Film

About Shimon Shai

Shimon is a filmmaker who studied at the Sam Spiegel Film and TV School in Jerusalem. His film “Road Marks”won the prize for Best Short Film at the Jerusalem Film Festival. The film was also screened at the Venice Film Festival, the Cinema Mediterranean Film Festival in Montpellier (France), the Cinema Tout Ecran Festival in Geneva (Switzerland) and the Golden Horse Festival in Taipei (Taiwan). Prior to his film studies, Shimon earned a Bachelors Degree in International Business Administration from the University of East London. This year, Shimon received AICF scholarships for both film and photography.

"I am really happy to be given an oppourtunity to share the warm feelings of gratitude that I owe the The America-Israel Cultural Foundation. Sometimes it feels good to stop everything for a moment and say thanks.

The scholarships, apart from the financial help, are the recognition we need. They tell us "well done" and they emphasize the fact that there are those who see and appreciate the effort. To us it is more that important, it is necessary and it gives us the power to continue. I want to believe that the future of Israeli cinema is up to us, the students. The support you give will enable us to become directors, writers, editors and producers.

I also believe that more than everything, a society is measured by it's culture, in its ability to recognize the vast range of stories and the people behind them. Now, I want to direct the recognition you. You enable us this growth. You also deserve this fuel hidden in the word - thanks."

Shimon Shai

Film

Tel Aviv, Israel