60 minutes | Accompanied by a presentation | Required equipment: projector, screen, sound system, microphone or Madonna headset
Since October 7th, Ben Shani has been documenting the stories of Israelis whose lives were forever changed on that fateful day. His reports, aired weekly on the most acclaimed newsmagazines shows in Israel, bring the war and its heroes into every home in Israel.
In his compelling lecture, Ben Shani shares their stories. He recounts his experiences, rushing to film when nothing was yet clear, and the subsequent encounters with those who lived through the horrors. The nurse from Kibbutz Be'eri, the security coordinator who saved Nir Am, young Avigail and her brother whose parents were murdered, the Soroka Hospital nurse that was kidnapped to Gaza and took care of the hostages – these are just a few of the heroes whose stories Ben has broadcasted. His presentation features powerful clips from these reports and films.
Ben Shani is a renowned journalist for "Uvda," as well as a director and host of television programs and documentary films. He has a unique talent for capturing the most influential and fascinating personalities in Israel. His notable works include the first interview with Shira Isakov, documenting Yair Lapid's transition into politics, revealing Ron Arad's captivity diaries, and the film "The Last Chance High School."
In his lecture "7.10 Unveiling the Human Spirit Through the Lens" Ben interweaves clips from various films, directed by him and others, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the work of a television journalist. This journey is often as captivating as the films themselves, providing audiences with a rare glimpse into the art of storytelling in times of crisis and beyond.
Ben Shani's lecture offers Jewish communities worldwide a unique opportunity to connect with Israel's current reality through the lens of a master storyteller and documentarian. His insights and firsthand accounts provide a powerful, emotional, and educational experience that bridges the gap, between Israeli society and Jewish communities abroad, during these challenging times.
Ben Shani is a documentary filmmaker and an Israeli journalist, member of the editorial staff of the most widely watched current affairs tv program in Israel UVDA (Hebrew for Fact). Married to Keren, and father to Uri Yonatan and Shiri.
2005 – Winner of the Sokolov Prize for electronic journalism for the television investigation that exposed the victims of the Remedia affair in the film created by Remedia's children.
2018 – Winner of the Israel Academy of Cinema and Television award for best director, and for the best documentary series for the series he created – The Kirschenbaum Diaries.
Winner of the Documentary Forum awards for the film about Shira Isakov, and for the film – Marcel and I, which he directed together with Tami Arad.
In 2020 – his first film Lullaby for the Valley was screened at the Dokaviv Festival.
In 2010 – the documentary film created by the Last Chance High School won the silver medal at the New York Film Festival. The film he created with Tami Arad – Marcel and Vani won the Documentary Creators Forum Award for 2019
Ben Shani is Winner of the Israel Academy Award for Best Filmmaker and a Sokolov Prize winner, the most prestigious journalistic award in Israel.