Sderot film festival turns 25 with new incubator and post-October 7 premieres

The Cinema of the South Festival opens November 1 in Sderot. It will run through November 5 at the Sderot Cinematheque. This is the event's 25th anniversary.

The festival is organized by the School of Audio and Visual Arts at Sapir Academic College. It was founded by that department. The program includes television premieres, international films, and competitions.

This year's lineup focuses on creators from Sderot and the western Negev. Several works examine life in the three years following the October 7 Hamas-led massacres in Israel. The opening evening will feature a discussion with Hanan Savyon and Guy Amir. They will talk about their Netflix series "Bros." The first two episodes of the show's second season will have their world premiere that night.

The series follows two childhood friends and Beitar Jerusalem fans who run a pub together. Their friendship faces various crises. Advance screenings include "Motherland," a KAN comedy-drama directed by Yael Hedaya. It stars Dana Ivgy, Sasson Gabay, and Alma Zack.

Audiences will also see "Whose Daughter Are You?" This KAN documentary series is directed by Efrat Shalom Danon and Keren Shayo. Osnat Trabelsi produced it. The series focuses on Mizrahi women in Israel. The team behind the KAN series "The Pshute" will also appear. Director Dan Messer and creators Bar Elmaliach Donzov, Chen Rotman, and Oshrit Sarusi will join the session.

Iris Zaki's film "What Was She Thinking?" will close the festival. The movie explores the choice not to have children in Israeli society. Zaki heads the school's master's degree program. The screening honors editor Nili Feller. She has won two Ophir Awards. The tribute will show four films she edited.

Graduates of Sapir Academic College will present new work. Efrat Corem will show "Heart of Gold." It stars Chen Amsalem, Menashe Noy, and Israel Atias. Shir Houri Abu will present the documentary "100 Gates." Tal Avitan will screen "Carlos Outside the Lines," a film about a children's soccer coach in Kiryat Gat.

The festival will also screen "Sketches of the Soul." This collection of five shorts is by western Negev filmmakers. The films deal with life after October 7. Sami Shalom Chetrit will premiere "My Beloved Gourama." It follows his father's life in Morocco and Israel. Swiss director Thomas Imbach will present two films and lead a master class. The Swiss Embassy is cooperating on that segment. The closing ceremony will launch Negba, a new incubator for young filmmakers from the south.