Among the prestigious jury this year: Kim Yutani (director, Sundance Film Festival); filmmaker Nadav Lapid; top German producer Jan Mojto; and Nashen Moodly (director, Sydney Film Festival)
The Force-of-Nature in Filmmaking Award will be granted to Sony Pictures Classics president Michael Barker
The Jerusalem Sam Spiegel Film School will name its garden in honor of John Cassavetes
New Platforms will be introduced along with
innovative funding options
July 4-8, 2019
The highlights of the 8th Sam Spiegel International Film Lab will take place this year July4-8 at Mishkenot Shaananim and at the Jerusalem Sam Spiegel Film School located in the Talpiyot Industrial Zone in Jerusalem.
Alongside the pitching event, where twelve filmmakers from Israel and the world will compete for the Beracha Foundation prizes totally $170,000, new platforms will be launched for ten additional filmmakers offering them funding and extraordinary exposure with close to 90 select film professionals from around the world, including a prestigious jury, international festival directors, fund directors, producers, distributors, sales agents and more on hand.
Up until now, 70% of the Lab's films have been produced in 32 different countries.
This year, and for the second time, the Force-of-Nature in Filmmaking Award will be granted to a cultural master-builder who changed the infrastructure of world cinema. This year's recipient is Michael Barker president and co-founder of Sony Pictures Classics, who is coming to Israel for the first time. Barker is responsible for leading numerous films to the Academy Awards including the Israeli features Broken Wings, Waltz with Bashir, The Band's Visit, Footnote, The Gate Keepers, Fill the Void and international triumphs such as Call Me By Your Name, Whiplash, Talk to Her, and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Introduced last year, this annual award's first honoree was the longtime Berlinale director Dieter Kosslick.
Taking part in this year's JSFL are twelve projects from all over the world: from, Brazil, Ghana, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, Georgia and Israel.
The prestigious international jury incorporates a variety of personalities who jump-start new world talents
- Kim Yutani - director, Sundance Film Festival, USA
- Jan Mojto -CEO, Beta Film, Germany
- Nadav Lapid, - Director-Writer Israel
- Sharon Harel - Distributor, Producer, Westend Films, UK
- Koby Gal Raday - Chief Content Officer, YES Satellite, Israel
- Thomas Pibarot -Distributor, La Pacte, France
- Janine Jackowski -Producer, Komplizen Film, Germany
• Nashen Moodley - Director, Sydney Film Festival, Australia
New Platforms
Work In Progress (WiP)
Three films; from Japan, Turkey and Ukraine will compete for prizes totally $50,000 for completion of their film.
The New Mandate Films Award in 2019 we are privileged to introduce a new award in the amount of $50,000 for a Lab project on Jewish and Israeli themes.
Based on a Sam Spiegel Short
The director, producer and lead actor of Kishuf - the Feature, a post-graduate short from top JSFL alum Tom Shoval, will screen the original and present a full script and financial plan for the speed dating alongside the pitched projects and Wips.
The Jungle of Generosity in honor of John Cassavetes
The Jerusalem Sam Spiegel Film School will name its unique "hanging garden" as a tribute to the giving spirit of one of the greatest independent international filmmakers for all that he has done - including for short Israeli films (see the JSFL book to read Renen Schorr's moving personal account)
A New Prize - The Almost 40 Award in Memory of John Heyman
A new prize in memory of John Heyman, one of the wizards of finance for British and American films, will be given to a film persona who is almost 40 years old and whom has operated as an agent for change promoting film in his country and region. The international jury for the prize, which included Michael Barker (Sony, USA); Jan Mojto (Germany); Joana Vicente (Canada); Nizza Heyman (USA); Renen Schorr and Omri Maron (Israel), voted unanimously for Jovan Marjanovic, head of industry, Sarajevo Film Festival, Bosnia.
The JSFL (Son of Saul, The Kindergarten Teacher) is the brainchild of the Jerusalem Sam Spiegel Film School and operates on a shoestring budget of $300,000.
Key supporters: the Beracha Foundation, the Jerusalem Film and Television Fund, Mifayal Hapayis, the Sam Spiegel Foundation, The Jerusalem Foundation, New Mandate Films Los Angeles, ARP Selection France.