The winning films at the 42nd Haifa International Film Festival 2026

"The Haggar - Land" is the winner of the Best Israeli Film Award at the Israeli Film Competition
At the 42nd Haifa International Film Festival, 2026

The Israeli Cinema Competition

Jury: Anat Atzmon, Sarig Packer, Hila Medalia, Yael Shob and George Obashvili
The Best Israeli Film Award goes to the film "Hager - Land"
Directed by: Shmuel Baru. Produced by: Gil Roa, Shmuel Baru
The judges' reasons: "The film displays extraordinary cinematic cohesion, in which the plot, direction, ensemble acting, filming locations, and artistic design merge into an emotional and powerful visual language. The film, inspired by a historical tragedy, uses a multi-layered narrative and cinematic depth to depict the dramatic fate of Ethiopian Jews at the heart of a complex, violent, and unbearable political reality."

The Jury Prize for Feature Film, a Cultural Foundation donation, is awarded this year to two films: "Double Panther" and "Blue Signs."

Double Panther
Film by: Marco Carmel and Yoav Shoten Goshen. Production: Chilik Michaeli, Avraham Farhi, Itamar Farhi, Moshe Edri and Leon Edri
The judges' reasons: "The film brings to life a seminal chapter in Israeli society about the struggle for justice and equality and reveals a dramatic and lesser-known side. Thanks to deep research and complex characters that turn the past into a vivid and relevant experience for today."

Blue marks
Directed by: Dina Zvi Riklis, produced by: Yifat Prestelnik Films Ltd.
The judges' reasons for the blue marks: "The film tells the story of a young woman who tries to escape her past and he emerges in the form of a new monster. This is a complete and mature work that is delicate and well-constructed that leaves an emotional echo even after watching it."

The Jury Prize for Documentary Film is awarded to the film "I Want to Tell My Story"

Director: Tomer Heyman, Producer: Lee Heyman, Nancy Spielberg and Tomer Heyman
The judges' reasons: "The film gives the hero a platform to be a partner in the creation of his memories without an archive, with a cinematic statement about memory and truth and the gap between them. With sensitivity and playfulness, the director approaches his hero and moves him towards a territory where his story takes on life and meaning while blurring the boundaries between memory, reality and trauma. A work that allows for a rare closeness between the viewer and the person behind the testimony."

The Amit Peled Award for Best Debut Film, donated by the Peled family, is given to the film "Home!"

Directed by: Reut Ackerman, produced by: Karen Blaz
Judges' reasons: "The film offers a compelling personal portrayal of a stranded heroine who grapples with questions of personal identity as she unexpectedly becomes aware of her roots. With courage and sensitivity and a rich visual and vocal language, the film evokes the heroine's inner world, creating a world parallel to the complex reality. The fact that the film was written, directed, and stars the creator who experiences the events in reality adds a fascinating dimension to the relationship between life and art."

The award for Best Screenplay for a Feature Film goes to Dina Zvi Riklis for the screenplay for the film "Blue Marks"

Direction and screenplay: Dina Zvi Riklis, screenplay based on the book by Emily Moati
The judges' reasons: "The award was given to a film about a young, introverted heroine who goes through a difficult inner journey that is hidden from the viewers' eyes for part of the time. The beauty of the script lies in the gradual and gentle revelation of what happened to the heroine in the recent and distant past. An intimate script about a heroine dealing with trauma that leads her to fateful and inevitable choices."

The Documentary Film Research Award is awarded to Tali Shamir-Wurzberger and London Pines for their research in the film "I Want to Tell My Story."

Directed by: Tomer Heyman, produced by: Lee Heyman, Nancy Spielberg and Tomer Heyman. Researched by: Tali Shamir-Wurzberger, Nadan Pines
Judges' reasons: "A deep investigation that led to a unique and moving character. Shimon Rothschild, who became an active partner in designing the film while insisting on the accuracy of the details of his personal experience, succeeds in conveying human, historical, and unexpected testimony."

The award for best performance in a feature film was given this year to two actors, an actor and an actress: Yaakov Daniel Zedda for his role in the film "Double Panther" and Noa Ohayon for her role in the film "Blue Signs."

The Best Actor award goes to Yaakov Zed Daniel for his portrayal of Yaakov Elbaz in the film "Double Panther"

Film by: Marco Carmel and Yoav Shoten Goshen. Production: Chilik Michaeli, Avraham Farhi, Itamar Farhi, Moshe Edri and Leon Edri
The judges' reasons: "The award is given to an actor who portrays his character with power and sensitivity, and faithfully reflects the complex internal conflict of a criminal with a moral compass. Through a struggle for equality and justice, the character presents a deep and touching process of searching for the truth."

The Best Actress award goes to Noa Ohayon for her portrayal of Iris in the film "Blue Marks"

Directed by: Dina Zvi Riklis, produced by: Yifat Prestelnik Films Ltd.
The judges' reasons: "The actress manages to narrate her character with a powerful silence that embraces her wounded and torn soul. We go through her internal struggles with her, and through her passivity and introversion, we feel her inner wound in our bodies."

An award for artistic achievement is presented to Itzik Portal, Uri Ackerman, Ran Aviad and Yoram Milo for the cinematography in the film "Hager - Earth":

Directed by: Shmuel Baru. Produced by: Gil Roa, Shmuel Baru. Cinematography by Itzik Portal, Uri Ackerman, Ran Aviad, Yoram Milo
The judges' reasons: "The award for artistic achievement is given for a photograph that creates a harmonious visual connection between the landscape, the characters and their lives, through inspiring photography and a camera that becomes an organic extension of the characters' inner world."

The Pnina Blair Award for a film that addresses social issues is awarded to Nitzan Giladi for the film "And You Loved Me."

Directed by: Nitzan Giladi. Produced by: Ilan Doran Cohen, Moshe Edri, Leon Edri, Nitzan Giladi, Tamar Liberzon
To our deep sorrow and pain, the late director and screenwriter Nitzan Giladi passed away last July. He managed to complete his film and was thrilled by the possibility of it being screened at the Haifa Festival. He left us an impressive work, with a message and command of love and comfort.
The judges' reasons: "This is a film by a filmmaker who has dedicated his life to stories about identity, family, and place in the world. The film presents the tension between faith, community, and love, and looks inward without judgment. The director is one of the most prominent filmmakers who opened up a space for LGBT stories in Israel, and he continued to do so until his last film. The film is also a heartbreaking end to a significant cinematic journey. We are giving the award out of appreciation for the work and for a man who maintained until the end the belief that cinema can open up a space for people who have not always had the privilege of being seen."

The competition for a short Israeli film

Jury: Yoni Goodman, Smadar Zamir, Omer Tovi
The award for best independent short film goes to the film "Consolation"
Script, direction and production: Nitzan Giladi, executive production: Yana Riachi and Barak Stern
The judges' reasons: "Giladi's film reveals the image of bereavement, silently, until it reaches a heartbreaking cry. The image of the shattered mother is gradually built up in moderate and careful steps, opening an open wound over an abyss. This is a film that brings kind eyes to the 7.10 and sings an endlessly human look at the broken hearts of those who have lost the one they love most."

A commendation was given to the film "A Night of Murders in Tel Aviv"

Director: Guy Haliva Producer: Guy Haliva and Arel Sartiel
Reasons of the judges:
A bold, brave and playful night journey into an encrypted subconscious that allows an empty space for thought. In a time when reality is too explicit, the film reveals the experiment as a creative act that can provide a home for all the illogical. A beautiful use of raw material that restores cinema to its honor as a magnificent plastic art.

The award for best student short film goes to the film "On the Edge of Things."

Directed by: Yair Luria Produced by: Tal Levy Produced as part of the Sam Spiegel School
The judges' reasons: "The film depicts a journey of a father and son following an almost predetermined fate in a violent and threatening reality. Helplessly, the father abandons his barefoot son, dressed in a red kilt, to the mercy of chaos, leaving us hurt and worried. The voice-over in Ender's voice over the shots of the car traveling at a level, the flight of the flock of birds, the car trying to cross through the herd of cows, the dreams - all of these make the film a poetic and contemporary story of attachment."

The Best Animated Short Film Competition is awarded to the film "My Memory Blossoms."

Directed, written and edited by: Shirley Neeman, produced by: Rotem Heyman
The judges' reasons: "A gentle and wise film, about dementia and separation from a loved one while he is still alive. The narration, movement and rhythm create a poem about sadness, love and longing. The fascinating technique yearns and sensitively unravels the need to hold on to life and the difficulty of letting go."

Two films were awarded a commendation:

For the movie "Glug"
Directed by: Uri Gold Produced by: Liran Koren
The judges' reasons: "A wild, funny and extraordinary film about the grotesque and never-ending circle of life. Great pleasure is evident in creating the animation and in stretching the boundaries and characters to the limit. The result is an explosion of energy on the screen that is shocking and wonderful at the same time. Yes, there will be many more crazy animated films in our regions."
And for the movie "Let's settle this once and for all"
Directed by: Shalio Ben Eliya, Michael Yaakov Buchshtev Produced by: Amit Russell Gitzelter
The judges' reasons: "A sharp, intelligent and graceful work that takes you into a dimension where every possibility of an existential vision collapses. The film takes the viewer into the depths of the conflict's turmoil, in an experience that is between deterministic and hopeful. A brilliant use of mixed techniques that creates a world that is unbridled, tragic and insanely funny."

Carmel International Cinema Competition

Jury: Eran Riklis, Lena Freifeld, Yair Hochner, Karin Rivkind Segal

The Carmel Award for Best Film goes to the film "Lost Queen"

UK, USA 2026 Director: Lance Hammer. Producer: Tristan Golliger, Lance Hammer
The judges' reasons: "'Lost Queen' is a moving, sensitive and exposed cinematic work, which centers on the conflict – the husband, the daughter, the establishment and the granddaughter – who struggle for the mother's crumbling identity and rights in the shadow of Alzheimer's disease. The film manages to capture the human tragedy with heartbreaking delicacy, without slipping into melodramatics. Within the ensemble cast, Tom Courtenay stands out above all in the role of the husband. His wonderful and restrained performance as a man who feels lost in the face of the loss of his wife is a masterclass in acting, and deserves all praise and recognition. In its visual and narrative style, the film corresponds impressively with realistic, poignant British cinema, which focuses on everyday life and the pain of illness and old age at eye level. This precise and humane work is inspiring and leaves a deep mark."

Honorable Mention in the Carmel Competition Awarded to the Film "Suddenly"

France, Japan, Germany, Belgium 2026 Director: Ryosuke Meguchi. Producer: David Gokiya, Julien Dries, Kosuke Ushida, Yuji Sadai, Renan Artokmaç, Jean-Luc Ormeier, Hiroko Matsuda
Judges' reasons: "'Suddenly', Ryosuke Meguchi's film, is an unforgettable and at times challenging cinematic experience. It is a journey film with a life-changing encounter at its heart that offers a profound lesson in humanity and friendship, while making fascinating use of the power of verbal and physical language and art. The magnetic performances of the lead actresses Virginie Apira and Tao Okamoto create a clever and multi-layered duet. This is a delicate film, whose meaning becomes clearer, and continues to resonate even hours and days after viewing."

The Golden Anchor International Film Competition Makes Waves

Jury: Erez Dvora, Mia Dreyfus, Shadi Saror, Anya Diherberg
The Golden Anchor Award for Best Film is given to the film "Anonymous Girl"
China 2026 Directed by: Zhao Jing. Produced by: Wang Yang, Didar Dumari, Cao Shi
Judges' reasons: "A sensitive and stormy portrait of a girl whose fearless confrontation with life's challenges inspires those around her to embrace life anew. In her debut film, Zu Jing manages to capture with great precision the fragile moments in which the main character is shaped and revealed to us, while at the same time giving the characters around her space for their emotions - emotions whose complexity can only be felt and experienced. Through several surprising twists, she creates a complex world that leaves a deep and lasting impression."

Honorable Mention Awarded to the Film "Time After Time"

Austria, Germany 2026 Director: Sandra Wollner. Producer: Lexi Frank, Victoria Stolpe, David Bohon
Judges' reasons: "Sandra Wollner's third feature film is another step in the formation of a unique and significant creator. She captures a situation of tragic loss of a girl as a mysterious world whose laws are in constant flux. She abandons melodramatic simplicity in favor of a metaphysical and paradoxical experience of twisting time and levels of reality. Her power lies in her ability to form a whole that is at the same time not fully comprehensible. Emotions remain suspended in the air and viewers are invited to fill the void that the film leaves from their own memories, experiences, and personal feelings."

Industry events at the Haifa International Film Festival

The Haifa Industry Forum events at the 42nd Haifa International Film Festival hosted creators in various stages of production and international guests who created a special dynamic during the festival. Grants totaling approximately 150,000 NIS were awarded.

The 16th Haifa Cinemark Work in Progress Grant: Digital Lab Services of the Post-Republic of Germany in the amount of up to 20,000 euros was awarded to Itay Akirav's film, "Land of Eye Catching," produced by Harbor Films.

Judges' reasons: "Against the backdrop of a country in flames, the film explores the loss of a sense of belonging and the difficult personal journey that ensues. The judges were particularly impressed by the cinematic expression of the theme of self-exile and guilt, and the raising of questions of midlife, acceptance, and the reawakening of parental responsibility. There is great potential for a journey that is still in its early stages."

Haifa Conference on Cinema in the Age of Artificial Intelligence:

A work-in-progress grant from the HaPais Council for Culture and the Arts in the amount of 10,000 NIS for a short film in development that incorporates artificial intelligence was awarded to the film "Another Moment" by creators Hadas Neuman and Liran Kepel

The judges' reasons: "An original and thought-provoking project, which asks questions about our reality in a world that is becoming increasingly complex due to technology. The film manages to be exciting and convincing, both conceptually and visually, and presents credible and authentic characters, who resemble people we know from everyday life and succeed in creating an emotional connection and identification."

Honorable Mention for Work in Progress for an Artificial Intelligence-Based Film: Awarded to Boris Mitzir and Leila Zwokbokl's film "How to Turn a Jew into an Enemy"

The judges' reasons: "An original and fascinating project, based on deep and thorough research and dealing with a topic of great importance. The jury found that intelligent use of AI tools can open up new creative possibilities for the project and help make the story accessible to an international audience."

Haifa Film Festival Development Encouragement Grants at the 23rd International Film and Television Pitching

A 10,000 NIS film development incentive grant from the Haifa International Film Festival for the film "The Prince," a film by Tomer Katari, produced by Itay Tamir, Lila Films.

Judges' reasons: "The judges were impressed by the quality and clarity of the film's presentation, with a powerful emotional story and a strong dramatic arc. This is a drama deeply rooted in personal trauma but still with a compassionate approach to a universal situation that can be connected to. We see the film as having the potential to transform an intimate personal experience into something that resonates far and wide."

Haifa International Film Festival's Television Drama Development Encouragement Grant of 10,000 NIS for the series "Beyond the Fence" creators Tehila Rodel and Elisheva Weil, producers Alma Productions, Arik Bernstein, Talia Bernstein

The judges' reasons: "A moving and personal coming-of-age story based on the experiences of the creators. The world is complex and unique, against a backdrop of social and political conflict, dealing with the struggle of two young women to find their place in the world."

An Opus Productions grant for editing a trailer for a feature film was awarded to "Don't Forget Flora" by Yotam Knispel, produced by Harel Ben Melech.

The International Pitching for Film and Television in collaboration with the Israeli Film Foundation.
In the 12th Haifa Feature Film Pitching Finals, the award was given
A production grant from the Gesher Foundation for Multicultural Cinema in the amount of 30,000 NIS for the film "Buckelmon", a film by Meirav Sarai, Sapir College, School of Sound and Screen Arts.
Judges' reasons: "A rare and revealing look at the torn identity of a heroine who tries to define herself between the painful family she was born into and the family that raised her. A film that dares to confront feelings of confinement, repulsion, and alienation on the path to self-discovery."

An editing room services grant from Opus Productions was awarded to the film "I Am the Anointed One," a film by Noa Rockani, Sapir College, School of Sound and Screen Arts.
The judges' reasons: "A brave and unsettling script written with a confident hand and telling a story about self-redemption from the honey trap of excessive symbiosis and manipulative control in the mother-daughter relationship."

Jungle Sound Sound Sound Editing Grant for the film "Good Soldier" by Hagai Stern, Ma'ale, the Film and Television School.
The judges' reasons: "A brave script in its fragility, a voice that dares to give a significant and respectful place to everything human in fear, in the longing for life in the face of the sounds of war. To have the courage to expose and challenge heroism."

The Haifa International Film Festival is held with the support of the Israel Film Council - the Ministry of Culture and Sports, the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Regional Cooperation and the Municipality of Haifa.

The festival is produced by Atos - the Society for Arts, Culture and Sports Haifa.
Artistic director - Yaron Shamir