ALL LABS' NEWS

As part of the Ophir Israeli Academy Awards 2025, that took place last week, "The Sea" - written and directed by Shai Carmeli Pollack and developed at the Lab's 5th Edition - won 5 awards, including Best Film and Best Script. The film will represent Israel at the Oscar Academy Awards.

"Dead Language" by Mihal Brezis and Oded Binnun, developed at the Lab's 4th Edition, won Best Art Direction Award.

Photo: Shai Carmeli Pollack, courtesy of Ophir Awards

Prizes totaling $70,000 were awarded to promising new talents from around the world , as part of the closing session of the 13th Edition of the Sam Spiegel International Film Lab, at the Venice Production Bridge.
10 projects were pitched in front of an international jury including chief of staff of the Berlin International Film Festival- Florian Weghorn, The FFF Bayern co-head of funding- Judith Erber and Austrian producer Arash T. Riahi, who awarded prizes in the amount of $70,000.

The Sam Spiegel International Film Lab $50,000 Grand Prize, donated by the Beracha Foundation was awarded to “Don’t be a Stranger” by Fillipe Fernandes. Producer - Dora Amorim.
The jury statement read: “Intimacy pervades this project at every take: with its strong characters caught between longing and loss; in the profound depiction of life and love; and even in the portrayal of the everyday working life of someone who is, in the true sense of the word, a deeply caring person. All these elements come together in a film project of the utmost urgency for the director and the team, for the societies in which diversity is increasingly at threat - and hopefully, also with this award, very soon for a worldwide audience”.

The Sam Spiegel International Film Lab Emerging Filmmaker Award in the amount of $20,000 was granted to “Thei night will be White” by Nir Guilat, Producer- Eviatar Moncaz.
The jury statement read: “We decided to award the second prize to a film that not only has a great premise but also promises a celebration of child-like innocence within a society full of pain and trauma. A film that makes us laugh and cry at the same time, a film that embraces the beauty of going after our dreams no matter how banal they might seem for other people. A film that surprises us again and again. A film that brings light to the darkness of the night”.

A special mention from the jury was given to a third project- “Milah”, by Amos Holtzman. Producer Talia Bernstein. The jury statement read: “The quality of all projects was so high that we would have loved to award all of you. However after careful discussions we decided to make an exception and announce a special mention to a story that represents the best of Israeli filmmaking. A film that dares to talk about taboos in the society with complexity and still allow us to laugh about those traumas, even if it’s a trauma about a piece of a penis. Through its human approach Milah has a huge potential to generate and fire up discussions about who owns our bodies: tradition or our own will”.

For the first time in its 13-year history, the Sam Spiegel International Film Lab held its final pitching event as part of the Venice Production Bridge during the 82nd Venice International Film Festival.

Dana Blankstein Cohen, executive director of the Sam Spiegel School: "In these horrific times, our moral compass compels us to voice the urgent need to end the war immediately. Holding the Lab’s pitching event in Venice underscores the importance of film havens worldwide - safe, creative spaces where filmmakers gather, exchange, and launch films that envision a more compassionate and secure world for all. We carry a creative responsibility to empower Palestinian and Israeli students and filmmakers, to protect freedom of speech, and to preserve the collaborative work of film between creators from diverse backgrounds".

Mor Eldar, Director of the Sam Spiegel Labs adds: “10 Projects from all over the world and from various religions- Christians, Muslims and Jews, shared 8 months of thorough development process together, which culminated in one of the world’s most important film festivals. While working on their first or second films they demonstrated again the power of film to connect people, behind the scenes and in front of the camera”.

For the first time in its 13-year history, the Sam Spiegel International Film Lab is holding its final pitching event as part of the Venice Production Bridge during the 82nd Venice International Film Festival.

10 projects from all around the world: Brazil, Hungary/Slovakia, Austria and Israel are participating in this year's edition of the Lab. During the closing session, they will pitch their projects in front of worldwide cinema industry professionals, including the international jury: chief of staff of the Berlin International Film Festival- Florian Weghorn, The FFF Bayern co-head of funding- Judith Erber and Austrian producer Arash T. Riahi, who will award prizes in the amount of $70,000.

Congratulations to our alumnus nominated for this year's Israeli Academy Awards (Ophirs):
"The Sea" by Shai Carmeli Pollak (developed in the 5th edition of the Lab) - with 13 nominations, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenwriter
"Dead Language" by Mihal Brezis and Oded Binnun (developed in the 4th edition of the Lab) - with 12 nominations, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenwriter
"Oxygen" by Netalie Braun (developed in the 9th edition of the Lab) - with 8 nominations, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenwriter

We congratulate the Lab alumnus winning prizes at the Jerusalem Film Festival 2025:
"Oxygen" by Netalie Braun (developed in the 9th edition of the Lab) - awarded Best Israeli Feature Film
"Dead Language" by Mihal Brezis and Oded Binnun (developed in the 4th edition of the Lab) - awarded Best Script
"The Sea" by Shai Carmeli Pollak (developed in the 5th edition of the Lab) - awarded Special Mention and Best Ensemble Cast

SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN for the next edition of the Sam Spiegel International Film Lab!
Submissions are open until August 4th at 16:00 CET
If you have a first or second feature project qualifying the requirements for the Lab - we welcome you to apply for our next edition.
For more information on the submission requirements and for the application form, please visit the application page: https://filmlab.jsfs.co.il/filmapplication

We congratulate our alumnies Mihal Brezis and Oded Binnun for the premiere of their film "Dead Language", developed on the Sam Spiegel International Film Lab's 4th edition, and based on the short Academy Award nominated film "Aya". Their upcoming world premiere will take place at the Tribeca Film Festival. Good luck!

‬Congratulations to Jonathan Dekel, graduate of the Sam Spiegel International Film Lab, whose film "Checkout" is screening theatrically. The film was developed as part of the 7th edition of the Lab and won first place that year. Wishing you great success!

It is with profound sorrow that we share the heartbreaking news of the sudden passing of Renen Schorr, the visionary founder of the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School.
His passing marks the end of an era, leaving an immeasurable legacy not only in Israeli cinema but also in the hearts of all those who had the privilege to learn from, work alongside, and be inspired by him. Renen was the visionary founder of the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School, which he established in 1989 and led for over three decades delivering the school to great international recognition.

Schorr was a film director, screenwriter, film producer and Israeli film activist. Over the last 40 years he founded or co-founded the infrastructure of Israeli film funds and cinematheques.

Dana Blankstein Cohen, Executive Director of the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School said: “Our community is heartbroken by the news of the death of our teacher and founding director, Renen Schorr. He established what was to become not only his life’s work, but a project that changed Israeli cinema beyond recognition and thus Israeli culture as a whole. Renen was at the helm of the school for more than a generation and did so with unprecedented passion that allowed the school to become a leading and noteworthy institution in the world of cinema. Our hearts are with his family and with the many for whom Renen was a significant mentor in their own journeys as filmmakers and as humans”.

What a wonderful honor!
"Girls Will be Girls" by Shuchi Talati and producer Richa Chadda just won the John Cassavetes Award at the Independent Spirit Awards!
Developed at the 9th edition of our International Film Lab, "Girls Will be Girls" also won the Sundance Audience Award in 2024 where the film premiered.
Really proud of the journey our filmmakers are on - and gratified that they started here.

Open for submissions!
The 4th edition of the Sam Spiegel Series Lab launches, and it's your chance to apply.
The Lab helps selected projects to go through an intensive development process with personal guidance and mentoring by television industry professionals.
Throughout the Lab, participants will build a visual pitch deck guided by professional designers, and will be mentored for pitching their ideas verbally to business professionals from all around the world.

Submissions are open until February 20, 2025 at 13:00 (Israel Time).
For more information - https://filmlab.jsfs.co.il/seriesapplication

Hot off the success of his first feature "Karaoke", Lab alum Moshe Rosenthal just finished principal shooting of his second feature film, "Independence", which he developed at our 7th edition. The film is produced by Green Productions.
Best of luck to Moshe and the whole team!