Paris Israeli Film Festival 2025: Discover the Full Program
The Paris Israeli Film Festival returns from March 17 to March 25, 2025, at Cinéma Majestic Passy for a 25th edition full of discoveries.
Created by Charles Zrihen, and now lead by Hélène Schoumann and her artistic director Armelle Bayou, it has, for a quarter of a century, this unmissable event has highlighted the talents of Israeli cinema, offering a unique perspective on a society in constant transformation through engaging, intimate, and powerful works.
To celebrate this anniversary edition, the program is packed: feature films, documentaries, classics, special events, series, and short films will all be in the spotlight.
Here is the official trailer:
Feature Films
Paris Israeli Film Festival 2025: Fiction Films
Opening Film
THE RING (L’Anneau) – Directed by Adir Miller, Doron Paz, Yoav Paz
With Adir Miller, Joy Rieger, Rokva Dayan, Peter Linka, Panna Dominika Biro
Arnon Noble is a religious man deeply attached to his mother, a Holocaust survivor. As her health deteriorates, he travels to his childhood hometown, Budapest, in search of the legendary ring that saved both his mother’s and his own life when he was a baby. Convinced that seeing this ring again will heal his mother, he embarks on a journey fraught with obstacles.
Accompanied by his estranged daughter, who reluctantly joins him out of love for her grandmother, will they rekindle their lost affection through this symbolic quest?
COME CLOSER – Directed by Tom Nesher
With Lia Elalouf, Darya Rosenn, Netta Garti, Yaakov Zada Daniel, Shlomi Shaban, Yael Shoshana Cohen, Lia Schon, Ido Tak, Shay Tra Litman
The only person Eden truly loves is her younger brother, Nati.
On the night of his 17th birthday, Nati plans a romantic evening with his secret girlfriend, Maya. But before he can see her, he is kidnapped by his sister and their friends for a surprise party on the beach. After a night of drinking, Nati sneaks out to meet Maya—but on the way, he is hit by a car and killed.
In mourning, Eden sets out to discover the identity of her brother’s secret lover. When the two grieving women meet, their relationship takes an unexpected, sensual, and dangerous turn.
RED FLOWER (Fleur Rouge) – Directed by Haim Bouzaglo
With Annette Cohen, Albert Ilouz, Itay Bouzaglo
On October 7, 2023, at 6:30 AM, the sirens blare in Sderot. Annette and Albert, a retired couple, lock themselves inside their secure shelter.
The night before, their son had come to visit, then left to attend the Nova festival with his friends. As horror unfolds outside, a parallel drama unfolds inside their home, reflecting the terror seen through their window and on their television screen.
This harrowing film chronicles 24 hours of their lives, capturing the shocking contrast between safety and chaos.
PINK LADY – Directed by Nir Bergman
With Nur Fibak, Gal Malka, Uri Blufarb, Sara Von Schwarze, Michal Weinberg, Romi Aviram
In an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Jerusalem, Bati’s life seems perfect. She is married to Lazer, and together, they have three children.
But her world begins to fall apart when Lazer becomes the target of blackmail, leading Bati to discover his secret relationship with his study partner.
Determined to keep her family together, she stands by Lazer as he desperately tries to “cure” his homosexuality, while she simultaneously begins to explore her own true desires.
HALISA – Directed by Sophie Artus
With Nora Koler, Anatoly Beliy, Dana Berkovici
Sarah, a 40-year-old nurse, runs a health center for infants and young children in Halisa, a multi-ethnic and impoverished neighborhood in Haifa.
She soon becomes deeply involved with Anya, a young mother struggling with despair. When Anya decides to give up her baby, Sarah is faced with a heartbreaking moral dilemma.
MIDLIFE – Directed by Danni Reisfeld, Yariv Horowitz
With Tsahi Halevi, Chen Amsalem Zaguri, Shalom Assayag, Moran Gross
Ahinoam, an ultra-Orthodox woman, flees her home with her daughters. The police intervene, returning the children to their father.
She seeks refuge with her estranged sister Sari, who left the religious world years ago and now lives a secular life in Tel Aviv, married to Yonatan, an Israeli pilot.
Feeling guilty yet unwilling to welcome Ahinoam, Sari turns her away. With nowhere to go, Ahinoam finds temporary shelter at a farm run by Nissim, a spiritual leader.
Meanwhile, Sari faces her own crisis as she falls ill during her pregnancy. Searching for redemption, she and Yonatan reach out to Ahinoam, attempting to reconnect through her religious way of life.
MATCHMAKING 2 – Directed by Erez Tadmor
With Maor Schwitzer, Amir Rahav, Omer Nudelman, Liana Ayoun, Roy Assaf, Niv Sultan, Irit Kaplan
Baruch Auerbach, a yeshiva graduate, has long given up on the idea of marriage. He lives in a small room within the yeshiva, where he assists the community matchmaker Malchi.
When Malchi asks him to pick up her youngest daughter Shira from the airport, Baruch suddenly decides it’s time to get married.
But when Malchi tries to set him up with Ruth, Baruch sabotages the match, determined instead to win Shira’s heart. As he begins to re-evaluate his past choices, he discovers the love he truly deserves.
THE PROPERTY (La Propriété) – Directed by Dana Modan
Based on the graphic novel by Rutu Modan
Two months after her son’s death, Regina travels to Poland with her granddaughter Mika to reclaim her family’s property, confiscated by the Polish authorities during World War II.
But Regina has another secret mission: to find her first love, whom she was forced to leave 70 years ago.
Special screenings:
- March 18 at 4:30 PM – with producer Yonathan Kredo
- March 22 at 4:00 PM – with director Dana Modan
HEMDA – Directed by Shemi Zarhin
With Sasson Gabay, Asi Levi, Maor Levi, Adi Alon, Roy Assaf, Lital Schwartz
Sassi and Efi are hardworking individuals, struggling with a debt left by Sassi’s son, who left for Brussels.
Despite their age gap, their love and humor help them navigate life’s hardships. However, when two young men—Omri, Sassi’s grandson, and David, Efi’s former student—enter their lives, their carefully maintained routine is turned upside down.
Closing Film
THE POOL (STOLEN WATERS) – Directed by Amichai Greenberg
With Yehoram Gaon, Meshi Kleinstein
A cynical retiree reconnects with his free-spirited granddaughter, an artist, in an effort to retrieve his stolen savings, locked away in a swimming pool locker.
Unbeknownst to her, the video art project she is working on at the pool is actually a cover for a police investigation.
Paris Israeli Film Festival 2025: Documentaries
BABA SALÉ, THE LAST OF THE RIGHTEOUS – Directed by Rafael Balulu
Baba Salé, The Last of the Righteous tells the story of the Abuhazira family, a highly influential Moroccan Jewish dynasty for over two centuries. Through the history of Baba Salé and his younger brother Baba Khaki, the film explores the legacy of this aristocratic rabbinical family, which later played a major role in Israel.
The film also sheds light on the great wave of Moroccan Jewish immigration, focusing on Baba Salé and Baba Khaki’s lives, as well as the public roles of the second generation, including Rabbi Baruch Abuhazira and Aharon Abuhazira, who shaped Israeli culture, society, and politics.
Special guest: The screening will be followed by a discussion with the director, Rafael Balulu, and historian Georges Bensoussan.
FREUD, THE OUTSIDER – Directed by Yair Qedar
Freud, The Outsider is a creative documentary that takes us on a journey through the life and work of Sigmund Freud in four acts—blending animation, dreams, and insights from leading psychoanalysts.
This thought-provoking film examines Freud’s Jewish identity, his biography, psychoanalysis, and the role of marginalization as a strategy for power, shaping one of the most influential figures of modern times. Itay Tiran stars as Freud.
Special guest: The screening will be followed by a discussion with the director, Yair Qedar, and Tobie Nathan, Professor Emeritus of Universities.
JACOB DE HAAN: A VOICE OUT OF TIME – Directed by Zvi Landsman
The death of Jacob Israël de Haan is commemorated each year by the ultra-Orthodox Neturei Karta Jews in Jerusalem and by the LGBTQ community in Amsterdam. A pioneer in both worlds, De Haan wrote the first LGBTQ novel in the Netherlands in the early 20th century before returning to his Jewish roots.
He emigrated to Palestine and became a spokesperson for the Orthodox Jewish community, advocating against Zionism in collaboration with Arab leaders from neighboring countries.
Despite his political activism, he continued to write homoerotic poetry, which was about to be published in Dutch when he was assassinated in 1924 by an unidentified killer. Now, never-before-heard audio recordings may finally unravel this 100-year-old political mystery.
Special guest: The screening will be followed by a discussion with the director, Zvi Landsman, and Ilan Greilsammer, Professor at Bar-Ilan University.
OCTOBER 7, 2023 – BEYOND OCTOBER 7TH – Directed by Jasmine Kainy
Three generations of the Gad family physically survived the October 7th attack.
This intimate documentary begins just two days after they were rescued from the massacre, capturing how each family member copes with the trauma differently.
With their closest friends either murdered or kidnapped and their homes lost, they struggle to rebuild their community in Be’eri while asking themselves:
Will they ever return home?
KAFKA, THE LAST TRIAL – Directed by Eliran Peled
When Franz Kafka died, he left behind a vast collection of unpublished manuscripts. He had asked his friend Max Brod to burn them all, but Brod defied his wishes, allowing the world to discover one of the greatest literary figures of the 20th century.
This act of betrayal, though well-intentioned, led to a multi-generational legal battle. The film follows this century-old saga, from the twisting streets of Prague to Spinoza Street in Tel Aviv, where Max Brod’s legendary secretary passed away at the age of 102, with Kafka’s original manuscripts still in her possession.
The ensuing court battle over the fate of these documents could have been written by Kafka himself.
Special guest: The screening will be followed by a discussion with the director, Eliran Peled, and author and producer Léa Veinstein.
Paris Israeli Film Festival 2025: Special Event
READING LOLITA IN TEHRAN – Directed by Eran Riklis
With Golshifteh Farahani, Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Mina Kavani, Reza Diako, Arash Marandi
Azar Nafisi, a professor at the University of Tehran, secretly gathers seven of her students to read Western literary classics, which are banned by the regime.
Through these secret meetings, the women find a rare space of freedom, where they share their hopes, loves, and dreams, navigating life in an increasingly oppressive society.
For them, Reading Lolita in Tehran is a celebration of the liberating power of literature.
Special guest: The screening will be followed by a discussion with the director, Eran Riklis.
Special series event
KUGEL (Episodes 1 & 2) – THE RETURN OF SHTISEL! – Directed by Erez Kav-El
In Antwerp, long before she met Akiva Shtisel, Libi lived with her father Nuchem, a jewelry dealer willing to bend the rules to make a sale.
But when his wife Yides tires of his shady dealings and files for divorce, their family is thrown into chaos. Nuchem desperately tries to win her back, all while courting Pnina Baumbach, a widow who has inherited a kugel restaurant.
Meanwhile, Libi dreams of becoming a writer, but in the midst of her parents’ collapsing marriage, she must decide whether the path to success lies in marriage, love, or pursuing her artistic ambition.
Israeli Cinema Classic
THE PREDESTINED (1990) – Directed by Daniel Wachsmann
In the northern Galilean mountains, the ancient mystical practice of Kabbalah still thrives. It is believed that among those who possess secret knowledge, a chosen few have the power to interfere with the natural order of things.
Unbeknownst to him, Shmaya Ben-David has been designated to become the greatest of these mystical figures. This timeless classic explores the enigmatic boundaries between faith and destiny.
Special guest: The screening will be followed by a discussion with the director, Daniel Wachsmann.
Short films in competition
This year’s selection includes:
FINAL CHORD – Directed by Ruth Blory & Itai Osterman
On the morning of October 7, two childhood friends find themselves on opposite sides of the Nova festival attack.
Keren is dancing freely when something feels off. Meanwhile, Lily is at home when a missile alarm forces her into a bomb shelter.
As their communication suddenly cuts off, Lily slowly realizes something horrific has happened. Their once unbreakable bond is shattered, and only music seems to bring solace.
(Other short films will also be featured at the festival.)
This anniversary edition promises to be exceptional, with a diverse and emotionally charged lineup blending personal stories with major historical events.
The Paris Israeli Film Festival 2025 guarantees powerful moments of reflection and emotion.
🎟️ Discover the full lineup and book your tickets at festivalcineisraelien.com.
More about the festival:
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