Israel Film and Television Directors Guild

Overview

The Israel Film and Television Directors Guild (Igud HaBamayot VeHaBamaim) is the professional association representing film and television directors working in Israel. Founded in 1975, the Guild is a registered non-profit organization that advocates for directors' creative rights, working conditions, and professional standards. The Guild does not hold collective bargaining agreements with producers in the manner of the DGA or IATSE. It operates through advocacy, professional development, standard agreement templates, and direct engagement with the Israel Film Fund and the Ministry of Culture and Sport.

The Guild's website is at directorsguild.org.il. It is distinct from the older URL directors.org.il, which is no longer the primary domain.

Membership: Requirements, Fees, and Benefits

Eligibility

To join the Guild, a director must meet one of two prerequisites:

1. Have directed at least one cinematic or television audiovisual work (fictional or documentary) of at least 10 minutes in length, which has been screened in movie theaters, at a film festival, or broadcast on television.
2. Have directed commercials, video clips, or online series with a cumulative length of at least 10 minutes, broadcast on television or streamed online (subject to authorization by the Guild's management team).

Applicants who do not meet either prerequisite may still apply. The Guild's management team reviews such applications in the candidate's absence and may approve membership at their discretion.

Fees

The Guild charges a monthly membership fee of 67 ILS (approximately $18 USD) for full membership. A discounted rate is available for members who also belong to another professional union or guild. The fee structure is straightforward compared to percentage-based dues models used by the DGA or WGA.

Benefits

Full membership includes:

• A personal creator page on the Guild website
• General professional consulting and support
• Access to the mentoring program
• Residency opportunities
• Access to open call information (Kolot Korim)
• Free initial legal consultation
• Free initial accounting consultation
• A specialized pension arrangement for directors
• Income tax spreading (Prisat Mas Hachnasa) for directors
• Free professional workshops and cultural events
• Membership card with fixed and rotating benefits (including discounted tickets at cinematheques)
• Monthly newsletter with industry information

The Guild also administers a code of conduct for the prevention of sexual harassment in the industry.

Israel Film Fund and Production Financing

The Israeli film industry is supported through two primary public funding bodies:

Israel Film Fund (IFF)

The Israel Film Fund, established under Israel's Cinema Law (2001), is the primary public funding body for Israeli feature films. It operates two production investment schemes:

Under the Main Scheme, the producer must raise at least NIS 1,000,000 from other sources (NIS 2,000,000 for international co-productions). Under the Debut Film Scheme, the Fund's investment must represent at least 40% of the film's budget if the investment is less than NIS 1,000,000.

To qualify as an "Israeli Feature Film" under the Cinema Law, a production must meet at least one of these criteria:

1. At least 50% of below-the-line costs must be spent in Israel, OR
2. At least 70% of the salary budget must go to Israeli crew and cast
3. Either the director or the screenwriter must be an Israeli citizen or permanent resident

Cinema Project (Rabinovich Foundation)

The Cinema Project, operating under the Rabinovich Foundation, invests approximately $7.7 million (NIS 29 million) annually in Israeli film and television production. Typical investments are approximately $528,000 (NIS 2 million) for a feature film and $53,000 (NIS 200,000) for a documentary.

Total Public Funding

Total public funding for film activities in Israel, including production, festivals, archives, and cinematheques, amounts to approximately $26 million per year. A tax incentive is available for Israeli investors in film production as an additional measure to encourage domestic investment.

Co-Production Framework

Israel has official co-production agreements with multiple countries. Between 2001 and 2023, Israel completed 105 co-productions with 25 countries, attracting more than $90 million in foreign investment. The leading co-production partners are:

When a co-production involves a country with an official agreement, the terms of that bilateral treaty override the standard Israeli content criteria listed above.

Israeli Television Formats and International Impact

Israeli television drama has generated significant international licensing revenue. Homeland (adapted from the Israeli series Prisoners of War), In Treatment (adapted from BeTipul), Fauda, Shtisel, and Your Honor are among the Israeli formats that have been remade or distributed internationally. Keshet Media Group and Dori Media are the primary companies driving format sales.

Directors working on original Israeli productions that become international formats face specific questions about creative credit and remuneration for the format adaptations. The Guild advocates for directors' interests in these negotiations, though Israel's labor framework does not provide the same level of residual structures as DGA or WGA agreements.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For International Co-Productions

Israel's co-production treaty network, the Israel Film Fund's openness to international co-productions, and the Cinema Project's investment capacity make Israel a viable co-production partner for European and North American producers. The 105 co-productions completed since 2001 demonstrate that the framework is well-tested. Israeli directors with strong English-language skills and international festival profiles are common co-production partners.

The Guild's standard agreement templates provide a reference point for director expectations on fees and creative rights, though they are not legally binding minimums in the way DGA rate cards are.

For Israeli Directors

Guild membership at 67 ILS/month provides access to free legal and accounting consultations, pension arrangements, and professional development programs. The Guild's mentoring program and residency opportunities are particularly relevant for emerging directors. The income tax spreading arrangement is a specific financial benefit that addresses the irregular income patterns typical of directing careers.

See Also

For the Israeli national film awards, see Ophir Awards in this directory. For the European directors federation that the Guild participates in, see FERA in this directory. For the official Guild website, visit directorsguild.org.il. For Israel Film Fund production guidelines, visit intl.filmfund.org.il. Use the Indie Film Budget Calculator to estimate how Israel Film Fund investments and co-production financing affect your production budget.