Emerging Filmmakers
Esther Fischer Emerging Israeli Filmmaker Artist in Residence
Film has the ability to cross cultural divides, create dialogue, and inspire connections. Over the last five years, the MGSDII has partnered with the Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival to support an emerging filmmaker program, awarding two filmmakers each year the Esther Fischer Emerging Israeli Filmmaker Artist in Residence Prize. The residency offers a chance to visit San Diego for three weeks to work on their next projects, meet students and faculty in university classroom screenings, and cultivate relationships and share their art with the larger San Diego community.
Esther Fischer has been a long-time thought partner and friend of The MGSDII. Her appreciation of film and the arts has gifted many young Israeli filmmakers the opportunity to travel to San Diego and create long-lasting connections with other young filmmakers like themselves in San Diego.
“Meeting with Esther is always a highlight for the filmmakers. How can you not love her wonderful energy and enthusiasm”, said recent resident Gadi Rimer.
2024 Esther Fischer Emerging Israeli Filmmaker Artists in Residence
Eyal is a director and versatile creative content person with absolute control of the film language that enables him to bring every script to the screen in the most correct and suitable way, whether it is a movie, TV series, commercials or music video.
In Eyal’s first year as a director, he managed to make a series for “KAN 11”, a short film screened at the Jerusalem Film Festival, two documentaries for the international YesChef platform, clips, and commercials.
Elisha began his career as a director of photography and very quickly reached the biggest sets alongside the most important directors of Israel’s industry. The knowledge and tools he acquired on the set over hundreds of filming days he took part in, brought him to the director’s chair with a tremendous advantage. Beyond the high aesthetics and technical understanding, Eyal brings with him a creative thinking, problem-solving ability with productive tools and team management at the highest level.
Ido is a Tel Aviv-based director and cinematographer.
Born in 1989 and raised in the northern Israeli village of Nofit, he graduated with a BFA from the Steve Tisch School of Film and Television at Tel Aviv University.
The director of several award-winning films, including “Horah” (Documentary, 18 min, 2018), “Pool” (Live-action short, 12 min, 2019), and “Uzzi” (Documentary, 21 min, 2018), which was shortlisted for the BAFTA’s student awards.
His latest film, “Requiem for a Whale” (Documentary, 15 min, 2022), has won the prestigious student documentary award at the IDA awards 2022, and the Israeli documentary forum award, as well as the second place and the cinematography awards at the Docaviv International Documentary Film Festival 2022.
Tal [b. 1988] is an award-winning independent animation filmmaker & visual artist. [B.F.A] Graduated with honors from the ‘Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, Jerusalem’, ‘where she currently lectures at the Screen-Based Arts Department.
In her animated works, Tal uses a unique technique she has developed, which combines drawing, photography, video, painting, and animation. Her short animated film “In Other Words” won 17 awards and was officially selected in more than 100 festivals worldwide. She worked as the Animation Art Director of the documentary feature film “ADVOCATE” (Emmy Award winner 2021, Oscar shortlist 2020).
Tal is also an Animation workshop Mentor, Lector, and a Curator of Animation Exhibitions & special screening programs. Currently, she works as an Animation Director & Concept-Art developer for several films and art projects.
“Letter to a Pig”, which won the “Excellence Award” at the Japan Media Arts Festival (2022), is her debut film.
2023 Emerging Filmmakers
He Can Sleep on the Couch
All Those Beginnings
2022 Emerging Filmmakers
Shabbat
Empty Spaces
2021 Emerging Filmmakers
With Slight Steps
White Eye
2020 Emerging Filmmakers
The Home Front
Girl With a Fork in a World of Soup
2019 Emerging Filmmakers
Ten Bell Tolls
Our Way Back
Interested in hosting a screening?
Please contact Paige Milgrom-Hills, Program Manager, at paige@mgsdii.org.