Congratulations to Film Lab alumni Tom Nesher, which was selected for Variety's prestigious Directors to Watch list 2025.

Nesher participated in the Lab's 9th edition, where she developed the script for "Come Closer", which premiered this year in Tribeca winning the Viewpoints Award. Later this year, the film won 4 Israeli Academy Awards including Best Film, making it Israel's representative in this year's Academy Awards.

This is the 28th year that Variety identifies up-and-coming directors, and alongside Nesher, this year the list also includes filmmakers Coralie Fargeat (“The Substance”), Malcolm Washington (“The Piano Lesson”) and Halina Reijn (“Babygirl”). Each filmmaker will be profiled in an upcoming Variety print edition.