Special Screenings

During the World Judo Championships, Iranian judoka Leila and her coach Maryam receive an ultimatum from the Islamic Republic: Leila must fake an injury and lose to avoid a potential match against an Israeli athlete. With her own and her family’s freedom at stake, Leila faces an impossible choice. A powerful political thriller filmed in black and white, co-directed by Guy Nattiv and Iranian filmmaker Zar Amir Ebrahimi

In Collaboration with 499 and with the support of the French Institute in Israel
An isolated hitman in a dingy New York building takes in Mathilda, a young girl whose parents were murdered. Slowly, a special bond forms between them, and the hitman will do anything to protect her. The film, which became a cinematic milestone, marked the electrifying breakthrough of a young Natalie Portman in her very first screen role. It features an unforgettable ensemble cast including Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, and Ellen Greene as Mathilda's mother. A timeless cinematic experience not to be missed on the big screen.
35mm Film Print

The film of legendary director Oliver Stone brings to the screen the story of Barry Champlain (Eric Bogosian), an on-air radio personality who likes to push buttons and the envelope. Barry has gained widespread popularity by being controversial, and now his show is going national. But while enjoying his professional success, his personal life is unraveling: he is still battling with his ex-wife, Ellen (played by Ellen Greene), while being flooded with hate mail. As he goes on the air for a lengthy and intense session, a call from a deranged listener just may change everything.

35mm Film Print

With the support of the French Institute in Israel

A dark and courageous drama by the prominent director Andrey Zvyagintsev ("The Return", "Leviathan"), which earned him the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. The long and agonizing divorce story of Zhenya and Boris, with their son Alyosha caught in the middle, allows the director to examine how autocratic governance, technology, money, and religion in Russia impact the personal lives of ordinary people. Although both parents are estranged from one another, a sudden crisis widens the chasm, one that opened the very moment they began their relationship, and continues to grow now when cooperation becomes critical.

 Israeli Premiere Courtesy of Lev Cinemas and with the support of the French Institute in Israel

Festive pre-premiere screening of four filmmakers who participated in the lab and developed their short films within its framework.

The world's best short films, focusing on war. Curator: Shira Havron

A new collaboration between the Student Film Festival and CUC School, China, featuring a selection of the school's best films.

Cinema Sprint is an intensive 48-hour filmmaking challenge, in which creators face one mission: to produce an original short film - from the initial idea and script, through filming, and all the way to final editing - In just 48 hours. Each team receives three elements that they must incorporate into the film: a location, a line of dialogue and an object.

The newly launched International Panorama section presents student films personally curated by festival co-directors Oshrit Bitton and Daniel Gat, returning to the festival's 40-year-old roots to provide a stage for courageous, experimental, and raw cinema that embraces absolute creative freedom without conforming to establishment dictates.

Additional Screening

The newly launched International Panorama section presents student films personally curated by festival co-directors Oshrit Bitton and Daniel Gat, returning to the festival's 40-year-old roots to provide a stage for courageous, experimental, and raw cinema that embraces absolute creative freedom without conforming to establishment dictates.

Short films by students from The Steve Tisch School of Film and Television at Tel Aviv University. Workshop Mentor: Amir Tausinger

English: Short films by students from The Steve Tisch Film and Television School at Tel- Aviv University. Workshop Facilitator: Danny Lerner.

Short films by students from The Steve Tisch Film and Television School at Tel- Aviv University. Workshop Facilitator: Yosef Pitchhadze, Michal Vinik.

Short films by students from The Steve Tisch Film and Television School at Tel- Aviv University. Workshop Facilitator: Amir Manor

As part of the festival’s 40th anniversary celebrations, we are proud to present a special screening of Avanti Popolo, which also marks four decades since its release, with the presence of the film’s cast and crew.

As part of the festival’s 40th anniversary celebrations, we are proud to present a special screening of Little Shop of Horrors, which also marks four decades since its release, with the presence of the actress Ellen Greene.

This year, the festival celebrates an exciting milestone: 40 years of audacity, innovation, and groundbreaking cinema. As part of the official 40th-anniversary celebrations, we are proud to present a special retrospective program, bringing to the screen the short student films of contemporary cinematic giants who began their journey and shaped the festival's DNA over the past four decades. This festive collection invites the audience on a cinematic journey through time, offering a fascinating glimpse into the student films and early works of those who, over the years, became masters of local and global cinema. The 40th-anniversary celebrations are a rare opportunity to experience the living connection between past and future, between the generation that paved the way, and the next generation walking it now.

השנה הפסטיבל חוגג אבן דרך מרגשת: 40 שנה של תעוזה, חדשנות וקולנוע פורץ דרך. במסגרת חגיגות ה-40 הרשמיות, אנחנו גאים להציג תוכנית רטרוספקטיבית מיוחדת, שמביאה למסך את סרטי הסטודנטים הקצרים של ענקי קולנוע עכשוויים שהחלו את דרכם ועיצבו את ה-DNA של הפסטיבל לאורך ארבעת העשורים האחרונים. המקבץ החגיגי מזמין את הקהל למסע קולנועי בזמן, ומציע הצצה מרתקת לסרטי הסטודנטים והיצירות המוקדמות של מי שהפכו עם השנים למאסטרים של הקולנוע המקומי והעולמי. חגיגות ה-40 הן הזדמנות נדירה לפגוש את נקודת החיבור החיה בין העבר לעתיד ' בין הדור שפרץ את הדרך, לדור הבא שצועד בה עכשיו.

Short and feature films from the Middle East, screened secretly at the festival due to censorship restrictions.

A festive premiere for the film “Youthful Grace”, winner of the Steve Tisch Foundation for First Feature Film Production.

In this special one-time screening, we will watch 'Samson' , accompanied by an introduction from Shani Kiniso and Dr. Shmulik Duvdevani. Together, they will evoke Wajda’s spirit and attempt to imagine what his films would look like if they were made here and now.
Collaboration with the Polish Institute

Winner of the 2022 David Gombin Memorial Fund for Documentary Films Competition

The annual memorial event in memory of Maya Puder returns this year in the form of an interactive screening - an evening of cinema, music, singing, and dancing, in the spirit of the life Maya loved so deeply. This year we will screen the film “Hairspray”, and celebrate Maya through joy, movement, color, and human connection. This is an evening that seeks to remember her not only through longing, but also through the light, freedom, and love she brought with her everywhere she went. On this night, we continue to choose life - to sing, dance, laugh, and feel together. Exactly as Maya would have wanted.
Ayala Puder

A festive, wet cinematic event under the open sky, where seats turn into floats and the theater becomes a pool. In honor of Pride Month, we invite you to a screening of the wild cinematic hit "Tangerine"

A boozy cult screening of "A Dangerous Dance" with a drinking game; hosted by Avia Farhi and Itamar Erenberg, sponsored by Milk & Honey Distillery.

A rare, first-look screening of a film in its final editing stages, just moments before its world release. The Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival invites you to watch the work-in-progress version of "Dream High" and take part in the final refinement of the film. The screening will be followed by an open Q&A session with the filmmakers, where we welcome your thoughts, reactions, and feedback.

The Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival, in collaboration with The New Fund for Cinema and Television (NFCT), invites you to a special screening of the Docaviv Festival Best Debut Film winner, "One Eye Open" (Directed by Tom Giat, Produced by Ohad Milstein), followed by a panel discussion.
The event is dedicated to courageous filmmaking that responds to complex political and social realities. It serves as a platform to introduce the NFCT’s brand-new track, "Cinema and the Public Sphere," designed to support student graduation films and provide a professional home for bold cinematic works. During the panel, we will address urgent questions: How do we handle sensitive real-world footage? How do we find artistic direction and guidance? And how can we shape a cinematic statement with real impact in the public sphere, even when facing powerful institutions and forces?
"One Eye Open" was born out of deeply personal and exposed footage documented by Tom during his military reserve service. The panel discussion will feature director Tom Giat, the film's producer and filmmaker Ohad Milstein, the track's mentors Karin Rivkind Segal and Maya Zinshtein, and the Artistic Director of the NFCT, Irit Shamrat.
The NFCT's new support track for graduation films is open to all genres and at all stages of production. It seeks students with a brave voice and a desire to create impact-driven cinema. Selected projects will receive close, professional mentorship from program advisors Maya Zinshtein and Karin Rivkind Segal, and two projects will win an increased grant of 50,000 ILS.
Submission Deadline for the Call for Applications: June 30, 2026
For full details and registration, visit the NFCT website.

https://nfct.org.il/blog/students_06-26/

A collection of the best high school films from across the country

Screening of the winning films, following the announcement of the winners at a festive ceremony the night before.

Screening of the winning films, following the announcement of the winners at a festive ceremony the night before.

Screening of the winning films, following the announcement of the winners at a festive ceremony the night before.

Screening of the winning films, following the announcement of the winners at a festive ceremony the night before.

Part 2: Screening of the winning films, following the announcement of the winners at a festive ceremony the night before.