Under Difficult Circumstances: SERET Celebrates 10 Years in Germany

This week, Jüdische Allgemeine published a powerful article about the challenges and significance of bringing Israeli cinema to Germany in 2025 — as the SERET Film Festival marks its 10th anniversary.

In a time when the visibility of Israeli culture across Europe has been shrinking, SERET continues to shine a light on stories from Israel — stories of family, conflict, resilience, and humanity. Festival director Odelia Haroush spoke candidly about the growing obstacles in organizing the festival this year: finding venues, securing funding, and facing increasing hesitation from cultural institutions afraid of political backlash.

Despite these challenges, the spirit of SERET remains unbroken. The festival’s opening film, Cabaret Total by Roy Assaf — who also stars and directs — will be presented in person in Berlin, at the Hackesche Höfe Kinos, from November 19–23. The film is a complex and emotional drama about a performer returning from military reserve duty, exploring identity and trauma through art and performance.

This year’s program reflects a recurring theme: family. Many of the featured films examine relationships between generations, love and loss, closeness and distance — stories that resonate beyond politics. As Haroush notes, “Of course, there are political layers in these films, but they are not at the center. These are films about life in Israel — about being human.”

SERET’s independence has always been its strength. With minimal government funding and shrinking cultural budgets, the festival continues thanks to private support, partnerships, and community engagement. Haroush emphasizes that what Israeli filmmakers need most right now is visibility: “That’s what they live for. That’s why they make films.”

As the article highlights, SERET has become more than just a festival — it’s a cultural platform that refuses to disappear. Born in London in 2010, it now brings Israeli cinema to audiences in Berlin, Amsterdam, Madrid, and Santiago de Chile. Even as boycotts and fear silence Israeli voices elsewhere, SERET persists — giving them the stage they deserve.

Join us in Berlin from November 19–23, 2025, and be part of this vital celebration of Israeli storytelling.

Jüdische Allgemeine article

Cabaret Total. photo by: Vered Adir