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Israel’s Culture Minister, Miki Zohar, has announced that government financing for the national film awards will be canceled after the film “The Sea,” depicting the journey of a 12-year-old Palestinian boy, won the top film honor.

Official’s Statement on X

Via a message on the platform X, the minister stated, “Nothing represents a bigger insult to Israeli citizens than the shameful and detached annual awards event.” The minister emphasized, “Starting with the next budget cycle, this disgraceful ceremony won’t be supported by public funds. During my term, Israeli citizens won’t finance for spits in the faces of our heroic soldiers.”

Details of the Winning Film “The Sea”

“The Sea,” automatically qualifying as the country's submission for the Oscar category, is the work of director Shai Carmeli-Pollak. Featuring Muhammad Gazawi as Khaled who travels on a field trip to Tel Aviv to see the beach for the first time but is denied entry at the checkpoint and begins a dangerous journey to enter the country. The young actor, 13 years old, won the Ophir for best actor, while fellow actor Khalifa Natour won best supporting actor. The awards are voted on by members of the national film academy.

Legal Uncertainty Regarding Minister’s Decision

However, it remains uncertain if the minister can actually follow through on his announcement: sources say that a civil rights organization is investigating whether the culture ministry has the power to cut funding from the awards.

Minister’s Past Statements Regarding Israeli Cinema

Zohar has previously clashed with Israel’s cinema community. Earlier this year, he introduced a bill to change film funding, channeling state funds toward commercially successful films. He also described the award-winning film “No Other Land” as “sabotage targeting the state of Israel.”

Responses from Filmmakers

During the awards, Baher Agbariya of “The Sea” received the honor by delivering a plea for fairness and tolerance. Agbariya said, “The movie was created out of love for people and cinema, and its theme is clear – the right of every child to exist and dream in peace, without siege, without fear, and without war.” Protests against the Gaza conflict were noticeable at the ceremony, with attendees sporting shirts with slogans like “a child is a child” and “stop the fighting.”

Agbariya also thanked the Israel Film Fund for supporting the film.

Veteran director Uri Barbash, known for the 1984 prison drama “Beyond the Walls,” received a lifetime achievement award and used his speech to demand an end to the war. Barbash stated, “It is our sacred duty to return every hostage to the bosom of their loved ones, and without delay, to stop the horrible war and replace the divisive regime that declared war on Israeli society.”

Reacting to Zohar’s comments, the chair of the Israeli Academy of Film and Television said, “In the face of the Israeli government’s criticism on Israeli cinema and culture, and the calls from some segments of the global cinema world to shun us, the selection of ‘The Sea’ is a powerful and clear answer.”

Global Boycott Efforts and Industry Responses

The controversy comes after a pledge endorsed by over 3,000 international cinema professionals to avoid Israeli film institutions that they claim are “involved in atrocities and apartheid targeting the Palestinian people.” Well-known actors and directors such as Olivia Colman, Javier Bardem, Riz Ahmed, and Emma Stone added their support to the letter.

Representatives of the local cinema community called the movement “deeply troubling.” Nadav Ben Simon of the writers’ association stated, “Over the years, we have worked with Palestinian colleagues on movies, series, and documentaries that aim to promote dialogue, empathy, peace and an halt to violence… Boycotts fail to help the goal of reconciliation. Instead, they hurt precisely those who are committed to building communication and creating connections among communities.”

Major film company Paramount also issued a statement opposing the initiative, saying, “We do not agree with recent efforts to boycott Israeli filmmakers. Silencing creative artists based on their nationality hinders better understanding or further the aim of peace.”