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The nation's culture minister has warned to eliminate funding for the national film awards after The Sea, a narrative about a 12-year-old Arab youth, won its top award.

The film, which follows a boy from the occupied Palestinian territories who dreams to travel to an Israeli city to see the ocean for the very first occasion, won best film at the Israeli Oscars.

“No deeper insult to Israeli citizens than the shameful and out-of-touch yearly film ceremony ceremony.”

As winner of the best film award at the Ophir awards, The Award-Winning Film is now the country's submission to the global cinema category at the upcoming Oscars.

Questions Over Funding Threat

Remains uncertain whether the minister has the authority to cut support for the awards, according to domestic news outlets.

Cast members of The Sea won additional major prizes at the event, including teenage the young actor who won the leading performer honor—the youngest ever recipient.

Plot Overview

In the film, the actor plays 12-year-old Khaled who is refused access to the country at an Israel Defense Forces security post during a class trip to the coastal city.

Khaled then enters secretly the nation and tries to reach the sea while his father, an unauthorized worker in the country, tries to find him.

“This film is about every child's right to exist peacefully, a fundamental entitlement we will not give up on.”

Government Reaction

However, in his remarks, the Culture Minister labeled the Ophir Awards as “shameful and detached”.

He added: “Under my watch, Israeli citizens won’t contribute financially for a event that spits in the faces of our heroic soldiers.”

Industry Response

Answering Zohar's statements, Assaf Amir stated: “As the never-ending conflict in Gaza exacts a heavy price in death and destruction, the ability to understand the 'different perspective'... offers small hope.”

Amir continued: “In the face of the Israeli government's criticism on Israeli cinema, and the calls from sectors of the international film community to boycott us, the choice of The Sea is a powerful and resounding answer.”

Wider Situation

This follows thousands of Hollywood industry professionals signed a pledge promising not to work with the country's cinematic bodies which are “involved in atrocities”.

Israel initiated its war in Gaza in response to the militant offensive on southern Israel on last October, in which approximately over a thousand individuals were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least sixty-five thousand individuals have been fatally injured in Israeli attacks since then, almost 50% of them women and children, as stated by Gaza's health ministry.

Recently, a UN commission of inquiry declared that Israel had carried out genocide against Palestinian people in the region.

The nation's diplomatic office rejected the findings and called it “distorted and false”.