The 19th edition of the Spirit Film Festival will take place from November 12 – 15, 2025 at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque. The festival features both narrative and documentary films that inspire and educate, fostering healing, resilience, and compassion. Among the themes to be explored are body-mind science, nutrition, spiritual paths, wellness, self-discovery, and sustainable living. Acutely aware of the trauma and loss experienced by so many in Israel over the past two years, several films have been selected that deal with these issues, some accompanied by lectures that discuss tools such as mindfulness, nature healing, and other resources. The full program, tickets, and additional information may be found on the festival website.
Opening the festival will be Valley of Shadows, directed by Salvador Calvo. Quique, Clara and their son Lucas go on vacation in northern India. During a stormy night, a dramatic incident separates them and Quique is rescued injurly and taken to an isolated village in the foothills of the Himalayas. There, faced with unimaginable beauty, Quique begins a recovery process that becomes an inner journey of self-discovery and redemption.
International Films at the Festival
Looking Up, directed by Elena Neuma, will premiere at the festival. The documentary tells the story of Eitan Armon, who is battling progressive blindness from Retinitis Pigmentosa, a rare genetic condition. Diagnosed while serving, ironically, as a sharpshooter in an IDF paratrooper unit, Eitan refuses to let his 95% vision loss define him. Determined to live boldly, he sets out to climb El Capitan, one of the world’s most challenging granite walls.
Rescued Hearts, directed by Krisanna Sexton, investigates the special connection between people and horses, revealing how these encounters and interactions with horses have the potential to open hearts, enable healing, and change lives.
The Heart Revolution, directed by Benedikt Just, is a poetic documentary that presents scientific research on the connection between the brain and the heart. Revealing the heart’s role in forming connections, intelligence, and healing.
Mola: A Tibetan Tale of Love and Loss, directed by Yangzom Brauen and Martin Brauen, tells the story of Kunsang Wangmo, known as “Mola” to her family, a Tibetan nun exiled from her homeland in 1959 to escape the Chinese occupation. Now 100 years old, and after living with her daughter Sonam in Switzerland for the past 45 years, she decides her last wish is to die in Tibet.
Fools’ Paradise (lost?), directed by Alexandra Lexton, is a film that asks – how can we heal ourselves through connecting to nature? The film is a love letter to the wild, with experiences recounted by writers, filmmakers, artists, environmentalists, adventurers, therapists, and political activists.
Israeli Films at the Festival
Field of Forgiveness, directed by Tsipi Raz, follows 8 people recovering or with cancer or fibromyalgia, who enter an intensive program at the first integrative hospital in Israel. Theirs is an inner journey, based on the belief that healing the soul can help heal the body. The screening will be followed by a talk with the film’s director.
Song of the Sirens, directed by Shirly Naveh, unravels the threads of silence that have been woven around women since the dawn of history. This is a film that delves into the DNA of patriarchal culture and reveals how the female voice is suppressed – not only from the outside, but also from within.
Bees for Peace, directed by Ran Levy-Yammori, is an intimate documentary that follows Yossi Aud, whose healing journey from cancer led to an unexpected calling: protecting bees and inspiring a cross-cultural movement. In rural corners of Israel, women from Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Druze, and Bedouin communities come together to learn biodynamic beekeeping. Their training not only helps preserve fragile bee populations but also empowers them with practical skills and economic independence.
*Information on the films was provided by the festival.
