The Israeli film and TV industry has rocketed in quality and international recognition over recent years, with major wins in the biggest film awards around the world. Stars of Israeli TV and film have become household names around the world, and even during lockdown, Israeli filmmakers were as productive as ever, finding new platforms to reach global audiences through the small screen.
The eleventh SERET UK Israeli Film and Television Festival, curated by co-founders Odelia Haroush and Patty Hochmann, featured comedies, dramas, thrillers, documentaries and a hit TV series.
SERET International is now the largest Israeli film festival in the world, with screenings across 16 different cities in five countries: the UK, Germany, The Netherlands, Chile, and this year, for the first time, in Argentina.
Films were shown at movie theaters and in-home from May 12 – 19. This year’s celebration of the very best that Israel has to offer included a tribute to the work of Israel’s much-loved director Avi Nesher and documentaries honoring Israel’s talented and influential artists.
The Opening Gala for the Festival on May 12, held at the Ham Yard Hotel in London, was devoted to Avi Nesher’s latest film, “Image of Victory,” a thought-provoking and powerful anti-war epic, telling the story of the 1948 Israeli War of Independence from both sides. During the Festival, a retrospective of Nesher’s work was shown, including screenings of “The Matchmaker,” “Past Life,” and “Turn Left at the End of the World.”
Documentaries devoted to Israeli cultural icons included “On This Happy Note,” the spiritual legacy of leading Israeli playwright Anat Gov; “The Fourth Window.” the double tragedy behind the international success story of writer Amos Oz, and “The Last Chapter of AB Yehoshua” – after being widowed and becoming seriously ill, one of Israel’s greatest living writers has not given up the desire for life, and “Black Notebooks,” a two-part documentary created and dedicated to Ronit Elkabetz by her brother Shlomi after the sudden death of this admired creator, fashion icon, and actress.
Shtisel’s Doval’e Glickman also starred in “Greener Pastures,” a delightful comedy playing a widower stuck in a retirement home who tries to win back possession of his house by selling medical cannabis for recreational use on the free market.
This year, new awards were given to acknowledge the best filmmakers of the Festival. A new SERET award logo provided an internationally-recognized stamp of approval for the very best in Israeli film. These included an Honorary Award in recognition of an outstanding contribution to Israeli cinema, Most Promising Director based on short films submitted to SERET from Israeli universities film graduates, and the People’s Choice Award.
The Festival was held in five theaters in London, as well as in Cambridge, Oxford, Brighton and Edinburgh. For those who prefer to watch at home, most of the programs are available through the SERET International website