Jerusalem Sessions, Israel's first international television festival, will return to the National Library of Israel from November 17 to 19 for its second edition, bringing together leading international television creators, Israeli stars and industry executives for three days of premieres, discussions and special events. This year's festival will also mark 100 years of television, exploring the medium's evolution and the growing influence of technology, artificial intelligence and new storytelling formats.
The festival will open with the world premiere of the third season of "The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem," the hit yes drama produced by Artza Productions that also streams on Netflix. Stars Michael Aloni, Hila Saada and Eli Steen will attend the screening alongside series creator Shlomo Moshiah.
Another highlight will be a special standalone episode from the new season of "The Chef," the yes series produced by Kastina Communications. Set in Paris, the episode will be followed by a conversation with Yael Elkana and Erez Kav-El. The evening will continue at Jerusalem's Mona restaurant, where guests will be served a menu inspired by the episode and hear from culinary consultant chef Moshiko Gamlieli and stars Gal Toren and Yael Elkana.
Among the festival's prominent international guests is Terence Winter, creator of "Boardwalk Empire" and a writer on "The Sopranos" and "The Wolf of Wall Street," who will visit Israel for the first time and take part in a conversation about his career and work.
Terence Winter
(Photo: Brigitte Lacombe)
Other international participants include Nancy Cotton, executive vice president of scripted television at Skydance Sports; director Minkie Spiro, whose credits include "Better Call Saul," "Downton Abbey" and "3 Body Problem"; and David Hadda, creator of "The Zweiflers," a series about a Jewish family in present-day Frankfurt that won Best Series at Canneseries and a German Television Award.
Eyal Baumel, who manages some of the world's most successful YouTube creators, including MrBeast and Salish Matter, will also participate, bringing the rapidly evolving world of digital content creation into the festival's broader discussion of television's future.
Keshet International, which joins the festival as its official sponsor, will collaborate on several events, including a panel led by Liz Cohen, executive vice president of scripted programming at Keshet Studios. Cohen will discuss the development of drama series and the process of building creative partnerships with leading international talent.
From 'The Chef'
(Photo: Chen Hod; Design: Tal Baltoch)
From classic television to micro-dramas
Beyond traditional television premieres, the festival will examine how storytelling is changing in the digital age, with events dedicated to artificial intelligence, social media and emerging formats.
One of the featured events will be a special live edition of "You Have to Read This!," the original Kan 11 and Teddy Productions format, in which participants pitch books they believe should be adapted into television series. The stage version will include a panel featuring Maor Zaguri, creator of "Zaguri Empire."
The festival will also present "Assi Dayan: The Unmade Pilot," a one-time reading of "Heder Miyun" ("Emergency Room"), an unproduced television script by the late Israeli filmmaker and actor preserved in the National Library's archive. The reading will take place with the permission and participation of his son, Lior Dayan, and feature a cast led by Shalev Gelber.
Another event will focus on the growing popularity of micro-dramas, with Rei Solash, creator of the Instagram hit "Not Over," discussing the relationship between creators, screens and audiences in an era when stories are increasingly designed for smartphones.
AI artist Amir Yatziv will present his work featuring Peter the Monkey, an AI monkey transformed into a human character, as part of the festival's exploration of the intersection between technology and creative expression.
The program will also include an evening honoring the late Israeli television producer Dana Eden, featuring Shula Spiegel and other colleagues and collaborators, hosted by journalist Ran Boker.
In another event, Prof. Noa Lavie of the Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo will present new research examining the state of Israel's television industry in the years following October 7. The festival will also announce a collaboration between the Jerusalem Media Initiative and HollyShorts, the American short-film festival.
Bringing Israeli and international television together
Jerusalem Sessions was established by the Jerusalem Media Initiative of the Jerusalem Development Authority. Held in partnership with the National Library of Israel, it combines closed professional sessions designed to encourage collaboration between international industry executives and Israeli creators with screenings, talks and cultural events open to the public.
Israeli participants expected to attend this year's edition include Rotem Sela, Guri Alfi, Gal Toren, Michael Aloni, Gitit Fisher, Maor Zaguri and Yael Elkana. The program is being developed in collaboration with yes, Kan 11, HOT and Teddy Productions, alongside official sponsor Keshet International.
International participants will once again be hosted at the Mamilla Hotel, which served as the festival's accommodation partner during its inaugural edition.
As part of the centennial celebrations, the festival and its official design partner, Nisso Furniture, will create a special viewing space inside the National Library. Designed to transform the traditional home living room into a communal viewing experience, the installation will allow festivalgoers and library visitors to watch retrospectives of television series.
The festival's first edition, held in December 2025, attracted a group of prominent international television figures, including "Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner, "The Americans" showrunner Joel Fields, former NBCUniversal entertainment chief Susan Rovner, Access Entertainment president Danny Cohen, Canneseries artistic director Albin Lewi and "Unorthodox" creator Anna Winger.
Tzachi Namir, CEO of the Jerusalem Development Authority, said the festival reflects the city's role as a meeting point between cultural heritage and contemporary creativity.
"Jerusalem connects the city's rich heritage of storytelling with the innovation driving Israel's television industry, and gives creators from Israel and abroad a real opportunity to build collaborations that will shape the screen in the years ahead," he said.
Keren Shahar, CEO of Keshet International, emphasized the importance of connecting Israeli creators with international audiences.
"Jerusalem Sessions is exactly what Keshet International does every day: bringing Israeli stories and Israeli voices to the heart of the global industry. Israeli content doesn't just sell abroad. It inspires, it influences and it leads. We're glad to play a meaningful part in this event," she said.
Festival organizers Eyal Benbenisty, executive director of the Jerusalem Media Initiative, and Daniel Susz, festival director, said the event aims to make the television industry accessible to a wider audience while encouraging discussion of its future.
"The Jerusalem Media Initiative invites the public to Jerusalem for a celebration of the art of television: screenings, talks and special events that look at where TV goes next," they said.
The festival will take place November 17-19 at the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem. Tickets and additional information are available on the Jerusalem Sessions website.