The opening night of the 37th Film Festival in Los Angeles took place on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at the Saban Theatere in Beverly Hills.
Meir Fenigstein, the founder and executive director of the festival, chose to give the Visionary Award this year to producer Lawrence Bender (“Pulp Fiction,” “Inglorious Basterds”), who produced the four-part series “Red Alert” on Paramount +, about the events of Oct. 7, 2023.
However, Sharon Stone, who was supposed to present him with the award, was notably absent. Fenigstein said the actress notified him that she would not be able to attend, as she was flying to Australia for a movie — just five days before the event. Canceling so close to the ceremony, especially when it involves honoring someone as widely respected in the industry as Bender, raised eyebrows and speculation. Several outlets were quick to report that, according to Fenigstein, the actress might have been threatened or advised not to attend, but in a conversation with The Journal, he denied it. He added that Stone had previously attended the festival as a guest, along with actress Natalie Portman.
For the last-minute replacement, Bender called his friend, comedian Tiffany Haddish, who was happy to present the award and flew in from San Francisco on short notice. Haddish, who is Jewish on her father’s side, had visited Israel in February 2024 to celebrate her bat mitzvah at age 40.
Bender praised Fenigstein for 37 years of running the festival and said, “My dad and mom would have been so proud to see me getting an award with the word Israel on it.” The famed producer, a longtime supporter of Israel, also reflected on the anti-Israel sentiment in parts of the entertainment industry: “Who would have believed years ago that there’d come a day when Hollywood would be signing a boycott letter against Israel? Nothing prepared me for what happened on Oct. 8. I had no idea how life-changing this experience would be.”
Also honored was award-winning filmmaker Eran Riklis, whose adaptation of “Lolita in Tehran” had its U.S. debut at the festival. He was presented with the Cinematic Achievement Award by Ram Bergman, producer of “Solo: A Star Wars Story” (2018).
The evening was a celebration of Israeli cinema, though the sheer number of speeches and their length made the program feel a bit long. Among those addressing the crowd was Israel Bachar, Consul General of Israel to the Pacific Southwest. Bachar emphasized the importance of the festival: “In the diplomatic arena, facts are reported. But facts are never enough. They don’t move hearts. Facts inform, stories transform. Israeli creators understand this. Their work is raw, honest and unafraid.”
Bachar added that, “the organized and funded pressure against artists who support Israel is deterring some of them. We must continue to show the presence of Israeli creativity and art — which are excellent and appreciated — without fear. That is why the festival has been held for 37 consecutive years.”
Sharona Nazarian, Mayor of Beverly Hills, presented Fenigstein and the IFF with a Letter of Recognition from the Beverly Hills City Council.
“Nearly every day, we are seeing antisemitic attacks across the world, but not in Beverly Hills,” said Nazarian. “History reminds us that hate does not fade on its own, it must be confronted.”
Nineteen visiting Israeli filmmakers and talent took to the stage in recognition of their films, which will be screened throughout the festival.
Comedian Elon Gold returned as the gala’s master of ceremonies. As photographers kept snapping away, he quipped, “Why do you need so many photos? Are you sending these to the L.A. Times? Just take one, send it to [The Jewish Journal editor David] Suissa and call it a day.”
The evening concluded with the Los Angeles premiere of “A Letter to David,” directed by Tom Shoval and winner of this year’s Israeli Academy Ophir Award for Best Documentary. Sponsored by American Friends of NATAL and Los Angeles-based AFN board member Dr. Dity Brunn, the documentary tells the harrowing story of the Cunio brothers, who were kidnapped by Hamas.
In 2013, David and Ariel Cunio starred in the Israeli-German production “Youth,” portraying teenage brothers who share a deep bond and face mounting pressures when their family falls into severe financial trouble. In the film, they make the desperate decision to kidnap a wealthy girl in hopes of securing ransom money to help their family.
A decade later, life took a chillingly ironic turn: David and his younger brother Ariel were kidnapped and held by Hamas for 738 days, experiencing firsthand the fear and helplessness of captivity until their eventual release.
Humanitarian advocate Alana Zeitchik, representing the Cunio family, spoke about navigating the collective trauma of the past year in Israel and how shared purpose and art can help communities heal.
The film will have three screenings during the festival, which runs until February 19, each followed by a Q&A with Shoval.
The ISRAEL FILM FESTIVAL will screen films at the Regal North Hollywood and the Fine Arts Theatre (Beverly Hills). Visit israelfilmfestival.com for a full schedule of festival screenings, filmmaker Q&As and to purchase tickets.
