This year’s Graduate Competition breaks new records.
52 graduation projects will take part in this year’s competition- including short films, animated films, web series, TV pilots, documentary cinema, and a special concept series titled Yehavim, created in collaboration with yes in memory of our beloved faculty member, Yehav Wiener, who will always remain in our hearts.
In the two most difficult years in the school’s history- against all odds, and in the wake of the trauma of October 7th- the graduating class has produced an unprecedented body of work. This achievement belongs to our exceptional graduates who poured their hearts into creation, and of course to our devoted lecturers and mentors, who gave it all so that we could be proud of these works, and continue building Sapir College’s School of Audio and Visual Arts into the leading film school in Israel- without question.
Audiences are in for an emotional, powerful experience of outstanding cinema, superb television, breathtaking animation, and mind-blowing soundtracks.
The works are judged not only for their directing. Awards will also be given in cinematography, editing, production, sound design, original composition, art direction, acting, and more.
About a month ago, I was appointed Head of the School. I am proud to stand at its helm and to lead it- together with our dedicated faculty and extraordinary administrative team- toward a future of peace and calm in our region.
My deepest thanks go to Sami and Yonatan, to the heads of the tracks Efrat, Ronen, Anat, Yishai, and Yonatan Hashiloni, to the mentors Anat Oren, Irmi, Elinor, Miki, Shlomi, and Rana, and to Itay, Chair of the Teaching Committee and Head of Theoretical Studies.
Thank you to our wonderful lecturers- and of course to the school’s administrative, coordination, and production team, led by Gali and Julia, to Lior our Production Coordinator, Rotem and Hen from the Distribution Department, and to Damian, Ilan, Daniel, Yaron, and Natan.
Special thanks to our own Daniel Cohen, Director of the New Cinema South Competition- thank you from the bottom of my heart.
A huge thanks to Tamir and Lihi, for crafting this incredible festival with their amazing production team.
A very special thank you to Shay-Lee Atari Wiener for her devoted guidance on the Yehavim project. Yahav is surely smiling now…
This is also an opportunity to thank the students of the school, who make this work so challenging, so enriching, and so filled with joy and meaning. You are the true heroes of this remarkable story we call the School of Audio and Visual Arts at Sapir College… Yes, it’s a long name- we promise to try to shorten it someday.
And now, we begin!
Rani Blair Elkabetz
