The Israeli Academy of Film and Television has chosen Shai Carmeli-Pollak’s anti-war drama, The Sea, as its submission for the 2026 Oscars in the best international feature category.

The film centers on a 12-year-old Palestinian boy named Khaled who embarks on a perilous journey to experience the sea in Tel Aviv for the first time. During a school trip, Khaled is denied passage at a military checkpoint. Undeterred, he sets out alone, despite his lack of knowledge of the route and inability to speak Hebrew.

The Sea debuted at the Jerusalem Film Festival and garnered 13 nominations, including best film, at the Israeli Film Awards, which are considered Israel’s equivalent to the