Israel Moves to Remove Festivals From Film Funding, Creates Soldier-Heroism Strand
The Israeli Film Council urged removing film festivals from the state funding points system and proposed a new strand to celebrate the heroism of IDF soldiers, in response to NAZA’s Venice premiere. The move could further isolate Israeli cinema amid political tension, while Prime Minister Netanyahu pushes bills that would strip citizenship from those deemed to defame soldiers and increase defamation damages; industry observers warn the rhetoric creates safety risks for journalists and filmmakers.