Roesch NJJFF: The Sea

Post-screening Q&A with writer-director Shai Carmeli-Pollak on Zoom

Director: Shai Carmeli-Pollak
2025, Israel, 93 minutes
Arabic & Hebrew with English subtitles
Feature

Khaled (Mohamed Ghazawi, in his first role), a 12-year-old Palestinian boy, has to miss his school trip to the beach – the first time he would have seen the Mediterranean. Disappointed and undeterred, he decides to leave home alone for another chance. When his father (Khalifa Natour, The Band’s Visit) realizes Khaled has gone missing, he must leave his construction job without a travel permit to find Khaled in Tel Aviv.

This sensitive drama, reminiscent of the Italian classic Bicycle Thieves, won the 2025 Ophir Awards (Israel’s Oscar) for Best Picture, Best Actor for Ghazawi (the youngest winner in the award’s history), Best Supporting Actor for Natour, Best Screenplay, and Best Original Score.

Written and directed by Jewish-Israeli Shai Carmeli-Pollak, The Sea is the latest in a long line of Israeli films that bring together filmmakers and cast from different ethnic backgrounds to tell an empathic and humanistic story about living together.

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Host or Publisher JCC MetroWest