The Minister of Culture and Sports announced after the film "The Sea" won the Ophir Award for Best Film, making it Israel's representative for the Oscars, that he will consequently stop funding the Academy of Film and Television. The Ministry of Culture's statement said that "the scandalous win at the ceremony aroused the anger of many Israeli citizens and IDF soldiers who dedicate their lives to defending the homeland, which led Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar to announce the withdrawal of the budget for the disgraceful ceremony funded through the Israeli Academy of Film and Television, starting from the upcoming year, 2026."