Israel’s culture and sports minister, Miki Zohar, has criticised the Oscar win for “No Other Land”, calling it a “sad moment for the world of cinema.” The documentary, created by a Palestinian-Israeli collective, won Best Documentary Feature at the 2025 Academy Awards. 

In a post on X, Zohar accused the filmmakers of distorting Israel’s image instead of portraying the country’s complexities, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

He stated that while freedom of expression is important, using Israel’s defamation for global recognition is not art but an attack on the state. His remarks referenced the ongoing war and the October 7 attack. 

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No Other Land documents the destruction of Masafer Yatta, an area in the occupied West Bank, by Israeli forces. It also highlights the bond between Palestinian journalist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, who co-directed the film.

The documentary has already won multiple awards, including from the International Documentary Association and the Spirit Awards. 

At the Oscars, “No Other Land” triumphed over “Black Box Diaries”, “Porcelain War”, “Soundtrack to a Coup d’État”, and “Sugarcane”. However, the film has yet to secure US distribution. 

Zohar defended Israel’s recent reform in state-funded cinema, asserting that taxpayer money should support films resonating with Israeli audiences rather than productions that, in his view, damage Israel’s global reputation.