Arava International Film Festival expands to two outdoor screens for 15th edition in November

The 15th Arava International Film Festival runs November 4-14, 2026, in the Negev desert beside the Nahal Ashush Nature Reserve near Tzukim, expanding to two outdoor screens for the first time. The program features nine Israeli premieres, a Billy Wilder retrospective honoring the late artistic adviser Edna Fainaru, and a focus on Negev filmmaking. Founded in 2012 by producer Eyal Shiray, the festival also hosts a seminar for high school film students for the 10th time.

The 15th Arava International Film Festival returns to the Negev desert from November 4-14, 2026, expanding to two outdoor screens for the first time. The festival, held beside the Nahal Ashush Nature Reserve near Tzukim, will feature nine Israeli premieres, international films, and a Billy Wilder retrospective honoring the late journalist and artistic adviser Edna Fainaru, who died in June. The opening evening on November 4 will focus on films made with support from the Negev Film Fund. Israeli highlights include Ruthy Pribar's "What is to Come" starring Ronit Yudkevitch, Shiran Sheharbani's "Zebras," and Assaf Machnes's "Where To," which won Ophir Awards for its actors. The international lineup includes May el-Toukhy's "Woman Unknown," Florian Zeller's "Bunker" starring Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz, and Peter Farrelly's "I Play Rocky." A Short in the Desert program includes four locally made shorts, including one from a filmmaking incubator for Bedouin women. For the 10th time, the festival will host a seminar for high school film students. The festival is supported by the Central Arava Regional Council, the Culture and Sport Ministry's Israel Film Council, and other government bodies.