The Maaleh Film School

05/02/2026

What an amazing opening night at The Israel Film Festival in Los Angeles!
We were thrilled to watch the opening film, “A Letter to David,” produced by Nancy Spielberg, Maaleh’s 2025 Honorary Award recipient.
👉 We’re also eagerly looking forward to the screenings of our graduates’ films: “Malachi” by Noam Demsky and “My One and Only” by David Tauber.

And that’s not all 🥂
On Saturday night we’ll be hosting with the Festival a special event for the Friends of Maaleh in Los Angeles. David Tauber will screen his film, School Director Neta Ariel will speak about Maaleh’s achievements and its vision for the coming years, and there will be a panel moderated by David Suissa of Jewish Journal, featuring director David Tauber and his wife, the film’s producer, Elia Tauber (fun fact: they met while studying at Maaleh…).

And what a joy it was to meet Maaleh graduate Hillel Rate on the red carpet - he has been working for many months on producing the festival together with its founder, Meir Fenigstein. 👏

04/02/2026

Graduation Ceremony and Screening of The New Films!

Every year, our Graduation Ceremony and the end-of-year film celebration takes on a slightly different atmosphere - thanks in large part to our graduates and their families, but especially because of the diverse and surprising films they create.
It was an evening filled with captivating moments, laughter, and remarkable talent, and it was a joy to see faculty members and alumni who came to cheer on the new filmmakers.

And now… Drumroll… The winners:
Judges’ Special Mention – 'The President’s Visit' by David Sela.
Best Documentary Film – 'Shoulder' by Batchen Kahalani.
Best Narrative Film – 'Hero on the Roof' by Dovi Rozenberg.
Best Jewish Film – 'A Good Dad' by Eliyahu Shaz.
Cinematography Awards – Noga Monica Mashash and Yisrael Keller.
Editing Award – Batchen Kahalani.

03/02/2026

A special delegation to Hollywood

A delegation of leading Israeli television creators was invited to Hollywood for a series of meetings with senior executives from major American entertainment companies. Among the participants were Maaleh graduates Eliran Malka (The New Black), Ori Elon (Shtisel), Laizy Shapira (Srugim), and Chava Divon (Good Guys). The delegation was sponsored by Israeli Consulate in Los Angeles, led by Consul Israel Bachar.

“I had the privilege of being part of the funniest, most energetic, and most delightful delegation you can imagine… We were moved to discover the tremendous love and appreciation for Israeli creativity,” wrote Laizy Shapira in his recap.

02/02/2026

Special evening for Maaleh Friends in LA

Dear Friends, Please join us for a special evening for Maaleh Friends in Los Angeles, celebrating the participation of the film "My One and Only," by Maaleh graduate David Tauber, in the Los Angeles Israeli Film Festival.

The event, which includes a screening, Q&A with the director, and reception will be held at the FINE ARTS THEATER on Saturday night 7 February 2026 at 7:30pm.

We'd love to see you there!

14/08/2025

A Line Has Been Crossed: Maaleh's Response to TIFF's Shameful Decision
For decades, Maaleh Film School graduates have brought honor to Israeli cinema on the global stage. Our student films have triumphed at prestigious festivals worldwide, including winning the 2022 BAFTA for Best Student Drama. We've built bridges through storytelling, sharing the authentic voices of Israeli society in all its beautiful diversity.

Since October 7th, we've witnessed a stark and troubling decline in festival acceptance for Israeli films - including our current graduate works that have been in development for four years and don't even address the events of that horrific day. These are simply Israeli stories, told by emerging filmmakers from every sector of our society.

This pattern raised uncomfortable questions about antisemitism in the festival circuit. TIFF's unconscionable decision to disinvite "The Road Between Us" - a documentary about a grandfather's heroic rescue of his family from Hamas terrorists - provides a devastating answer.

This decision is not only completely absurd and beyond the pale, it is a direct insult to Israel and to the Israelis who were brutally murdered, r***d, and kidnapped by Hamas terrorists who gleefully broadcasted their attempted genocide on social media.

We are disgusted by this unabashed attempt to silence storytelling simply because it clashes with a skewed narrative that somehow sees Hamas - a bloodthirsty terror organization - as having legitimate standing to suppress documentation of their own documented atrocities.

Maaleh is dedicated to fostering and educating tomorrow's Jewish Israeli filmmakers. We will not be silenced. We will not allow our stories to be erased.

We call on TIFF's board, organizers, and funders to look deep within themselves and see who they have chosen to ally with. Understand that you have finally gone too far.

To festivals worldwide - Jewish and non-Jewish alike - who want to see authentic Israeli stories beautifully portrayed by the next generation of top Israeli filmmakers: we would love to be in touch.

Real storytelling will always find a way.

29/07/2025

🏆 JERUSALEM FILM FESTIVAL WINNER!
Congrats to Noam Demsky (A graduate of Maaleh's first class) - just won best documentary at Jerusalem Film Festival!

His secret? "I look for the cracks in people, because when people are cracked, that's when light enters" ✨

30+ years since graduation, three decades creating dozens of meaningful films that matter.

🎧 Hear his story on our new podcast "The Good, The Bad and The Camera"

03/07/2025

Okay, we admit it – everyone and their grandmother has a podcast these days! But when we started sitting down with our amazing graduates, something magical happened. Their stories are about the beautiful, messy journey of turning "what if" into "I did it!"
✨
Get ready to be inspired by Eliran Malka (Shababnikim), Hava Divon (Good Boys), Laizy Shapira (Srugim), and other successful graduates came by in the first season. These conversations are full of that special something that makes you want to chase your own dreams a little harder.
🎧
Our New : "The Good the Bad and the Camera"
Watch on YouTube - English subtitles available!

22/04/2025

How is it that so many second-year student films reach film festivals around the world and win awards?

A unique workshop developed at Ma'ale by the academic director Omri Levi allows all second-year students to learn, gain practical experience, and receive mentorship throughout the film production process.

Each year, 3–4 advanced scripts written by second-year students are selected to be filmed as part of the workshop, with the guidance of instructors and the rest of the class.

The workshop is attended by instructors in directing, production, cinematography, and sound, who join the students on their first day of shooting, mentor them, accompany them, and teach them on set during the production. The students continue to the second day of shooting independently. The results of the workshop speak for themselves: a significant portion of the films produced in these workshops have participated in festivals and won awards.

The first production of this year is underway. Hagai Stern’s film, “Black Cat,” deals with a group of street youths and a young protagonist trying to find a better future for himself in the Katamonim neighborhood.

The instructors who accompanied the workshop:

Omri Levi – Directing

Gabriel Vagon – Cinematography

Sharon Luzon – Sound

Advi Zemer Shushan – Assistant Director

31/03/2025

Filming recently began for Kan's (כאן) new drama series about the Israeli Disengagement events. The series is the creation of Hava Divon, who among other works created "Good Boys" and "Srugim."

Hava is collaborating again with director Laizy Shapira, who also directed "Srugim" as well as "Bnei Mitzvah."

The series will focus on the story of one family and is based on real characters.

You'll also find on set:
Esther-Miriam Brandes - Script Supervisor, and Nathaniel Fish - Third Assistant Director.

We wish all our graduates success and are already looking forward to watching the series.

היום התחלנו לצלם את #התנתקות, סדרת דרמה חדשה שתעלה לקראת ציון 20 שנה לנסיגה מרצועת עזה ופינוי היישובים מגוש קטיף. בכיכובם של עמוס תמם, אוהד קנולר, שני קליין, דינה סנדרסון ועוד. הסדרה תעלה בקיץ הקרוב בכאן 11 ובכאן BOX

📸 אסתר מרים ברנדס

24/03/2025

Congratulations to our very own Rachel Levi! Her film "The Source of All Beauty" has been nominated for the Jury Award at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival.

Additionally, it has been selected—alongside several other short films—by curators from various international festivals for special promotion and publicity on the Israeli distribution platform T-Port. As a result of this selection, the film will also be screened at the prestigious Tampere Film Festival in Finland.

This film is Rachel’s final project, and we wish her the best of luck!

16/03/2025

Celebrating Purim in Jerusalem today.
Happy Purim from our students!

15/01/2025

A tribute film about Spielberg at the graduation outlined her career, and its narrator noted, “Nancy fights to make the Israeli voice heard, connecting her love for cinema with her love for Israel.
(Hannah Brown, The Jerusalem Post)

A tribute film about Spielberg at the graduation outlined her career, and its narrator noted, “Nancy fights to make the Israeli voice heard, connecting her love for cinema with her love for Israel.