As we approach the end of a year in which the Israel-Palestine conflict and the war in Gaza have found their way into many film industry debates — from the Film Workers for Palestine petition signed by over 4,000 Hollywood professionals calling for the boycott of Israeli film institutions to the ongoing controversy over MUBI’s investment from Sequoia Capital, which also invested in three Israeli defense companies — the Other Israel Film Festival is attempting to offer some common ground. The festival, which aims to offer a nuanced perspective on Israeli life by programming the work of both Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers, has announced the lineup for its 19th annual edition, which will once again take place at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan in November.
The festival will begin with the North American premiere of “The Sea,” Israel’s official Oscar submission from director Shai Carmeli-Pollak that follows a Palestinian boy who sneaks into Israel in an attempt to see the sea. The rest of the programming includes a mix of narrative and documentary films about Israel and Palestine, many of which deal with the aftermath of the October 7 attacks, such as Nurit Kedar’s “I Cried in Gaza,” Stephen Apkon’s “There Is Another Way,” and Jérôme Sesquin’s “Israel: Ministers of Chaos.”
“At a time when both governments and the public are working to silence Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers, we are committed to amplifying their voices,” Isaac Zablocki, executive director of the Other Israel Film Festival said in a statement. “Film and conversation remain the most powerful tools for cultural change.”
The festival did not immediately respond to IndieWire’s request for further comment.
The 2025 Other Israel Film Festival runs from November 6-13 at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan. Keep reading for the complete lineup, with language about the films provided by the festival.
Opening Night: “The Sea”
North American Premiere, Dir. Shai Carmeli-Pollak, Narrative | Israel | 2025 | 96 min
Khaled, a 12-year-old boy from a Palestinian village, travels to the sea for the first time during a school trip. But at the military checkpoint, he is denied entry and sent home. Determined, Khaled sneaks into Israel and embarks on a journey to the sea. When his father, an undocumented laborer working in Israel, learns that his son is missing, he risks everything to search for Khaled.
“I Cried in Gaza”
International Premiere, Dir. Nurit Kedar, Documentary | Israel | 2025 | 55 min
After October 7, Israeli women were recruited for active combat for the first time since 1948. According to Israel’s Rehabilitation Department of the Ministry of Defense, 5,000 women combat soldiers have undergone mental health treatment. The film shares the experiences, memories, and post-traumatic stress of women warriors who fought in Gaza and Lebanon.
“Rabbi Capoeira”
New York Premiere, Dir. Barak Heymann, Documentary | Israel | 2024 | 69 min
How does a shy ultra-Orthodox guy become a world master in capoeira? And how does the ultra-Orthodox community of his city, Bnei Brak, react to the revolution he’s determined to bring about? Rabbi Capoeira follows Miki Hayat’s five-year Sisyphean journey to connect spirit and body, bridging fears and dreams.
“There Is Another Way”
Dir. Stephen Apkon, Documentary | Palestine/Israel/US | 2025 | 67 min
Amid the escalating conflict, two-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee “Combatants for Peace,” a group of former enemy combatants, Israeli and Palestinian, works together to find common ground and shape a more hopeful future. This film asserts an alternative to war and that another path is possible for humanity.
“A Place of Her Own”
Dir. Adi Toledano, Dana Pney-Gil, Documentary | Israel | 2025 | 60 min
In Jisr az-Zarqa, an impoverished Arab village, a group of women seize a chance to build a long-desired community center. As violence shakes the village and a luxury development threatens their land, their hope for change is tested as they strive for a place of their own.
“The Smugglers”
World Premiere, Dir. Tony Copti, Yaniv Berman, Documentary | Israel/Palestine | 2025 | 86 min
In the heart of Jaffa’s old city, a rare Arabic bookshop café is dedicated to preserving its language and literature. As the bookstore faces closure, owner Michel George El-Raheb and his nephew journey across the Middle East, with a mission: to launch a public Arabic book festival in Jaffa, designed to spark a cultural revival.
“Holding Liat”
Dir. Brandon Kramer, Documentary | US | 2025 | 97 min
On October 7, 2023, Israeli-American Liat Atzili and her husband, Aviv, were kidnapped during Hamas’ attack and taken hostage in Gaza along with 250 other people—12 of whom, like Liat, are American citizens. Caught between international diplomacy and a rapidly escalating war, their family must face their own uncertainty and conflicting perspectives in the pursuit of Liat and Aviv’s release.
“Israel: Ministers of Chaos “
East Coast Premiere, Dir. Jérôme Sesquin, Documentary | France | 2025 | 58 min
An investigation into the rise of Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, two ministers driving Israel’s government, as they push a controversial agenda to reshape the nation’s democracy and expand its borders under a biblical vision.
“Eid”
New York Premiere, Dir. Yousef Abo Madegem, Narrative | Israel | 2024 | 90 min
Eid, a young man from Rahat, dreams of becoming a playwright. When his parents arrange a marriage for him against his will, his life takes an unexpected turn. Trapped between tradition and his own desires, he fights for his freedom and dreams within Bedouin society while grappling with his childhood trauma.
Starring Shadi Mar’i (“Fauda”, “Our Boys”), who won an Israeli Academy Award for his role, this is the first feature film directed by a Bedouin filmmaker.
“The Village Leagues”
International Premiere, Dir. Tal Michael, David Ofek, Documentary | Israel | 2024 | 60 min
It was Israel’s great political experiment in the West Bank and Gaza before the intifada. Tahsin Mansour, once mayor of the Palestinian village of Azzoun, now lives isolated by war and a roadblock that turned his home into an enclave. Reflecting on his role in the Village Leagues—an Israeli-backed attempt at Palestinian-Israeli peace—he recalls both the promise of diplomacy and the devastating backlash, as members were denounced as traitors and persecuted.
“Open Wound”
North American Premiere, Dir. Yousef Abo Madegem, Ofir Trainin, Documentary | Israel | 2024 | 51 min
The identity crisis of the Bedouins in the Negev has only intensified since October 7, as they are torn between Palestinian roots, family in Gaza, and their Israeli citizenship. The stories of five people, each dealing with the crisis in their own way, reveal the complexities and internal conflicts as they cope with a changing reality.
“Some Notes on the Current Situation”
North American Premiere, Dir. Eran Kolirin, Narrative | Israel | 2025 | 79 min
A philosophical tragicomedy about space, time, cinema, and wars, composed of six episodes, all together forming an absurdist footnote – somewhat divorced from reality – to the current events in the known universe.
Closing Night: “Bella”
Dir. Jamal Khalaily, Zohar Shachar, Narrative | Israel, Belgium | 2025 | 75 min, Director’s Presentation
When Yaki’s sole inheritance, an extremely valuable dove, is taken by his childhood friend, he embarks on a wild road trip across Israel and Palestine. What follows is a series of comical misadventures—navigating checkpoints, ruining a wedding, and even car theft—all in a desperate race to get the dove to a beauty pageant in Jerusalem.