The Haifa International Film Festival (Hebrew: פסטיבל הסרטים הבינלאומי חיפה) is an annual film festival that takes place every autumn (between late September and late October[1]), during the week-long holiday of Sukkot, in Haifa, Israel.
The Haifa International Film Festival (Hebrew: פסטיבל הסרטים הבינלאומי חיפה) is an annual film festival that takes place every autumn (between late September and late October[1]), during the week-long holiday of Sukkot, in Haifa, Israel.
The festival was inaugurated in 1983[2] and was the first of its kind in Israel.[3] Over the years, it has become the country's major cinematic event.[4]
The Haifa International Film Festival attracts a wide audience of film-goers and media professionals from Israel and abroad.[1] Throughout the week, special screenings are held of c.170 new films.[2] Apart from movies screened around the clock at seven theaters, the festival features open-air screenings. Film categories include feature films, documentaries, animation, short films, retrospectives and tributes.[5]
The Board of Directors is composed of film and culture professionals and public figures.[citation needed] The festival is underwritten by the City of Haifa, the Ministry of Education,[6] the Israeli Film Council, and the European Union, as well as commercial companies.[7]
