A SAMSA FILM production awarded at the 75th Venice International Film Festival

Luxembourg production Tel Aviv on Fire won the Orizzonti Award for Best Actor awarded to Kais Nashi at the awards ceremony for the 75^e edition of the Mostra internazionale d'arte cinematografica di Venezia.

Tel Aviv on Firethe second feature film by Palestinian director Sameh Zoabi, was produced by Samsa Film (Bernard Michaux) and TS Productions (France) in co-production with Lama Films (Israel) and Artémis Productions (Belgium). The film is a majority Luxembourg production supported by the Film Fund Luxembourg.

Kais Nashif, a Palestinian actor, is best known for his role in the film "Paradise Now".

Shot mainly in the studio in Luxembourg (more than 70% of the filming took place on FILMLAND's Kehlen sets), the film boasts a large number of Luxembourg technicians, including: Solveig Harper (production manager), André Dziezuk (music), Christina Schaffer (head set designer), Magdalena Labuz (head costume designer), Jasmine Schmit (head make-up artist), Pia Dumont (sound editor), Laurence Rexter-Baker (assistant director), Patricia Peribañez (set photographer), Tiago Hof (stage manager), Eric Nicolas Smit (special effects), Marie Janezic (assistant set designer), Manu Demoulling (props), Ulrika Debatisse (location manager) and Aurore Scheidesch (production administrator).

This is Samsa Film's sixth feature film selected for the Mostra after A pornographic affair, Tango libre and Gilles' wifeall by Frédéric Fonteyne, An honest trader by Philippe Blasband and Nha Fala by Flora Gomes. It's also the third Venetian award after the Prize for Best Actress for Nathalie Baye in "Une liaison pornographique" by Frédéric Fonteyne in 1999 and the Orizzonti Special Jury Prize for Tango Libre in 2012.

It should also be noted that the INTERFILM jury for the 75^e Mostra de Venise has awarded its eighth Prize for the promotion of interreligious dialogue to the film Tel Aviv on Fire.

Press release by Samsa Film and Film Fund Luxembourg