If further evidence was needed of a quiet shift in international cultural representation — particularly in cinema — it arrived overnight Wednesday, with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announcing its latest round of invitations.
A total of 529 new members were invited to join the organization behind the Oscars. Unlike previous years, however, none of them are filmmakers currently active in Israel’s domestic film industry.
(Photo: AP)
A closer look at the list reveals a handful of Israel-born creatives, such as composers Oren Yaakobi and Haim Mazar, but both have lived and worked in Hollywood for many years and are not involved in Israeli film production.
Meanwhile, filmmakers born and trained in the region who are active in nearby cinematic ecosystems are included in the broader intake, including director Samah Zoabi and cinematographer Iyhab Assal, both of whom identify as Palestinian. They are joined by veteran Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi of Ramallah, documentary director Amber Fares, and composer Suad Bushnaq.
Zoabi, originally from the Galilee village of Iksal, is based in New York and is known in Israel for films such as Man Without a Cell Phone (2010) and Tel Aviv on Fire (2018). She joins the Academy’s writers’ branch.
Assal, a Nazareth-born cinematographer, previously worked on Israeli productions including Late Marriage and Meduzot, and collaborated with filmmakers such as Hany Abu-Assad (Paradise Now, Omar, The Idol) and Elia Suleiman (Divine Intervention, The Time That Remains).
Masharawi, one of the pioneers of modern Palestinian cinema and founder of a Gaza-based film school, joins the directors’ branch from Ramallah, while Amber Fares — a Canadian-Palestinian filmmaker — recently gained attention for her documentary work, including Coexistence, My Ass!, about Israeli comedian Noam Shuster-Eliassi. She has now been added to the documentary branch.
In the music category, Suad Bushnaq — a Canadian composer of Palestinian origin known for her work on Yunan — is also among the new invitees.
The list also includes Victoria Cook, a prominent talent agent known in Hollywood as a vocal pro-Israel advocate, alongside other Jewish and Zionist-identifying industry figures.
Another Israeli cultural connection appears in actress Julia Garner (Ozark, Inventing Anna, The Fantastic Four: First Steps), who is the daughter of Israel-born actress Tami Gingold.
The absence of Israel-based filmmakers is particularly notable given the steady representation in recent years, especially since 2020, when the Academy significantly expanded its international membership.
In 2025, invitees included editor Arik Lahav-Leibovich, filmmaker Yuval Abraham, and producer Rachel Shor. In 2024, the list featured casting directors Limor Shmila and Hamutal Yaron, animator Tal Kantor, and producers Amit Gicelter and Maya Amsalem.
In 2023, Daniel Sivan and Guy Nattiv were included; in 2022, Sharon Maymon and Yael Foguel joined; and in 2021, Tomer Shushan, Eran Tzur, Philip Boehm and Esther Kling were invited.
The most expansive year came in 2020, when a major reform brought in a wide international cohort including Israeli editors, producers, documentary filmmakers and short-form creators such as Yael Bitton, Liran Atzmor, Orit Azoulay, Hila Yovel, Dekel Berenson and Ori Kront.
In other words, while the annual numbers are relatively small, the complete absence of locally active Israeli filmmakers this year marks a noticeable break in an established trend.
These internal industry dynamics sit alongside the higher-profile names who did receive invitations this year, including Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Josh O’Connor, John Bernthal, Josh Gad, Steve Fry, Skye McNairy, Jenny Slate, Bill Skarsgård, and others — underscoring the Academy’s continued expansion of global star power.