Globe Film

Overview

Globe Film is a Tel Aviv-based film distribution company founded in 1966. The company has been releasing major international studio titles and quality arthouse films theatrically across Israel for nearly 60 years, holding output deal relationships with several international studios alongside its independent acquisitions activity. Globe Film places films in multiplex chains and arthouse venues across the country, making it one of Israel's longest-established theatrical distributors.

Israel's theatrical market serves a population of approximately 9.7 million people. In 2024, the Israeli box office totaled ILS 402.3 million (approximately $110 million USD) with 12.2 million admissions, according to UNIC cinema data. National films held a 9.7% market share. The market is concentrated in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and Beersheba, with cinema attendance per capita higher than most Middle Eastern markets and comparable to several European territories.

The Israeli Distribution Landscape

Israel's theatrical distribution sector is dominated by a handful of companies with distinct studio output deals and independent acquisition strategies. Forum Film (owned by Israel Theaters Group) distributes Disney, Sony, and MGM titles in Israel and operates across Central and Eastern Europe. Tulip Entertainment holds the Warner Bros., Universal, and Paramount accounts. Lev Cinemas distributes approximately 30 films per year through its network of nine theaters, focusing on international arthouse and prestige titles. United King Distribution, led by Moshe Edery, handles Israeli and international commercial cinema, and partners with FilmHouse for independent animation releases.

Globe Film's position in this landscape is as a long-standing independent distributor with studio output deal relationships that give it consistent access to major international theatrical releases. This commercial base allows the company to acquire arthouse and independent titles that a pure specialty distributor would find harder to sustain. The company manages the full release pipeline from theatrical through home entertainment and digital platforms for its acquisitions.

Distribution Model

Globe Film distributes theatrically across Israel through partnerships with multiplex chains and independent cinemas. Israel's exhibition sector includes multiplex operators like Globus Max (owned by Yoram Globus, operating numerous theaters nationwide) and Lev Cinemas (nine venues in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Herzliya, Ramat Aviv, and other cities), alongside smaller arthouse screens.

Israel's digital streaming market is served by international platforms including Netflix, Apple TV+, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video alongside local services. For theatrical distributors like Globe Film, the streaming era has compressed the theatrical window but not eliminated it: Israeli audiences still generate 12.2 million annual admissions, and theatrical release remains the primary revenue driver for distributor MGs and P&A recoupment.

Israeli Film Festivals and Acquisition Timing

Israel's film festival circuit includes the Jerusalem International Film Festival (JIFF, typically held in July), the Haifa International Film Festival (typically held in October), and the Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival. Globe Film's presence at these festivals gives it early access to Israeli and international films premiering in the country.

JIFF is the most significant industry event for Israeli distribution acquisitions. The festival's international programming draws Israeli distributors and international sales agents, making it the natural moment for Israeli rights negotiations on qualifying international films. For international filmmakers premiering at JIFF, Globe Film is one of the primary Israeli distribution contacts alongside Lev Cinemas and United King.

Israel as a Standalone Territory

Israel is typically handled as a standalone territory in international sales deals, not bundled into a broader Middle East package. The market's English-language fluency, European cultural orientation, and distinct censorship/classification system (the Israel Film Council rates films independently) make it a separate commercial territory from neighboring Arab markets.

For international sales agents, Israel is a small but reliable territory. MGs for Israeli rights typically range from $5,000 to $50,000 depending on the film's commercial profile, with higher MGs for films with strong festival buzz or Israeli co-production elements. P&A spend in Israel is modest by global standards: a platform release in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem might involve $10,000 to $30,000 in marketing spend, while a wider release across multiplex chains can reach $100,000 or more.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For international filmmakers seeking Israeli theatrical distribution, Globe Film is a contact alongside Forum Film (for studio-scale titles), Lev Cinemas (for arthouse), and United King (for commercial Israeli and international cinema). Films with Middle Eastern themes, European co-production connections, or strong commercial-and-arthouse crossover profiles tend to perform best in the Israeli market.

For Israeli co-productions and films with Israeli creative involvement, Globe Film's domestic infrastructure provides a distribution partner for the Israeli market component of the financing structure. Israeli co-production treaties exist with Canada, France, Germany, and other European countries, and the Israeli Film Fund provides production support that can be combined with distribution commitments.

Filmmakers should note that the Israeli theatrical market has proven resilient despite regional instability. The 2024 box office (ILS 402.3 million) represented only a 5.4% decline from 2023 (ILS 424.0 million), and admissions held at 12.2 million. The market's stability makes Israeli rights a reliable line in international sales projections.

See Also

For how Israeli and Middle Eastern theatrical distribution fits into international territory sales, see Distribution Deals Explained. For the Jerusalem International Film Festival's role in Israeli film culture and international acquisition, see the Film Festivals Directory. To model the revenue from Israeli theatrical distribution as part of a territory-by-territory release plan, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator.