The Israeli competition is a unique platform through which outstanding student works, produced in Israel in the past year, are exposed. This year’s selection was tougher than usual, and from over 130 films by students from various film schools across the country, 22 films were chosen. More than half of them were made by women.
The films belong to diverse genres – feature films, documentary, animation, and experimental, and provide a glimpse into the subjects that today’s student body is concerned with: gender and femininity, bereavement and loss, family and adolescence, LGBT identity, military service, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
This year we found it important to make room for works in which we recognized cinematic courage, and we were pleased to discover the strength and power of the documentary genre which stood out in quality and number, from the films submitted.
We are proud to bring forth the important work of the future generation of filmmakers, and hope that the Israeli competition will inspire young filmmakers to continue in their endeavor.

Best wishes,
Yael Benaya and Lihi Noyvirt
Directors of the Israeli Competition