The 25th Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival (TISFF) announced the award winners tonight in a festive ceremony that took place tonight at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque.
The Israeli Competition
Siba, written and directed by Donna Hawa, (The Sam Spiegel Film and Television School, Jerusalem), was awarded Best Film in the Israeli Competition. Jury members for the Israeli Competition are Marlyn Vinig, Elad Keidan, and Dominique Welinski. Their statement on the selection of Siba: “Within a narrow framework of 15 minutes, an entire world of culture and characters is opened before us. Understanding the character’s world becomes fascinating, along with cinematic choices that render them more precise. Siba, the protagonist, is in an internal struggle over her freedom as a woman, and the camera succeeds, with grace, wisdom, and in an aesthetic manner to depict the complexity of this conflict. The dialogue is well constructed and the result is a short and moving film that succeeds in expressing something powerful, both explicitly and between the lines.”
Dana Weil won the award for Best Script for the film Help! I Want to Die. Ben Peled won the award for Best Cinematography for the film The Boy. Zohar Sela won the award for Best Editing for the film Aunt Dina. Avi Sarusi and Omer Perelman Striks won Best Actor for their performance in See You ‘Round the Block. The Audience Favorite Award was received by the film Help! I Want to Die, written and directed by Dana Weil. Mira, written and directed by Alma Ben Zeev, received an Honorable Mention.
International Competition
Worlds Burning Amid the Shadows, written and directed by Ismael Garcia, won the award for Best Film. The jury members for the International Competition are Yona Rozankier, Svenja Böttger, Shiri Nevo Friedental, Judith Lou Lévy, and Rosa Bosch. The jury’s statement: “In a bold, sensitive, uplifting and visually impressive manner, the film describes a mother/son relationship in Colombian society.”
The award for Promising Director was given to the film 5/3/0, written, and directed by Danilo Stanimirović. Trinidad Plass Caussade, Titouan Tillier, and Isaac Wenzek won the award for Best Script for the film Human Resources. Manuel G. Romero won the award for Best Cinematography for the film Daydreaming So Vividly About Our Spanish Holidays. Alina Panasenko and Philip Sotnychenko won the award for Best Editing for the film Teatralna Station. The Audience Favorite award was given to the film Manar, written, and directed by Rachel Albert. Requiem for a Whale, written by Ido Weisman and Alex Khosid, and directed by Weisman, received an Honorable Mention.
Short Independent Competition
The jury members for the Short Independent Competition are Hadar Morag, Christophe Leparc, and Benjamin Freidenberg. Cold Water, written, and directed by Itamar Alcalay, won the award for Best Film. Hila Royzenman won the award for Best Director for her film Motherland. Letter to a Pig, written, and directed by Tal Kantor, won the award for Best Animated Film. The Audience Favorite award was given to the film Alala, written, and directed by Yael Arad Tzafrir.
The Israeli Film Critics Association selected See You ‘Round the Block for the Best Film Award, and awarded an Honorable Mention to Manar and Requiem for A Whale.
The Experimental Film & Video Competition
Eneos Carka’s film A Pigeon’s Song won the award for Best Project. The jury members are Tal Alperstein, Ruth Patir, and Ran Kasmy Ilan. I Will Take Your Shadow, written, and directed by Ayala Shoshana Guy, and The Seventh Shift, written and directed by Natalya Ilchuk, received an Honorable Mention.
The International Digital Media Competition
Shared Square, by Shai Dayan, received the award for Best Project. The jury members are Shay Segal, Alon Saranga, and Noa Haber.
*Information on the awards is from a press release in Hebrew, the translations are mine.
