Actress Gal Gadot and producer Lawrence Bender will be the special guests at this year’s Jerusalem Film Festival, which will open on schedule, from July 17 through July 26.

The July dates are the original schedule for the 42nd edition of the film festival, which will hold its opening night as usual at Jerusalem’s Sultan’s Pool arena with an audience of 6,000 viewers and guests.

Full details for the opening event, the screening times and ticket bookings are not yet available on the festival website.

“Despite the war that is still ongoing, the festival chooses to be a cultural beacon, reminding us of the power of art to heal and inspire hope,” stated the festival organizers in a press release. “We are currently working at full power and are excited to hold the festival on time and present the finest in Israeli and global cinema.”

Gal Gadot attends the 11th Breakthrough Prize ceremony at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, on April 5, 2025. (Michael Tran/AFP)

The festival will feature dozens of film premieres from around the world, showcasing the best films in Israeli cinema, as well as award-winning films that premiered at international festivals, including Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Sundance, Tribeca and others.