Dana Blankstein-Cohen (born March 3, 1981) is the executive director of the

Sam Spiegel Film and Television School The Sam Spiegel Film and Television School is a film and television school in Israel that was founded in 1989. It was renamed in honor of Sam Spiegel in 1996, with the support of the Sam Spiegel Estate. The school has been the subject of some 19 ...

. She was appointed by the board of directors in November 2019. Previously she was the CEO of the

Israeli Academy of Film and Television Israeli Academy of Film and Television is a non-profit organization working in the fields of film and television in Israel. History The Israeli Academy of Film and Television, founded in 1990, is the Israeli equivalent of the US-based Academy o ...

. She is a film director, and an

Israeli Israeli may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the State of Israel * Israelis, citizens or permanent residents of the State of Israel * Modern Hebrew, a language * ''Israeli'' (newspaper), published from 2006 to 2008 * Guni Israeli ...

culture entrepreneur.

Biography

Dana Blankstein was born in

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

in 1981 to theatre director Dedi Baron and Professor Alexander Blankstein. She moved to Israel in 1983 and grew up in

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...

. Blankstein graduated from the

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

in 2008 with high honors. During her studies she worked as a personal assistant to directors

Savi Gabizon Savi Gabizon ( he, שבי גביזון; born 23 July 1960) is an Israeli filmmaker, screenwriter and producer. Career Gabizon grew up in Kiryat Yam, near Haifa. In 1974 he enrolled in the Haifa military academy. After military service he enrol ...

on his film

Nina's Tragedies ''Nina's Tragedies'' ( he, האסונות של נינה) is a 2003 Israeli comedy-drama film about a boy Nadav and his aunt Nina. The film is shown from the perspective of Nadav and tells of his experiences regarding his aunt Nina and her loss, u ...

and to

Renen Schorr Renen Schorr (Hebrew: רנן שור; born Jerusalem, Israel, July 6th 1952) is a film director, screenwriter, film producer and Israeli film activist. In 1989, he founded Israel's first independent, national school for film and television, the Sam ...

on his film The Loners. She also directed and shot 'the making of' film on Gavison's film ''Lost and Found''. Her debut film ''Camping'' competed at the

Berlin International Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...

, 2007.

Film and academic career

After her studies, Dana founded and directed the film and television department at the

Kfar Saba Kfar Saba ( he, כְּפַר סָבָא), officially Kefar Sava, is a city in the Sharon region, of the Central District of Israel. In 2019 it had a population of 110,456, making it the 16th-largest city in Israel. The population of Kfar Saba i ...

municipality. The department encouraged and promoted productions filmed in the city of Kfar Saba, as well as the established cultural projects, and educational community activities. Blankstein directed the mini-series "''Tel Aviviot''" (2012). From 2016-2019 was the director of the

. In November 2019 Dana Blankstein Cohen was appointed the new director of the

where she also oversees the ''Sam Spiegel International Film Lab.'' In 2022, she spearheaded the launch of the ''new'' ''Series Lab'' and the ''film preparatory program for Arabic speakers in east Jerusalem''.

Filmography

*''Tel Aviviot'' (mini-series; director, 2012) *''Growing Pains'' (graduation film, Sam Spiegel; director and screenwriter, 2008) *''Camping'' (debut film, Sam Spiegel; director and screenwriter, 2006)

References

External links

15 Best International Film Schools Ranked 2022
The Hollywood Reporter, Alex Ritman, August 5, 2022
Sam Spiegel Film School Bows Series Lab With Netflix, ViacomCBS
- Variety, Elsa Keslassy, Feb 7, 2022
Despite coronavirus, Jerusalem Sam Spiegel Film School thrives
Israel Culture- The Jerusalem Post (jpost.com), Hannah Brown, JANUARY 27, 2021
Sam Spiegel Film School names new director
Israel News - The Jerusalem Post (jpost.com), Hannah Brown, August 14th 2019
Israel, Abu Dhabi funds and Sam Spiegel film school sign cooperation agreement
, News , Screen ,screendaily.com, 21 Sep. 2020
Israeli and UAE film bodies sign agreement, plan regional film festival
Israel News - Haaretz.com, Nirit Anderman, Sep. 21, 2020
Henry Winkler, Aleeza Chanowitz Star in 'Chanshi' for Israel's HOT
- Variety, Naman Ramachandran, Feb 28, 2022
Netflix CEO tells Israeli students he's looking for 'local stories
, The Times of Israel, JESSICA STEINBERG, 22 June 2022
Alex Camilleri’s ‘Zejtune’ leads Jerusalem Sam Spiegel, Pitch Point winners
, News , Screen (screendaily.com), BEN DALTON25 ,JULY 2022 {{DEFAULTSORT:Blankstein Cohen, Dana 1981 births Israeli women film directors Living people Film people from Tel Aviv