Independence Film Dominates Ophir Awards, Eyes Oscar Nomination

The Israeli drama "Independence" emerged as the overwhelming winner at the 2026 Ophir Awards, held last night at Cinema City Glilot. The film, directed by Moshe Rosenthal and already holding a record for the most nominations in the ceremony's history, secured ten awards. These included the top prizes for Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Casting.

As a result of its triumph, "Independence" will officially represent Israel in the Best International Feature Film category at the upcoming Academy Awards. The film features a prominent cast led by Asi Cohen and Keren Tzur. It tells the story of a 12-year-old boy who uncovers a devastating secret about his father, played by Cohen, leading to destructive consequences for the family.

Cohen received widespread acclaim for his complex dramatic performance, as did the entire casting team, which won the award for Best Casting. However, Asi Cohen was surprisingly not awarded Best Actor, losing to Ihab Salameh for his role in "Where To." Yevgenia Dodina won Best Actress for "Mama," while Ida Tako and Tiqui Dayan received supporting actor awards. Dayan dedicated her win to the recently deceased actor Ilan Der.

A particularly moving moment occurred when veteran actress Liba Finkelshtein, 78, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award, receiving a standing ovation from the audience.