At a time when many international film festivals have sidelined Israeli cinema since October 7 or relegated Israeli films to marginal frameworks, the Berlin Film Festival stands out. At the upcoming February edition, Israel will be represented by ‘Where To’, the debut feature by director Assaf Machnes, which will compete for the award for best first film.
“I’m very excited,” Machnes, 39, said on Tuesday. “It’s a film I worked on for many years, and Berlin is the most fitting place to screen it. I wrote the script in Berlin, and it was also shot there. It’s a great honor that the film begins its journey at the Berlin Film Festival.”
Noa Regev, CEO of the Israel Film Fund, which supported the production, called the selection “a significant and especially important achievement for Israeli cinema during these challenging times.”
‘Where To’ is a comedy-drama produced by Haim and Esti Mekelberg of Tutim Productions, the Rogovin brothers and Lev Cinemas, in cooperation with German producers. The film follows a Palestinian man living in Berlin, played by Ihab Elias Salameh, who works as an Uber driver and repeatedly encounters a young Israeli newcomer to Germany, played by Ido Tako, who is navigating a complicated romantic relationship.
As the two meet again and again, a genuine bond develops. The Israeli finds a sense of home, while the Palestinian is prompted, for the first time, to confront his own life story. The cast also includes Dov Navon and Sarit Vino-Elad.
“I’m someone who constantly moves between cynicism and sensitivity,” Machnes said. “This time, I want the sensitive side to win. I want the film to move people and offer a sense of healing to all of us. In my short films, I played with the tension between the intimate and the collective. Some things may sound political, but in the end, they’re very human. That’s also true of ‘Where To.’”
Asked whether he fears anti-Israel protests during the film’s Berlin premiere, Machnes said he is not concerned.
“I’m not worried,” he said. “I’d even be happy to hear what Culture Minister Miki Zohar thinks about my film after he watches all of it.”