‘Hollywood Reporter’ ranks Jerusalem's Sam Spiegel in 15 top film schools

For the seventh year in a row, the Sam Spiegel School of Film and Television in Jerusalem has made The Hollywood Reporter’s list of the 15 top global film schools.

It noted in the article that accompanied the ranking that Sam Spiegel is considered Israel’s top film school and that it has recently moved to a new campus in central Jerusalem, which provides a stimulating environment for its 180 students. It has also made use of the move to upgrade its facilities and has added state-of-the-art camera equipment, editing machines, sound stages, and a number of auditoriums, which screen films by graduates for the community. THR mentioned that Sam Spiegel has started a program to make it easier for Arabic speakers to study there.

Sam Spiegel film school: It also focuses on the small screen

Citing the impressive statistic that approximately 75% of its graduates are employed in the entertainment industry, the top entertainment industry magazine wrote that Spiegel has broadened its focus to the small screen in recent years. Supported by Netflix and Paramount, its Series Lab initiative pairs Israeli creators with international television professionals to develop series that will appeal to viewers around the world. The last session of the Lab took place last year in Los Angeles, with participants working with US professionals, and concluded with an awards ceremony that drew guests that included Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos. 

The school also runs the Sam Spiegel International Film Lab, which works with filmmakers from Israel and around the world who are the beginning of their careers. About 50 films that were developed in the lab have been made and have won prizes around the world, including an Oscar.

Dana Blankstein-Cohen, the director of Sam Spiegel, said, “It is a tremendous honor that the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School is internationally recognized and included among the best schools in the world.... The determination and valuable work of the Sam Spiegel community is an expression of excellence in filmmaking and all its members are committed to growing and bringing out the fascinating voices and new talents in the local and international film and television industry.”

Sam Spiegel was founded in 1989 by Renen Schorr, and the estate of the late Hollywood producer Sam Spiegel has been a major supporter.