7 Israeli Film Directors You Should Know

The Israeli cinema industry is a surprising powerhouse, having produced many innovative and intriguing features, television series and appraised filmmakers. In fact, Israel has been nominated for more Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film than any other country in the Middle East. Here is a roundup of the Israeli film directors you should know.

Avi Nesher

Winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award for Box Office Success in 2017, Avi Nesher is one of the greatest film-makers in the Israeli industry. Having directed several movies in Hollywood as well as many Israeli hits over the past few decades, Nesher’s recent movies, including Pa’am Haitty (Once I Was, Hebrew, 2010), The Wonders (Hebrew, 2013) and Past Life (Ha-Khata’im; The Sins, Hebrew, 2016), have received many praises and are definitely recommended.

Eran Riklis

Joseph Cedar

Another acclaimed and awarded Israeli director is Joseph Cedar, whose movie Footnote premiered in competition at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Having studied philosophy at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and cinema at New York University, his films Beaufort (2007), Footnote (2011) and Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer (2016) have received many praises both in Israel and internationally.

Amos Gitai

A documentary Israeli filmmaker, mainly known for making movies concerning the Jewish-Arab conflict, Gitai has made over 90 works up to date. Many of his works have been displayed in notable institutions like the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, the British Film Institute in London, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York. An architect in his academic training, Gitai is one of the most acclaimed and successful Israeli directors.

Gitai with Natalie Portman and Hanna Laslo on Free Zone

Gideon Raff

Raff is without a doubt one of the most prominent figures in the Israeli film and television sector, having created, written and directed the Israeli hit-series, Prisoners of War, for which the script’s rights were sold to 20th Century Fox Television before it even premiered, who adapted it into the famous Homeland. Raff was also one of the creators of TV shows, Tyrant and Dig. These days, he is working on writing and directing The Spy about the life of Eli Cohen.

Natalie Portman

Born in Jerusalem and raised in the US, Natalie Portman is an awarded and highly acclaimed Hollywood actress – and much more. The actress, film director and producer, who holds dual American and Israeli citizenship, released her debut feature film as a director, A Tale of Love and Darkness, in 2015. The film, in which she also acted, is based on the autobiographical novel of the same name by Israeli author, Amos Oz.

Oren Peli

Remember Paranormal Activity, the homemade horror movie that broke the market back in 2006? Well, this series of hit movies, which started out as a ghost story made on a micro-budget, was directed by Oren Peli, an Israeli software engineer who made the movie with a stationary video camera set up in his home. He has since then moved on to produce several other horror movies.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.