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News JSFL 12th Edition Winners! Prizes totaling $70,000 were awarded to promising new talents from around the world The 12th edition of the Sam Spiegel International Film Lab awarded prizes to two outstanding projects this year. The Sam Spiegel International Film Lab $50,000 Grand Prize, donated by the Beracha Foundation was awarded to Who Lives There, by Omer Ben-David, Vera Grinblat, producer Estee Meckleberg, Israel.. The jury headed by Roland Teichmann, CEO of the Austrian Film Institute, stated “Through an unforgettable portrait of an adolescent learning to navigate the social corridors of her religious boarding school, Who Lives There explores the sacrifices we sometimes must make in the course of defending ourselves, and how we recover from them..” The Sam Spiegel International Film Lab Emerging Filmmaker Award in the amount of $20,000 was granted to The Good Fence , by Hillel Rate producer Lev Orlov. The jury statement read: “The Good Fence portrays the conflicted relationship between a father and son in the settlements, in the wake of a family tragedy. It avoids simple answers while looking unblinkingly at the most complex issues of our time.”. The international jury consisting of Belgian producer Diana Elbaum; 30West co-president Daniel Steinman; and Roland Teichmann, the CEO of the Austrian Film Institute, were present for a hybrid pitching event that took place at the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School’s central Jerusalem location.

News The 10th edition of the International Film Lab The 10th edition of the Lab met for the first time! Even though we are online again and it was only a virtual toast, it’s great to see the new faces that will bring to the world some amazing stories! Good luck to all of the directors and producers! The 10th edition features 12 projects from countries including Malta, Belgium, Albania, Finland, Germany and Israel. Our mentors this year are the terrific team of Clare Downs, Thomas Hailer, Jacques Akchoti and Eran Riklis.

prizes Ophir Prize Shortlist Two documentaries, and one fiction film from our school are on the Israeli Academy Awards shortlist. All three films have won significant awards locally and are competing for this prestigious prize. Best of luck to Roni Levine & Michael Anug (Temporary Identity); Rachel Shatz (Things That Have No Name); and to Bar Talmon (Offside)

News Student films highlighted at the Jerusalem Women's Film Festival The Jerusalem Women's Film Festival is highlighting the works of local women and students. We are proud to have four films screening at various locations around the city during the festival.

News "Ordinary" won first place at the Tbilisi International Student Film Festival Congratulations to Gil Fermon for winning at the Tbilisi International Student Film Festival! "Ordinary" his is graduation film. A strong start for a strong film!

Film Festival Jerusalem Film Festival 2025 Two outstanding graduation films will be screening as part of the short film competition. Good luck to Liya Elbashan - "Frames for Michael" and Ayal Sgarski -"The Things We Do for Love and a Foreign Passport"!

Award Man's Best Friend wins Shagrir Family Award for Best Documentary Film 2022 Man's Best Friend, by recent alumna Gaya Elstein, won the Shagrir Family Award for Best Documentary Film at the Jerusalem Film Festival. Gaya's film is a sensitive portayal of a pet cemetery full of life. Every day people come and visit their deceased companions, each have different mourning ceremonies and their own unique connection to their pet.

Update 11th edition of the International Film Lab is in full swing in Jerusalem this week Making a feature film is hard work. And it starts with a strong script and inspiring mentors. Intensive one-on-one meetings take place every day, all week. Our 11th edition participants are lucky to be working with the best script editors in the world! BAFTA winner Clare Downs - has been with the Lab since we started in 2011 is a much sought-after script consultant. Screenwriter and script consultant, Jacques Akchoti has been an integral part of the Sam Spiegel International Film Lab since its inception in 2011. Former head of "Berlinale Generation", Thomas Hailer Thomas Hailer is a much respected a dramaturg and script consultant Script consultant Sari Azoulay Turgeman Sari Turgeman who worked on "Fauda" and just directed her first feature is joining us for the first time.

Prizes Prizes at the Jerusalem Women's Film Festival Proud to congratulate our alumna on their prizes at the 2023 Jerusalem Women's Film Festival! Tal Comay won the script development prize for her JSFS graduation film; and May Rash won the special mention prize for her graduation film as well as the Gesher Fund development grant for her upcoming film.

News Jerusalem Film Festival! Five of our films will be taking part in this year's Israeli short film competition. We are delighted for graduation films "Cholera"; "Things That Have No Name" and "Mirror Image" As well as for debut films "Baseline" and "Pines". Good luck to all!

Sam Spiegel Series Lab! "Netflix and Sam Spiegel- a match made in Heaven" The first edition of the Sam Spiegel Series Lab ended with a BANG! The full working-week in Los Angeles culminated with an award reception where the $20,000 Netflix Series Development Award, presented by Ted Sarandos, was awarded to Insignificant by Mindi Ehrlich , produced by Efrat Dror . The jury stated the award was granted to “a powerful story with an inspiring protagonist. The project balances a compelling personal story with an engaging narrative and a global appeal, while bringing an untold story to light”. The $10,000 WestEnd Upcoming Talent Award, was awarded to Wafa by Benjamin Freidenberg and Ihab Jadallah , produced by Amir Harel & Ayelet Kait. The jury stated the award was granted to “a bold and risky story, set in a world yet to be seen onscreen, where the protagonists must live a lie to live their truth.”

News Henry Winkler at Sam Spiegel We were thrilled to host showbiz royality at our school last week! Henry Winkler gave an impassioned talk to our students along with our alumni Aleeza Chanowitz, Mickey Triest and Aaron Geva who have created the series "Chanshi" for HOT.