Israeli Culture Minister Pulls Funding from Ophir Awards After Palestinian-Themed Film “The Sea” Wins Top Prize
In Israel, the crazy cuts both ways. The Israeli film industry was rocked this morning when Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar announced the government would halt public funding for the Ophir Awards, Israel’s top film honors. The announcement c
Gender Discrimination – Oppressed Voices from Turkey, US & Israel
Film Industry Watch received the following email, with certain details redacted to protect the filmmaker’s identity: “Thanks for the information. If you are genuinely interested in hearing favoritism, censorship, or institutional bias in my own f
Jerusalem Film Festival, a Celebration of Discrimination: How Israel’s Film Industry Is Punishing Its Men
An update to this post – Oppressed Voices from Turkey, the US and Israel – is published here. Earlier this month we published a detailed exposé on the gender imbalance and institutional corruption permeating Israel’s publicly funded ci
11 Female Nominees, One Male: Inside Israel’s Ophir Awards, Chaos & Derangement
While The Far Right Clings To Power, The Radical Left Loses Grip On Reality Israeli Cabinet Moves To Dismantle Public Broadcaster’s Newsroom, Deepening Battle Over Press Freedom A related post – An Oppressed Voice from Turkey – is publi
ISRAEL – Inside the Gate-Keeping: One Filmmaker’s Fury at Israel’s Festival Circuit
Film Industry Watch continues its coverage of the simmering controversies around Israel’s cultural institutions. Earlier this month an award-winning documentary producer sent Film Industry Watch a blistering note about his experience on the Israeli
ISRAEL: The Takeover of Israeli Cinema: Politics, Corruption, and Cultural Erosion
Israeli Cinema Under Siege: Government Reforms, Alleged Corruption, and a Fight for Artistic Survival The Israeli film industry, once celebrated for its groundbreaking work on both local and international stages, now finds itself at a critical crossr
ISRAEL: Controversial Gathering by Israeli Film Board Lead by Noa Regev Sparks Outrage Among European Filmmakers
In a move that has shocked and outraged the European film community, the Israeli Film Board, led by Noa Regev, hosted a lavish gathering at the 2024 Berlin Film Festival amid escalating tensions and crises back home. While the Israeli military contin
תעשיית הקולנוע בישראל – ריכוזיות וחשד לניגודי עניינים ושחיתות לכאורה לאורך עשרות שנים – קרן רבינוביץ וקרן גשר
המידע המוצג להלן מצייר תמונה של תעשייה נגועה בשחיתות לכאורה באופנים שונים. ראשית, השפעה על חלוקת התקציבים לקרנות עצמן, בעזרת יצירת “דל
ISRAEL: Decades Long Alleged Corruption at the Rabinowitz & Gesher Film Funds
Giora Eini, Eti Cohen, Moshe Edery, Yoav Abramovich & others. Following our report on the revolving doors at the Israeli Film Fund, where a significant portion, if not the majority, of feature film financing is allocated to a small group of indiv
Former Head of the Israeli Film Fund Allegedly Awarded Funding to a Project Directed by his Wife’s Business Partner
Thanks to our readers contribution we have came to know that Katriel Schory, who established the Israeli Film Fund and served as its CEO for almost 30 years, allegedly approved production funding for a film related to his wife Naomi Schory as one of
Is Nadav Lapid Receiving Full Production Funding from two Countries, Against the Rules?
Thanks to readers contribution we’ve been made aware that Nadav Lapid is probably receiving full production funding as the resident of two countries, against the rules set out by the Israeli Film Funds and Israeli Ministry of Culture. According
Is the Integrity of the European Film Industry Compromised?
Before we delve into the details of this article, we want to remind our readers of a simple yet crucial fact: every year film festivals receive thousands of submissions. The most prestigious ones can receive as many as 15,000 submissions annually.&nb
Revolving Doors At The Israeli Film Funds Headed by Noa Regev, Film Council member Osnat Bukofzer Alleged Conflict of Interest and more
חברי תעשיית הקולנוע הישראלית שיש להם מידע נוסף על שחיתות בקרנות, במיוחד בקרן רבינוביץ ועל דלתות מסתובבות בין מועצת הקולנוע לתפקידים בקרן
CASE STUDY: Statistically Significant Gender Bias at The Jerusalem Film Lab
Recent reports have brought to light concerns regarding gender bias at The Jerusalem Film Lab’s 10th lab event, held in 2020. (Another case from 2024 is reported here) Statistical analysis indicates a probability of 99.984% for gender-based bia
CASE STUDY – Producer & Festival Decision Maker – Dominique Welinski’s Multiple Conflict of Interests Roles in the Industry
A more recent (May 2025) article about this subject was published here. Dominique Welinski maintains a multitude of influential roles within the film industry, generating a potential conflict of interest. She holds the dual position of curator and pr