Veteran Israeli Actress Livana Finkelstein to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award

Veteran Israeli actress Livana Finkelstein will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Ophir Awards ceremony, the Israeli Film and Television Academy announced Sunday. The award recognizes Finkelstein's career spanning over five decades in film, television, and theater.

Born in Bulgaria, Finkelstein immigrated to Israel at one year old. Her breakthrough came in 1969 at age 21 when she was cast in the lead role of Menachem Golan's film "My Margot." She later became a regular in films by Shmi Zarhin, appearing in "Aviva My Love," "The World is Funny," "The Good Words," and "Hamda." Her role in "A Big Story" earned her an Ophir Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Finkelstein has appeared in dozens of films, including "I Love You Rosa," "Salomonico," "The Tzanani Family," "Horse Tree," "The Good Death," and "Cat's Luck." She has also performed on stage at prominent Israeli theaters such as Habima, Cameri, Beit Lessin, and Gesher. Her accolades include Best Actress at the Haifa Film Festival and Best Lead Actress at the Jerusalem Film Festival.

Beyond acting, Finkelstein is also a sculptor, with her bronze works exhibited in Israel and Bulgaria. Upon receiving the news, Finkelstein expressed her excitement, stating, "In such tense and heavy days, culture and art are what lift the spirit, comfort, and do good in people's hearts." She emphasized the importance of respecting culture, adding, "Without culture, what are all the things really worth?"

The Ophir Awards ceremony will be held on September 9 at Cinema City Glilot, hosted by Shani Cohen and Adam Gabay.