2025 EVENT GRID
Selected Venue:
Director(s): Noa Elisha
Israel
Year: 2025
Runtime: 17'
International premiere
Comedy, Short
Part of New shorts from Sapir College.
Nov 1
Nur gets pulled over by a police officer for getting old and underachieving.After glimpsing her not-so-bright future, she’s motivated (mainly by anxiety) to take control of her life, facing reality’s unlikely circumstance.
Why we like this film: A fun comedy about a young person trying to "adult".
Director(s): Yoav Amir, Vika Rehelis
Israel
Year: 2025
Runtime: 9'
International premiere
Animation, Short
Part of New shorts from Sapir College.
Nov 1
After losing his family to foreign invasion decades ago, Boaz lives in isolation, haunted by trauma. On the night he decides to end his life, an angel appears, revealing his inner strength to face life and find peace with his loss.
Why we like this film: Winner of the Best Animation Award, and honorable mention for Art Direction at the Cinema South Festival in Israel.
Director(s): Lysa- Rose Zaoui
Israel
Year: 2025
Runtime: 8'
Southwest premiere
Animation, Short
Part of New shorts from Sapir College.
Nov 1
Rose discovers the Tooth Fairy. Hearing differing stories from her loved ones, she embarks on a journey to find the truth. The film explores the value of innocence and imagination in both children and the young at heart.
Why we like this film: A sweet, funny animated tale.
Director(s): Nava Yaari
Israel
Year: 2025
Runtime: 15'
International premiere
SciFi, Short
Part of New shorts from Sapir College.
Nov 4
On a planet where sunlight appears once every five centuries, the inhabitants live in darkness. Asa dreams of a life beyond her tribe, despite her responsibilities at home. When the sun rises, it forces Asa to confront her deepest desires. As the tribe reacts with fear, Asa embarks on a journey toward freedom, but it comes at a great cost.
Why we like this film: Something for SciFi / Fantasy lovers!
Director(s): Jonathan Handelsman
Israel
Year: 2025
Runtime: 27'
International premiere
Drama, Short
Part of New shorts from Sapir College.
Nov 1
Anna, a nursing assistant, works as a caregiver to Maxim, a bitter Holocaust survivor and former painter. Living together in a small, aging house, she witnesses his daily struggle with dementia - a condition he stubbornly refuses to acknowledge. When his doctor presents a promising treatment option, Anna embarks on a creative quest to raise the necessary funds, revealing the unexpected depths of their relationship.
Why we like this film: A well made drama about the complex relationship between a Holocaust survivor and his caregiver.
Director(s): Noga Mer
Israel
Year: 2024
Runtime: 25'
Texas premiere
Drama, Short
Part of New shorts from Sapir College.
Nov 1
Keren decides to save the life of Abir - her cousin who has been homeless for 30 years. An intimate relationship develops between them that allows her to free herself from the shackles of her empty life and live as she hasn't experienced in years.
Why we like this film: A good drama about caring for someone you care about with mental health problems.
Mixed
Year: 2024, 2025
Runtime: 90'
FREE program!
Shorts
Nov 8
A diverse mix of new short films. Specific titles to be announced.
Why we like this film: Short programs are always great – they feature an ecclectic mix of films. If one isn’t to your taste, just wait a few minutes for the next one! Shorts are also how every filmmaker starts off, so come see the early work of tomorrow’s creators of feature length movies.
Director(s): Jonathan Handelsman, Noga Mer, Lysa-Rose Zaoui, Yoav Amirm Vika Rehelis, Noa Elisha, Nava Yaari
Israel
Year: 2024, 2025
Runtime: 109'
FREE program!
Shorts program
In person Q&A with student filmmaker Noa Elisha and Sapir's head of distribution, Hen Gimelfarb, visiting from Israel..
Nov 1
A diverse collection of new short films from the School of Audio and Visual Arts at Sapir College in Israel. Titles include: Anna-Maxim (drama), Abir (drama), Les visites de la fée des dentes (animation), Ma'avrak (animation), 30 and Trying (comedy), Daybreak (sci-fi).
Why we like this film: This program is part of a new AJFF collaboration with Sapir College. Short programs are always great - they feature an ecclectic mix of films. If one isn't to your taste, just wait a few minutes for the next one! Shorts are also how every filmmaker starts off, so come see the early work of tomorrow's creators of feature length movies.
Director(s): Shai Carmeli-Pollak
Israel
Year: 2025
Runtime: 93'
Southwest premiere
Drama
Nov 8
Khaled, a 12-year-old boy from a Palestinian village, gets the chance to see the sea for the first time in his life on a school trip. But when the class reaches a military checkpoint, the soldiers claim Khaled's permit is invalid and send him back home, while his classmates continue their trip. Deeply disappointed, Khaled sets out to the sea on his own, even though he doesn’t know the way and doesn’t speak Hebrew. When his father, Ribhi, an undocumented laborer working in Israel, learns that his son is missing, he leaves his job in search for him—risking arrest and the loss of his livelihood.
Why we like this film: Winner of 5 Israeli Acadmy Awards and Israel's submission to the upcoming 2026 Oscars, this is an excellent drama. But it angered the Israeli culture minister who vowed to pull all government funding from future Israeli Academy Awards. Come see the film and consider for yourself if this ought to be considered a controversial film or not.