning of the film, a mermaid is seen. Julia, who visited Jaffa Beach in May 2023. Arbel promised that Yulia would star in the next films in the series.
Did the article interest you?