The thirty-seventh Israel Film Festival began in Los Angeles with a sold-out gala event. Festival founder Meir Fenigstein welcomed attendees as the festival kicked off its program, which will run until February nineteenth. Actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish honored producer Lawrence Bender with the Visionary Award, while filmmaker Eran Riklis received the Cinematic Achievement Award, presented by producer Ram Bergman. The evening celebrated notable achievements in film and brought together prominent figures from the industry.