Sderot Film Festival Celebrates 25th Anniversary

The Cinema South Festival will host its 25th edition from November 1 to 5 at the Sderot Cinematheque. This milestone marks a quarter century of operation in a city that has endured frequent rocket attacks and a major assault on October 7, 2023. Director Reuma Mantzur, who leads the event, described the continued existence of the festival as a miracle.

The festival began as a small initiative connected to the School of Audio and Visual Arts at Sapir Academic College. It has since grown into a central hub for regional cinema. Mantzur, a 2006 graduate of the school, stated that the event expanded in direct response to the local reality. She views the festival as an integral part of the community rather than a standalone entertainment product.

The program includes specific initiatives aimed at developing new talent. One such project is Through a Woman's Eyes, an incubator for Bedouin women filmmakers. This group is guided by filmmaker Sigalit Banai and receives support from the Negev Film Fund. Mantzur emphasized that the directors and the surrounding professional team are all local residents from the Rahat community. The next batch of films from this incubator has already been shot and will screen next year.

Mantzur noted a trend where the difficulty of life in the region correlates with an increased desire to create work. The festival addresses the post-graduation gap for students by offering pitching events and development incubators. These resources provide a clear path for filmmakers to continue their careers in the South.

The lineup balances local projects with national and international content. The opening night will feature the first two episodes of the second season of Bros. This series, created by Guy Amir and Hanan Savyon, streams on Netflix. Mantzur argued that watching television in a cinema creates a shared experience distinct from home viewing. The festival will close with the launch of Negba, a new incubator for young southern filmmakers.

The event has a history of hosting prominent guests despite security concerns. In June 2004, actor Richard Gere attended as a guest of honor. He held a master class hours after a missile landed near the venue. Then-Mayor Eli Moyal presented Gere with a piece of shrapnel from the impact. Other past guests include documentary director Albert Maysles and director Sergei Loznitsa.

Swiss director Thomas Imbach is the guest of honor for this year's edition. He will present his films Nemesis and The Exposure. He will also lead a master class in cooperation with the Swiss Embassy. Mantzur stated that bringing overseas guests has become more difficult in recent years. She said these obstacles have reinforced the importance of supporting local creators.

Mantzur said the festival's character relies on the people making the films. She welcomed visitors for the new audiences they bring, but she stressed that the core of the event remains local. She urged the community to invest in its own creators. The full program is available on the website at www.sapir.ac.il/cinema/csf.