“Baba Joon” has been named the year’s best film at the Ophir Awards, the Israeli version of the Academy Awards. The victory makes director Yuval Delshad’s drama about Iranian immigrants the official Israeli entry in the Oscar foreign-language race.
The film also won awards for its cinematography, music, art direction and casting.
“Wounded Land” won awards for its director, Erez Tadmor, and leading actor, Roy Assaf. Moran Rosenblatt was named Best Actress for “Wedding Doll.”
Israel has received four Oscar nominations in the category in the last eight years and 10 nominations overall, though it has never won. It has made more submissions and received more nominations than any country that has yet to win the foreign-language Oscar.
Other nominees for the top Ophir award were “Wounded Land,” “The Kind Words,” “Afterthought” and “Wedding Doll.”
“Baba Joon” recently screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.
To date, more than 50 countries have submitted films to the Academy, which will rule on their eligibility and announce the list of qualifying entries in early October. Last year, a record 83 films competed for the award, which was won by Poland’s “Ida.”
The Ophir Awards:
Best Film: “Baba Joon”
Best Director: Erez Tadmor, “Wounded Land”
Best Actor: Roy Assaf, “Wounded Land”
Best Actress: Moran Rosenblatt, “Wedding Doll”
Best Supporting Actor: Norman Issa, “The 90 Minute War”
Best Supporting Actress: Devora Keidar, “Fire Birds”
Best Screenplay: Elad Keidan, “Afterthought”
Best Cinematography: Ofer Inov, “Baba Joon”
Best Music: Eyal Saeed Mani, “Baba Joon”
Best Art Direction: Yoav Dahari, “Baba Joon”
Best Sound: “Afterthought”
Best Editing: “Afterthought”
Best Casting: Noa Ella, “Baba Joon”
Best Documentary: “Censored Voices,” Mor Loushy
Ophir Lifetime Achievement Award: Alon Garbuz