In a move that has sent shockwaves through Israel’s cultural and political spheres, Culture Minister Miki Zohar announced on September 17, 2025, that the government will withdraw funding from the country’s most prestigious film awards, the Ophir Awards, starting with the next budget cycle. The decision, which follows the victory of the film The Sea—a story centered on a Palestinian boy’s journey—at the 2025 Ophir Awards, has ignited fierce debate about artistic freedom, national identity, and the boundaries of government intervention in the arts.
The Sea, directed by Shai Carmeli-Pollak, tells the poignant tale of Khaled, a 12-year-old Palestinian boy from a West Bank village who dreams of seeing the Mediterranean Sea for the first time. Turned away at an Israeli military checkpoint during a school trip due to an invalid permit, Khaled embarks on a risky solo journey to the coast, unable to speak Hebrew and unfamiliar with the way. His father, Ribni—portrayed by Khalifa Natour—is an undocumented laborer who abandons his job to search for his missing son, highlighting the human cost of conflict and border restrictions. The film premiered at the Jerusalem Film Festival in July 2025 and has since garnered widespread acclaim, picking up awards for Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Actor (Muhammad Ghazawi, age 13), Best Supporting Actor (Khalifa Natour), and Best Original Score at the Ophir Awards on September 16, 2025, according to The Independent and CNN.
But the film’s success has not been universally celebrated. Minister Zohar, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, condemned the Ophir Awards as a “pathetic ceremony” and described the film’s win as “a slap in the face of Israeli citizens.” In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), he declared, “On my watch, the citizens of Israel will not pay out of their pockets for a disgraceful ceremony that spits on the heroic Israeli soldiers.” He further asserted, “The citizens of Israel deserve for their tax money to go to more important and valuable places.” Zohar’s remarks, reported by AP and News18, reflect deep-seated tensions over how the Israeli military and the ongoing conflict are depicted in national culture.
The Ministry of Culture’s statement went further, criticizing The Sea for presenting a “Palestinian perspective” and depicting the Israeli military and state in a “negative way.” Zohar accused the film of “spitting” on Israeli soldiers, stating, “The fact that the winning film depicts our heroic soldiers in a defamatory and false way while they fight and risk their lives to protect us no longer surprises anyone.”
In response to the controversy, the Israeli Academy of Film and Television defended its selection process, emphasizing its commitment to cinematic excellence, artistic freedom, and freedom of expression. Chair Assaf Amir remarked, “In the face of the Israeli government’s attacks on Israeli cinema and culture, and the calls from parts of the international film community to boycott us, the selection of The Sea is a powerful and resounding response.” The Academy stressed that its awards are determined by a body of creators, filmmakers, and cultural figures, not by political authorities.
Legal experts have also weighed in, questioning the legality of Zohar’s move. Oded Feller, legal adviser to the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, told CNN that Zohar is “waving empty threats” and lacks the authority to unilaterally withhold public funds from the Academy. “The ministry’s budget does not belong to his mother, and he is not empowered to interfere with cultural content or the professional judgment of those who select the films,” Feller stated, highlighting the ongoing debate over government control versus artistic independence.
The uproar comes as the war in Gaza continues to cast a long shadow over Israeli society and the international community. With more than 64,000 Palestinians reported dead, according to News18, the conflict has spurred widespread outrage and become a focal point at international events, including the recent Emmy Awards, where actors such as Hannah Einbinder and Javier Bardem called for a ceasefire. Within Israel, the war’s impact was also visible at the Ophir Awards, where several attendees dressed in black to protest the ongoing violence.
At the awards ceremony, The Sea’s young star Muhammad Ghazawi, the youngest ever recipient of the Best Actor award at just 13, delivered a heartfelt message: “I wish for all the children of the world, everywhere, to have the same opportunity—to live and dream without wars.” Producer Baher Agbariya echoed this sentiment, stating, “This film was born from love for humanity and cinema, and its message is one—the right of every child to live and dream in peace, without siege, without fear, and without war.” These words, as reported by The Independent, resonated with many in the audience and beyond.
Yet, the backlash against Palestinian cultural efforts has been growing. Basel Adra, the Oscar-winning Palestinian director of No Other Land—a documentary co-directed with Israeli filmmakers that won the 2025 Oscar for Best Documentary—reported recent raids on his home in the West Bank by Israeli soldiers. The film chronicled Palestinian activists’ attempts to prevent the demolition of their community by the Israeli military. In a tragic postscript, Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen, featured in the documentary, was killed by an Israeli settler after the film’s success.
Minister Zohar has not limited his criticism to The Sea. In February 2025, he introduced a bill aimed at restricting funding for independent films in favor of more commercial titles, a move widely seen as an attempt to steer Israeli cinema towards content that aligns more closely with government values. On the heels of the latest controversy, Zohar announced the creation of a new government-sponsored film awards ceremony, the “Israeli State Oscar,” intended to honor works that “reflect the nation’s values and spirit.” This proposal has drawn mixed reactions, with some seeing it as an effort to promote unity and others as a further encroachment on creative freedom.
The debate has also spilled over into the international arena. Hollywood figures such as Javier Bardem, Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Riz Ahmed have voiced support for a cultural boycott of Israeli film institutions, while major studios like Paramount have pushed back, stating they do not agree with “silencing individuals.” Within Israel, the controversy has become a lightning rod for broader political and cultural anxieties, with some seeing the government’s actions as a necessary defense of national honor and others as a dangerous slide towards censorship.
As The Sea heads to the Oscars as Israel’s official entry for Best International Feature Film, the questions raised by its success—and the backlash it has provoked—are unlikely to fade soon. The story of a boy’s dream to see the ocean has become a flashpoint in a much larger struggle over whose stories get told, who gets to tell them, and what it means to represent a nation on the world stage.
For now, the fate of Israel’s film awards and the broader future of its cultural landscape hang in the balance, with artists, politicians, and audiences all watching closely to see what happens next.
