About The Festival

The Haifa International Film Festival is Israel’s first and biggest festival. The festival was established in 1983.

It has since evolved into a cinematic event with reputation and prestige in both the Israeli and international film industries.

The 39th festival will take place between September 28 and October 7, 2023.

Over the course of ten days, the films are screened in five theatres from morning to midnight.

Around 80,000 people attend the in hall screenings, with many more enjoying outdoor activities and open screenings.

The festival's artistic programme is chosen through a rigorous curatorial process with an emphasis on quality, diversity, and pluralism.

The vast majority of the films are award winning films from the leading world film festivals.

The Haifa IFF makes its home in Haifa, a city that has become a symbol of co-existence, tolerance and peace, ideals that the Haifa Festival wholeheartedly promotes.