Israeli director's October 7 film ‘Our Loves’ tipped for Oscars

At the Jerusalem Film Festival, a panel discussed Israeli cinema's international reach, focusing on Avi Nesher's film "Our Loves," which depicts the October 7 attacks. Producer Danny Cohen, CEO of Access Entertainment, expressed his belief that the film "has Academy Award potential" and hopes it will be Israel's submission for Best International Feature. The movie, produced by SIPUR with international partners like Fox Entertainment, portrays the lives of people in southern Israel before and during October 7, aiming to build empathy. Panelists, including Nesher, Emilio Schenker (SIPUR CEO), and Yoav Abramovich (Israeli Cinema Project), highlighted the resilience of the Israeli film industry amidst boycotts and antisemitism. They acknowledged challenges, with Abramovich stating, "Many festivals simply won't screen Israeli films. Our strategy now is to work with those festivals, distributors, and partners who are willing to stand up to pressure." Nesher recounted a screening in Los Angeles where the film fostered empathy, demonstrating that "Cinema creates empathy. Once you empathize with people, it's much harder to hate them." Despite the difficulties, the panelists emphasized the importance of courageous partners and continued production of quality cinema, as evidenced by international interest in "Our Loves" at the festival.