Israel Film Festival Launches 31st Season in Los Angeles

The Los Angeles based Israel Film Festival, the largest showcase of Israeli films in the U.S., is launching its 31st edition by hosting an awards luncheon honoring CAA's Adam Berkowitz, award-winning producer David Shore and real estate developer/philanthropist Max Webb, it was announced by Festival Founder and Executive Director Meir Fenigstein. Berkowitz, the co-head of the television department at Creative Artists Agency, has been named the 2017 IFF Career Achievement Award recipient. Writer/producer Shore will receive the 2017 IFF Visionary Award, and Max Webb, the founder of Shapell Properties, will collect the 2017 IFF Lifetime Achievement Award. The gala luncheon will take place on Thursday, March 16 at the Four Seasons Hotel, with Elon Gold serving as Master of Ceremonies.

Berkowitz is co-head of the television department at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), where he works with many of the world's leading television producers, writers and directors. Berkowitz has been instrumental in packaging and selling numerous television programs, including Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, Arrested Development, Two and a Half Men, Masters of Sex, True Detective, Justified, Rescue Me, Big Love and Netflix's House of Cards, amongst others. Additionally, he sold the first Israeli series ever to Netflix, The Greenhouse, as well as the critically acclaimed Israeli series Fauda. Berkowitz also represents many of Israel's leading production companies, writers, directors and actors. Prior to joining CAA in 1997, Berkowitz was an Agent at the William Morris agency. He currently serves on the board of the Hollywood Radio & Television Society and is chairman of the entertainment division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles.

Shore created what was at one point the world's most watched television program, House. The first-season episode "Three Stories" won him a Peabody, a Humanitas Prize and the 2005 Emmy® Award for Outstanding Writing. Since then, David co-created Battle Creek for CBS and Sneaky Pete for Amazon, and served as an executive producer of Houdini and Doyle, which aired on Fox in 2016. David has served as a director of the Writers Guild of America, West; the Writers Guild Foundation; the Humanitas International Foundation; and the International Board of Israel based Save a Child's Heart, an organization that saves children throughout the world who have congenital heart defects.

Webb, who just celebrated his 100th birthday this month, was born on March 2, 1917 in Lodz, Poland, one of seven children to Avraham and Sheva Weisbrot. During the war, Max survived twelve labor camps and six concentration camps, including Auschwitz Birkenau, where in 1943 he met Nathan Shapell, with whom he developed a lifelong friendship and partnership. Max, along with his brothers-in-law Nathan and David Shapell, founded Shapell Industries in 1955. For over 60 years they have provided thousands of homes throughout California as well as commercial areas. Having survived the nightmare of the camps is a constant reminder that his life was given back to him as a miracle from G-d. Following liberation Max promised to do whatever he could to help those less fortunate and to rebuild the Jewish people. As a great humanitarian, he has kept that commitment over the years by giving generously of his time and money to numerous worthwhile causes and organizations.

For over 30 years, the Festival has presented nearly 1,000 feature films, documentaries, television dramas and short films to close to million filmgoers and brought hundreds of Israeli filmmakers to the U.S. to share their art. The Israel Film Festival is produced by IsraFest Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization created in 1982. Among the Sponsors of the 31st Israel Film Festival are long-time partners Millennium Films, Rabinovich Foundation, New Regency Productions, Adelson Family Foundation, Israel Film Fund, The Hollywood Reporter, Eclipse, Variety, IAC (Israeli American Council), Israel Consulate in Los Angeles, Maurice Marciano Family Foundation, Diane & Guilford Glazer Foundation, Izek & Aline Shomof, IDB Bank, Four Seasons Hotel, The Orlando Hotel, Clear Channel, joined by Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Netflix, Showtime and Lionsgate.

www.israelfilmfestival.com * 310-247-1800/213-948-8800 * info@israelfilmfestival.org

©2017 The Israel Film Festival is a presentation of the IsraFest Foundation, Inc. a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to spotlighting Israel's thriving film and television industry and to enrich the American experience of Israel's social and cultural diversity. All contributions are tax-deductible to full extent allowed by law.

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