Jerusalem's Sam Spiegel School Grand Opening (photo essay)

By BJLIfe/Sharon Altshul
Posted on 10/27/22

Jerusalem, Israel - Oct. 27, 2022 - The Sam Spiegel Film & Television School red-carpet and ribbon-cutting grand opening day began with Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion speaking and attaching the mezuzah at the front door on Thursday morning, October 27, 2022. The building is part of the Jerusalem complex started under former Mayor Nir Barkat to consolidate cultural institutions in one area off of Bezalel Street near the old Gerard Behar Center. The area includes a new parking garage off Menorah Street.

The Sam Spiegel Film & Television School was founded as a joint venture between the Ministry of Education & Culture and the Jerusalem Foundation in 1989 and was originally called the Jerusalem National Film & Television School. It was rededicated as the Sam Spiegel Film & Television School after Hollywood producer Sam Spiegel bequeathed a substantial portion of his estate to the city of Jerusalem. The royalties from Spiegel’s films, including The African Queen, On the Waterfront, and Lawrence of Arabia have supported the school. His son Adam Spiegel participated in the opening program, as did other Spiegel relatives who arrived in Israel for the occasion.

The school provides practical training in multiple facets of cinematic production: producing, directing, scriptwriting, cinematography, and editing. Over the years, the school has gained international recognition as one of the best in the field, with a rating in the top 15 in the world this year. Films have represented Israel at dozens of important international festivals over the years.

The new building, designed by Kovalsky Architects, includes, among other things, an innovative screening complex with three cinema halls: a 120-seat large hall, an 80-seat medium hall, and a small hall of 40 seats. The halls are to be used by the students, but will also be open to the general public, for future programs, screenings, lectures, and conferences.

The facility rises over 7 floors and provides a computerized sound studio for designing soundtracks for films, a digital library, a film editing department that includes 25 editing rooms, an amphitheater on the roof containing about 90 seats for open-air screenings and performances, a student club, a bar, and garden with seating and rest areas for students, comfortable and spacious learning spaces with advanced projection and sound systems, plus panoramic views of Jerusalem.

Dana Blankstein-Cohen, director of the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School stated before the ribbon cutting: "The move to permanent residence in Jerusalem is a very significant moment in the history of Sam Spiegel. The new campus allows us to develop and deepen our activities and continue to be a central and significant school in the film and television industry in Israel. It is a great privilege for the school to be a significant part of the vision of the city of Jerusalem which recognizes the importance of culture and creates opportunities for young creators to dream and fulfill. Along with the great privilege, there is also an obligation to combine excellence with deep social responsibility, to always strive to be a leading and inclusive institution that gives space, strengthens and nurtures the variety of different and unique voices of this city."

Day-long events include a farewell for school founder Ronnen Schorr, panel discussions, and a notepad gift with student images as the cover. One young man thought his picture on the cover of a notepad would be a perfect gift for his grandmother.

The photo essay includes a student lounge, one theater, an equipment room, a library, and an example of the view of Jerusalem which gets more impressive as one goes up to the roof, as well as the opening ceremony.