Israeli Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar has announced that he will halt funding for the Ophir Awards after the film "The Sea" won the top prize. This film, about a Palestinian boy traveling to Tel Aviv, is also Oscar-qualified. Zohar criticized the film for portraying Israeli soldiers negatively. The ceremony was politically charged, with many anti-war messages. The Israel Film and Television Academy defended the film's selection, despite government pressure and international boycott calls.

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