Moshe Rosenthal's "Tell Me Everything" is consolidating its position as a prestige international title after sweeping Israel's Ophir Awards, the country's equivalent to the Academy Awards. The father-son drama claimed 10 prizes from a record 16 nominations, including best picture, best director, and best screenplay, cementing its status as Israel's official submission for the Best International Feature Oscar.
The film has already locked distribution deals across multiple territories. French distributor Maverick acquired rights to the market, while Moving Entertainment secured Australia and New Zealand. Paradise City Sales, the film's international sales agent, unveiled a new trailer as part of the push to build awareness among international buyers and festival programmers heading into the Oscar season.
Rosenthal directed what appears to be an intimate character study examining the relationship between a father and son. The Ophir sweep underscores the film's resonance within the Israeli film industry, where it emerged from robust competition. The 16 nominations signal the depth of the local film slate this year, suggesting a competitive domestic market even as Israeli cinema finds itself navigating global conversation around representation and international sentiment.
The international feature category remains one of the Academy Awards' most unpredictable races. Israel has a track record of Oscar submissions that break through to broader audiences and critical acclaim. Previous Israeli entries have included Ari Folman's animated "Waltz with Bashir" (2008), which earned a nomination, and Nadav Lapid's "Synonyms" (2019), which competed at Cannes and generated significant international festival buzz.
"Tell Me Everything" enters a crowded field for the 2025 Oscar race. The Best International Feature category typically receives over 80 submissions from countries worldwide, but only one can advance to the final ballot. Success requires a combination of critical validation, festival placement, and strategic distribution to ensure the film reaches Academy voters and builds the kind of word-of-mouth momentum that elevates one entry above competitors.
The territorial sales announced represent Paradise City Sales' aggressive campaign to position the film across English-language markets and beyond. France remains a key territory for awards consideration, given the French film industry's influence on international festival circuits and critics' groups that often presage Oscar voting patterns. Australia and New Zealand deals ensure the film reaches additional English-speaking audiences who consume international cinema through streaming and theatrical platforms.
For Paradise City Sales, securing these deals quickly demonstrates the agency's ability to capitalize on festival and awards success. The Ophir Awards serve as the first major validation milestone before a film enters the international awards season in earnest. Cannes, Berlin, or Venice placements often follow domestic awards recognition, and the trailer release suggests the film may appear on the fall festival circuit.
Rosenthal's filmmaking approach, centered on character and emotional specificity within a father-son framework, aligns with the types of intimate, nationally rooted dramas that gain traction in the international feature race. The film will face competition from established directors and narratives exploring family, identity, and generational conflict. Its Ophir dominance proves its appeal domestically, but translating that success to international audiences and Academy voters requires different marketing and positioning strategies. The sales announcements suggest confidence that the film's emotional core transcends cultural boundaries.