The Intellectual Incubator for Documentary Filmmakers at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, formed in conjunction with the Israeli Documentary Filmmakers Forum and the Jerusalem Cinematheque, is beginning its 7th year. It is a platform for thinking through and critiquing the intellectual, social, and cultural contexts in which documentary films are conceived, produced and received. It is also a place for filmmakers and researchers to collaborate, lending filmmaking in Israel greater intellectual depth and creative energy while bringing new questions and approaches to research.
Each year 10 documentary projects are selected to participate in the program which includes both individual meetings with academic advisors, and group meetings, between March and mid-July. The meetings enable an intensive and productive space for the intellectual and creative development of the selected projects.
In 2025, the incubator will address
The Challenges of Documenting Local History
Project Directors: Ronna Brayer-Garb, Liran Atzmor
Academic Advisors in 2025 – Dr. Avi-ram Tzoreff, Dr. Zohar Elmakias
Incubator Participants, 2024:Kaid Abu Latif ; Ayelet Bechar and Kifah Abdel Halim; Arnon Goldfinger; Alon Levi and Oren Reich; Jenya Maley; Uri Marantz and Gal Amir; Ayelet Ofarim; Orna Raviv and Dina Zilber; Mays Shkerat; Neta Shoshani and Talia Bernstein; David Wachsmann and Yoav Roeh
Incubator Participants, 2023:Esti Almo Wexler; Moshe Cohen-Gil; Tamar Goren and Shai Tagner; Tomer Heymann; Maram Masarwi; Aner Preminger; Israela Shaer-Meoded; Rona Sela; Ayala Shklar; Bissan Tibi and Anna Somershaf; Smadar Zamir and Noy Barak
Incubator Participants, 2022:Lizka Assa and Uri Schidorski; Tamar Baruch; Roy Cohen; Sana Dagash; Yehudit Kahana; Zvi Landsman; Liel Maghen, Yuval Orr and Natan Odenheimer; Omri Najad; Erez Pery; Omer Shamir; Ada Ushpiz
Incubator Participants, 2021:Michal Aviad; Maya de Vries and Yael Perlov; Danel Elpeleg; Ihab Jadallah and Shadi Habib Allah; Ezry Keydar; Tal Michael, David Ofek and Ronnie Manor; Ofer Pinchasov and Dudi Patimer; Osnat Trabelsi; Tamar Yarom; Bilal Yousef
Incubator Participants, 2020: Adi Adwan; Arik Bernstein, Shuki Ben Naim and Astar Vander; Rachel Elitzur and Avigail Sperber; Anat Even; Rachel Lea Jones; Eliav Lilti; Ido Mizrahy and Nir Sa'ar; Yochai Shalom Hadad; Ran Tal; Zohar Wagner
Incubator Participants, 2019: Yuval Abraham, Neomi-Nur Zahor, Rachel Szor and Adi Toledano; Rafael Balulu; Ayelet Bechar; Yaniv Berman and Tony Copti; Netalie Braun; Lev Brodinski and Yael Perlov; Amichai Chasson and Yair Qedar; Danae Elon and Ron Ofer; Yotam Feldman; Iris Rubin and Dafna Shalom; Doron Tsabari
A list of the completed films:
- Moving Places, Ayelet Bechar (2021)
- Savoy, Zohar Wagner (2022)
- The Bankers' Trial, Eliav Lilti (2022)
- 1341 Frames of Love and War, Ran Tal (2022)
- Living in the Shadow of Death, Bilal Yousef (2022)
- Wedding Night, Rachel Elitzur, Avigail Sperber (2023)
- The Longest Goodbye, Ido Mizrahy, Nir Sa'ar (2023)
- Radio Propaganda, Ofer Pinchasov (2023)
- Her Name was Zehava, Tamar Baruch (2023)
- The Last Righteous Man, Rafael Balulu (2024)
- The governor, Danel Elpeleg (2024)
- Jacob de Haan: A Voice Out of Time, Zvi Landsman (2024)
- The Village Associations, Tal Michael, David Ofek, Ronnie Manor (2024)
- Rule of Stone, Danae Elon, Ron Ofer (2024)