The Sam Spiegel Film and Television School was founded in 1989 as the Jerusalem School of Film, following a student protest at the film department of the Beit Zvi School of Art in Ramat Gan, which was then the sole film school supported by the Israeli state. The film students demanded independence, charging that Beit Zvi gave preference to the acting track. Education and Culture Minister at the time, President Yitzhak Navon, established a public inquiry that supported their claims and decided to create a new independent school for film and television, the first of its kind in Israel.
The mayor of Jerusalem, Teddy Kollek, and Ruth Cheshin, president of the Jerusalem Foundation, committed to match government funding. In July 1989, Ruth Cheshin charged film director Renen Schorr with the task of making this new school a reality. The school opened in Jerusalem in November 1989 and was renamed in honor of Hollywood producer Sam Spiegel in 1996, with the support of the Sam Spiegel Estate.
For thirty years, from its founding until November 2019, the school was directed by Renen Schorr, a film director, screenwriter, producer, and Israeli film activist. In November 2019, the board of directors appointed Dana Blankstein Cohen to head the school, and in June 2021, Shir Shoshani was appointed deputy school director and head of the film and television department.
In September 2022, the school moved from its historic location in the Talpiot neighborhood to the new Jerusalem Arts Campus in central Jerusalem. The new building is a seven-story state-of-the-art facility that includes a sound stage, 21 editing suites, and three cinemas that are open to the public.
The Sam Spiegel Film and Television School is considered Israel’s leading film school, having been named one of the best film schools globally by The Hollywood Reporter for seven consecutive years. Currently, the school has 180 students enrolled in two tracks: the full track, a four-year program covering all aspects of filmmaking such as directing, editing, producing, and cinematography, in addition to theoretical studies; and the screenwriting track, a two-year program, including a specialization in writing for television.
Around 40 student films are produced at the school each year. The school’s approach to education emphasizes both theoretical knowledge and practical experience, with a focus on developing students’ creative vision and technical skills. The curriculum is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of filmmaking, from concept to completion.
An ongoing dialogue with students is conducted by 75 instructors, 30 mentors/guidance counselors, 23 support staff, and dozens of guest lecturers, ensuring a personalized and supportive learning environment. In February 2022, a preparatory program for Arabic speakers from East Jerusalem was opened, with the curriculum including Hebrew language, general art and cultural concepts, as well as introductory film classes.
The school invests in young filmmakers telling the story of Israeli society with all its facets, placing the school as a hub for the flourishing Israeli cinema. Serving on its board of directors are senior figures in the arts and industry, as well as other public figures, all of whom give of their time and energy on a volunteer basis.
The Sam Spiegel Film and Television School has played a crucial role in the development of Israeli cinema and television. Since its founding, the school has produced over 800 graduates, 75% of whom are employed in the industry, forming the backbone of Israeli cinema and television.
The school has been recognized at 220 tributes and retrospectives in 56 countries at various festivals and institutions, including at MoMA, the Berlinale (twice), the London Film Festival, the Rotterdam Film Festival, the Sarajevo Film Festival, the Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival, Cambridge University Film Festival (twice), the Jerusalem Film Festival (three times), and the Haifa Film Festival (twice).
Every year, close to 40 shorts, dramas, and documentaries are produced at Sam Spiegel, most of which are screened at 400 festivals worldwide, including Cannes, Berlinale, Venice, and Toronto, as well as student, LGBTQ, Jewish, women’s, children’s, and youth film festivals.
The school’s films have won 420 international and local prizes, including twice the First Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2008, “Anthem” by Elad Keidan was awarded First Prize in the Student Film competition at the Cinéfondation section, marking the first ever such win by an Israeli student film in Cannes. In 2015, Or Sinai won for her film “Anna.” In 2023, the school’s documentary “Before Bedtime” took first place in the CILECT Prize.
The Sam Spiegel Film and Television School has been a member of the international film and television association CILECT since 2001, reflecting its commitment to international standards and collaboration in film education.
The school’s alumni include many prominent Israeli filmmakers who have gone on to achieve success both nationally and internationally. Among the school’s most prominent alumni are Rama Burshtein, Nadav Lapid, Talya Lavie, Tom Shoval, Nir Bergman, Noah Stollman, Yehonatan Indursky, Amichai Chasson, Elad Keidan, and Ra’anan Alexandrowicz.
In addition to its regular educational programs, the school has launched several initiatives to foster the development of filmmaking talent. The Sam Spiegel International Film Lab was launched in December 2011, with the goal of fostering the development and production of full-length feature films by some of the world’s most promising young talents. The Lab became the third film lab of its kind in the world, along with The Sundance Institute and The TorinoFilmLab in Italy.
In 2015, the lab developed the Academy Award-winning film “Son of Saul” by László Nemes. Other notable projects developed at the Lab include Nadav Lapid’s “The Kindergarten Teacher,” which went on to a remake starring Maggie Gyllenhaal; Antoneta Kusijanovic’s “Murina,” which won the Caméra d’Or at Cannes in 2021; and Abner Benaim’s “Plaza Catedral,” which was Panama’s entry to the Oscars in 2021.
In 2021, the Sam Spiegel Series Lab was launched in partnership with Netflix and Paramount Pictures. The Series Lab accepts eight Israeli projects who work over a period of six months with mentors, including Hagai Levi, and then travel to Los Angeles for presentation to the US industry.
Through its educational programs, initiatives, and the success of its graduates, the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School continues to make a significant contribution to the art and craft of filmmaking, both in Israel and on the international stage.
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The Sam Spiegel Film and Television School was founded in 1989 as the Jerusalem School of Film, following a student protest at the film department of the Beit Zvi School of Art in Ramat Gan, which was then the sole film school supported by the Israeli state. The film students demanded independence, charging that Beit Zvi gave preference to the acting track. Education and Culture Minister at the time, President Yitzhak Navon, established a public inquiry that supported their claims and decided to create a new independent school for film and television, the first of its kind in Israel.
The mayor of Jerusalem, Teddy Kollek, and Ruth Cheshin, president of the Jerusalem Foundation, committed to match government funding. In July 1989, Ruth Cheshin charged film director Renen Schorr with the task of making this new school a reality. The school opened in Jerusalem in November 1989 and was renamed in honor of Hollywood producer Sam Spiegel in 1996, with the support of the Sam Spiegel Estate.
For thirty years, from its founding until November 2019, the school was directed by Renen Schorr, a film director, screenwriter, producer, and Israeli film activist. In November 2019, the board of directors appointed Dana Blankstein Cohen to head the school, and in June 2021, Shir Shoshani was appointed deputy school director and head of the film and television department.
In September 2022, the school moved from its historic location in the Talpiot neighborhood to the new Jerusalem Arts Campus in central Jerusalem. The new building is a seven-story state-of-the-art facility that includes a sound stage, 21 editing suites, and three cinemas that are open to the public.
The Sam Spiegel Film and Television School is considered Israel’s leading film school, having been named one of the best film schools globally by The Hollywood Reporter for seven consecutive years. Currently, the school has 180 students enrolled in two tracks: the full track, a four-year program covering all aspects of filmmaking such as directing, editing, producing, and cinematography, in addition to theoretical studies; and the screenwriting track, a two-year program, including a specialization in writing for television.
Around 40 student films are produced at the school each year. The school’s approach to education emphasizes both theoretical knowledge and practical experience, with a focus on developing students’ creative vision and technical skills. The curriculum is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of filmmaking, from concept to completion.
An ongoing dialogue with students is conducted by 75 instructors, 30 mentors/guidance counselors, 23 support staff, and dozens of guest lecturers, ensuring a personalized and supportive learning environment. In February 2022, a preparatory program for Arabic speakers from East Jerusalem was opened, with the curriculum including Hebrew language, general art and cultural concepts, as well as introductory film classes.
The school invests in young filmmakers telling the story of Israeli society with all its facets, placing the school as a hub for the flourishing Israeli cinema. Serving on its board of directors are senior figures in the arts and industry, as well as other public figures, all of whom give of their time and energy on a volunteer basis.
The Sam Spiegel Film and Television School has played a crucial role in the development of Israeli cinema and television. Since its founding, the school has produced over 800 graduates, 75% of whom are employed in the industry, forming the backbone of Israeli cinema and television.
The school has been recognized at 220 tributes and retrospectives in 56 countries at various festivals and institutions, including at MoMA, the Berlinale (twice), the London Film Festival, the Rotterdam Film Festival, the Sarajevo Film Festival, the Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival, Cambridge University Film Festival (twice), the Jerusalem Film Festival (three times), and the Haifa Film Festival (twice).
Every year, close to 40 shorts, dramas, and documentaries are produced at Sam Spiegel, most of which are screened at 400 festivals worldwide, including Cannes, Berlinale, Venice, and Toronto, as well as student, LGBTQ, Jewish, women’s, children’s, and youth film festivals.
The school’s films have won 420 international and local prizes, including twice the First Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2008, “Anthem” by Elad Keidan was awarded First Prize in the Student Film competition at the Cinéfondation section, marking the first ever such win by an Israeli student film in Cannes. In 2015, Or Sinai won for her film “Anna.” In 2023, the school’s documentary “Before Bedtime” took first place in the CILECT Prize.
The Sam Spiegel Film and Television School has been a member of the international film and television association CILECT since 2001, reflecting its commitment to international standards and collaboration in film education.
The school’s alumni include many prominent Israeli filmmakers who have gone on to achieve success both nationally and internationally. Among the school’s most prominent alumni are Rama Burshtein, Nadav Lapid, Talya Lavie, Tom Shoval, Nir Bergman, Noah Stollman, Yehonatan Indursky, Amichai Chasson, Elad Keidan, and Ra’anan Alexandrowicz.
In addition to its regular educational programs, the school has launched several initiatives to foster the development of filmmaking talent. The Sam Spiegel International Film Lab was launched in December 2011, with the goal of fostering the development and production of full-length feature films by some of the world’s most promising young talents. The Lab became the third film lab of its kind in the world, along with The Sundance Institute and The TorinoFilmLab in Italy.
In 2015, the lab developed the Academy Award-winning film “Son of Saul” by László Nemes. Other notable projects developed at the Lab include Nadav Lapid’s “The Kindergarten Teacher,” which went on to a remake starring Maggie Gyllenhaal; Antoneta Kusijanovic’s “Murina,” which won the Caméra d’Or at Cannes in 2021; and Abner Benaim’s “Plaza Catedral,” which was Panama’s entry to the Oscars in 2021.
In 2021, the Sam Spiegel Series Lab was launched in partnership with Netflix and Paramount Pictures. The Series Lab accepts eight Israeli projects who work over a period of six months with mentors, including Hagai Levi, and then travel to Los Angeles for presentation to the US industry.
Through its educational programs, initiatives, and the success of its graduates, the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School continues to make a significant contribution to the art and craft of filmmaking, both in Israel and on the international stage.
Click below to ADD TO FAVORITE or ADD NOTES.
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