Overview

• Shai Carmeli-Pollak’s The Sea won Best Film at the Ophir Awards on Sept. 16, which by protocol designates it as Israel’s 2026 international feature submission.
• The film follows a 12-year-old Palestinian boy’s risky journey to the coast, features a largely Palestinian cast, and is performed in Arabic and Hebrew.
• Thirteen-year-old Muhammad Gazawi won Best Actor and used his speech to urge that children be allowed to live and dream without war.
• The ceremony unfolded hours after an Israeli ground offensive in Gaza, and Supporting Actor winner Khalifa Natour did not attend, citing the situation.
• The submission comes as more than 1,300 industry figures endorse a boycott of Israeli film institutions, with the Academy’s shortlist due Dec. 16 ahead of Jan. 22 nominations and the March 15 ceremony.