THE SEA dominated the 2025 Israeli Academy Awards (Ophirs)–nominated for 13 and winning 5, including Best Picture. Filmed in the summer of 2023, THE SEA follows Khaled, a 12-year-old Palestinian boy, whose class is on a field trip to visit the Tel Aviv beaches (which he’s never seen). At a checkpoint, he is denied entry because his papers are not in order and must disembark the bus. Undeterred and propelled by curiosity, hope and stubborn determination, Khaled sneaks off on a quest to visit the sea on his own, an uncertain journey wandering a city, navigating a language and culture he barely knows. When his father, an undocumented laborer in Israel, learns he is missing, he frantically sets out to find him, at great personal risk if caught: he must avoid the police instead of soliciting their support to find his son.
THE SEA–Israel’s 2026 Oscar submission–is a visual masterpiece featuring cinematography that exemplifies the director’s background in documentary film. Containing minimal dialogue, young actor Muhammad Gazani as Khaled carries the film with expressive body language and emotional depth behind his eyes, unlocking fear, excitement and curiosity at once. While this narrative is presented from a Palestinian perspective, it speaks to universal truths about the innocence of youthful dreams to experience the world, hampered by adult perceptions and geo-political scenarios beyond their control.
Director Bio: View on IMDB
Shai Carmeli Pollak is an award-winning filmmaker whose work explores the intersection of human rights, memory and identity through powerful, character-driven narratives. His films have been featured at major international festivals and acclaimed for their artistic depth and social impact.
Happy Hour: Wine/beer/noshes for sale in the J Cafe before the film.
Sponsor: Shari Basom and David Spiekerman
