Independence Dominates Ophir Awards, Securing Best Film and 10 Prizes

The Israeli drama "Independence" was the big winner at the 2026 Ophir Awards, taking home ten accolades including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. Directed by Moshe Rosenthal, the film will represent Israel in the upcoming Academy Awards' International Feature Film category. The ceremony, held at Cinema City Glilot, saw a surprise in the Best Actor category, with Ihab Salami winning for "Where Did We Go Wrong?" over Asie Cohen, who starred in "Independence." Salami used his acceptance speech to call for an end to wars.

In the Best Actress category, Yevgenia Dodina won for her role in "Mama," the debut film of Or Sinai, portraying a woman returning to Poland after years of supporting her family from Israel. The Best Supporting Actress award went to Tikki Dayan for "Farewell to Dough," a film about a bachelor in Jerusalem. Dayan dedicated her award to the memory of her late friend, actor Ilan Dar.

Ido Tako received the Best Supporting Actor award for his performance in "Where Did We Go Wrong?" He shared the stage with Raymond Amsalem, who paid tribute to the late director Nizan Giladi. "The Woman Who Didn't Know How to Love" by Rotem Diamond won Best Feature Documentary, while "Ahmed, a Movie Star" took home the award for Best Short Documentary. "The Other Body" was named Best Short Fiction Film.

Veteran actress Levana Finkelstein was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Finkelstein, who immigrated from Bulgaria as a child, has had a prolific career spanning film and theater. She recalled her childhood fascination with the stage, which began at the age of two.

Moshe Rosenthal also won for Best Director and Best Screenplay for "Independence." Ziv Berkovich won for Best Cinematography for the same film. Other awards included Best Original Score for "High School Dreamers," Best Sound Design for "Independence," and Best Casting and Makeup for "Independence." The Minister of Culture, Miki Zohar, again boycotted the ceremony.