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// Workers AI · dad joke modeWho's Ziv Berkovich? A Israeli soccer star, why did he go to the doctor? He was feeling a little "offside

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ziv Berkovich
זיו ברקוביץ'
Born
Genia Berkovich

(1984-04-05) April 5, 1984 (age 42)
Kazakhstan, Soviet Union
CitizenshipIsraeli
EducationSam Spiegel Film and Television School
Occupations
  • Cinematographer
  • Screenwriter
Years active2008–present
Known forAbsentia (2017), Golden Voices (2019), Tell Me Everything (2026), and Monument (2026).
Awards

Ziv Berkovich (Hebrew: זיו ברקוביץ'; sometimes spelled Berkovitz; born Genia Berkovich, April 5, 1984) is an Israeli cinematographer and screenwriter.

He is a graduate of the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School, and an America-Israel Cultural Foundation scholar. His films include the Cannes Film Festival Cinéfondation winner Himnon (Anthem; 2008), NO-ONE (2018)–which won the Best Cinematography Award at the Vienna International Film Festival, and the comedy-drama feature film Golden Voices (2019)–which garnered the Best Script Award (which he shared) and the NETPAC Best Film Award at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. He has also received Ophir Award nominations for Best Cinematography for The Monkey House (2023) and Tell Me Everything (2026).

His most recent film is the 2026 American historical drama feature film Monument, which marked the return of director Bryan Singer. It stars Jon Voight and Joseph Mazzello, playing his character's son.

Early life

[edit]

Ziv Berkovich was born April 5, 1984, in Kazakhstan, then part of the Soviet Union, and is Jewish.[1][2] At age six, in 1990, he immigrated with his family to Israel during the wave of post-Soviet aliyah.[2]

In Israel, he grew up in Kfar Saba. He graduated with honors from the film program at Rabin High School in Kfar Saba.[3] He then graduated in 2008 from the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School in Jerusalem.[4] He received an America-Israel Cultural Foundation scholarship during his studies at the school.[5][6][7][8][9][10]

Career

[edit]

Film

[edit]

2008–19

[edit]

Berkovich began his filmmaking career working on short films while studying at the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School.[11] Among his early student cinematography credits was the short drama Himnon (Anthem; המנון, 2008), which won First Prize in the Cinéfondation competition at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.[5][12][13] He returned to the Cannes Film Festival twice more for the shorts Diploma (2009; winning third prize in the Cinéfondation competition in 2009) and Babaga (2012).[12][13]

During his studies, Berkovich also photographed his first full-length feature film, the indie drama Good Boys (Yeladim Tovim; ילדים טובים, 2005), which earned him the Best Cinematography Award at the 2005 Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.[11][14] Following his graduation, his early feature cinematography expanded into Israeli cinema, including the indie dark comedy-drama Not in Tel Aviv (2012), which premiered at the 2012 Locarno Film Festival,[13] his cinematography work on Shira Geffen's feature film Self Made (Boreg), which held its world premiere during the Critics' Week section at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, and the maritime drama Home Port (Nemal Bayit; נמל בית, 2016), directed by Erez Tadmor.[15][16][17][18]

For his work as the director of photography of the comedy-drama film The Women's Balcony (2016), critic Arthur Lazere highlighted Berkovich's framing of a key dramatic moment, writing that the characters' "vibrant determination finds expression in a silent sequence shot from above, as each leaves a building one at a time, opening a different-colored umbrella in the rain, resolute."[19][20][21]

In 2019, Berkovich both co-wrote and served as director of photography for the comedy-drama feature film Golden Voices (Hebrew title: Kolot Reka; קולות רקע), collaborating with director Evgeny Ruman.[15][22][23] The narrative follows an elderly married couple who were celebrated as the preeminent Soviet film voiceover dubbing artists before they immigrated to Israel in 1990 during the collapse of the Soviet Union, only to find that there was no professional demand for Russian-language voice acting in their new home.[24] The film was praised for its tonal balance of bittersweet comedy and narrative depth.[25][26] Brad Gullickson of Elements of Madness commended the film's artistic execution, noting that the feature is "radiantly shot and beautifully performed."[27]

Their screenplay heavily mirrored the real-life background of both Berkovich and Ruman, who had immigrated to Israel as children from the former Soviet Union in 1990 and used their childhood memories of their parents' struggles to ground the film's script.[28][29] Berkovich and Ruman recorded a feature-length commentary track for the film's home video release detailing how the story mirrored their own immigration experiences.[27]

The international rollout of Golden Voices earned festival accolades, culminating at the 23rd Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia, where Berkovich and Ruman won the Best Script award and the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) Best Film prize.[5][30][31]

2020–present

[edit]

Reviewing The Monkey House (2023), for which he was the cinematographer, Hannah Brown of The Jerusalem Post praised his visual contribution to the film, noting that "the cinematography by Ziv Berkovich emphasizes the contrast between shadows and brightness that is at the heart of the story."[32]

In 2026, Berkovich served as the director of photography for the Israeli-French period drama feature film Tell Me Everything (Hebrew title: Independence; עצמאות), directed by Moshe Rosenthal.[33][34][13][35] Set in Tel Aviv during the HIV pandemic in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the movie explores the toll of the crisis on a generation of young Israelis.[36] To capture the aesthetic of the era on a limited 18-day shooting schedule, Berkovich designed a soft-focus, desaturated pastel color palette paired with vintage-tuned Angénieux Optimo Prime cinema lenses to create a visual style aimed at evoking a shared emotional memory rather than a harsh, hyper-realistic historical recreation.[13] The film had its world premiere in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the Sundance Film Festival.[34][37] Film critics lauded Berkovich's sensitive portraiture, atmospheric lighting, and the movie's blend of period aesthetics.[38][39][40] The film won ten Ophir Awards, with Berkovich receiving the award for Best Cinematography.[41]

Also in 2026, Berkovich served as the director of photography for the American historical drama feature film Monument, which marked the return of director Bryan Singer.[42][43] Based on true events from 1999, the narrative follows real-life Israeli architect Yaakov Rechter (played by Jon Voight) and his idealistic son Amnon (played by Joseph Mazzello) as they are commissioned by diplomat Uri Lubrani (played by Alon Aboutboul) to design a monument in Lebanon honoring the fallen soldiers of the South Lebanon Army.[44][43] Berkovich's cinematography was noted for capturing the harsh, escalating tensions surrounding the monument's construction—culminating in the structure's eventual demolition by Hezbollah militants just 36 hours after its completion.[45]

Television

[edit]

Berkovich also transitioned into television, shooting episodes for series across both global streaming platforms and domestic networks.[5] His international credits include serving as a cinematographer on the third season of the American thriller drama series Absentia starring Stana Katic, which was distributed globally by Amazon Prime Video.[46][47] He also was the cinematographer on the Netflix supernatural thriller series Cracow Monsters (originally produced under the working title Axis Mundi in Poland).[48] Domestically, Berkovich photographed the psychological drama series Very Important Person starring Yehuda Levi.[49] His work on the series resulted in consecutive nominations for Best Cinematography in a Drama Series at the Israeli Television Academy Awards.[50]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
YearTitleRoleNotes
2005Good BoysCinematographerShort film
2008HimnonCinematographerShort film
2009DiplomaCinematographerShort film
2014Self MadeCinematographerFeature film
2016The Women's BalconyCinematographerFeature film
2016Home PortCinematographerFeature film
2018NO-ONECinematographerFeature film
2019Golden VoicesCinematographer, Co-writerFeature film
2023The Monkey HouseCinematographerFeature film
2026Tell Me EverythingCinematographerFeature film
2026MonumentCinematographerFeature film

Television

[edit]
YearTitleRoleNotes
2014Very Important PersonCo-creator, cinematographerSeason 1
2017AbsentiaCinematographerSeason 1
2021EmbezzlementCinematographerMiniseries
2022Cracow MonstersCinematographerSeason 1
2022ChanshiCinematographerSeason 1
2023SovietzkaCinematographerSeason 1; Hebrew title: סובייצקא
2025MotherlandCinematographerMiniseries; Hebrew title: Migrash HaRusim (מגרש הרוסים)
2026HaMitmahehCinematographerDrama series

Awards and nominations

[edit]

Berkovich's cinematography and screenwriting work have been recognized at both domestic and international film festivals.

Year Award / Festival Category Work Result Ref.
2005 Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival Best Cinematography Good Boys (Yeladim Tovim) Won [11]
2008 Cannes Film Festival Cinéfondation (First Prize) Himnon (Anthem) Won [11]
Cinéfondation (Third Prize) Diploma Won [11]
2016 Haifa International Film Festival Best Cinematography Home Port Won [51]
2018 Vienna International Film Festival Best Cinematography NO-ONE Won [52]
2019 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival Best Script (shared with Evgeny Ruman) Golden Voices Won [53]
NETPAC Best Film Won [5]
2023 Ophir Awards Best Cinematography The Monkey House Nominated [54]
2026 Ophir Awards Best Cinematography Tell Me Everything Won [41]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "זיו ברקוביץ'" [Ziv Berkovich]. jsfs.co.il (in Hebrew). Sam Spiegel Film and Television School.
  2. 1 2 Harvey, Dennis (October 29, 2021). "'Golden Voices': Expats Put Their Vocal Talents to Unexpected Use in Rueful Israeli Comedy". Variety. Retrieved August 23, 2026.
  3. ↑ Mara (October 26, 2019). "מארה"ב לישראל וחזרה - זיו ברקוביץ, צלם, בראיון" [From the USA to Israel and Back - Ziv Berkovich, Photographer, Interview]. Taasiya.co.il (in Hebrew).
  4. ↑ "Graduates Gallery". Sam Spiegel Film and Television School.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Nathan, Tal (2021). "Ziv Berkovich". Tal Nathan Agency.
  6. ↑ "בוגרי סם שפיגל כובשים את המסך" [Sam Spiegel Graduates Conquer the Screen]. Haaretz (in Hebrew).
  7. ↑ "מלגות קרן התרבות אמריקה-ישראל הוענקו לקולנוענים צעירים" [America-Israel Cultural Foundation Scholarships Awarded to Young Filmmakers]. Ynet (in Hebrew).
  8. ↑ Mara (October 26, 2019). "מארה"ב לישראל וחזרה - זיו ברקוביץ, צלם, בראיון". Taasiya (in Hebrew).
  9. ↑ "זיו ברקוביץ'". Sam Spiegel Film and Television School (in Hebrew).
  10. ↑ Mara (October 26, 2019). "מארה"ב לישראל וחזרה - זיו ברקוביץ, צלם, בראיון". Taasiya (in Hebrew).
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 "זיו ברקוביץ'". jsfs.co.il (in Hebrew). Sam Spiegel Film and Television School.
  12. 1 2 "Ziv Berkovich". festival-cannes.com. Cannes Film Festival.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 Berkovich, Ziv (March 27, 2026). "Ziv Berkovich capturing the Texture of Memory in "Tell Me Everything"". angenieux.com.
  14. ↑ "זיו ברקוביץ'" [Ziv Berkovich Profile]. jsfs.co.il (in Hebrew). Sam Spiegel Film and Television School. פרס הצילום בפסטיבל טמפה פלורידה על "ילדים טובים"
  15. 1 2 Go2Films (2019). "Golden Voices". go2films.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  16. ↑ Foundas, Scott (August 26, 2014). "Film Review: 'Self Made'". Variety. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  17. ↑ Mintzer, Jordan (May 16, 2014). "'Self Made' ('Boreg'): Cannes Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  18. ↑ "זיו ברקוביץ". cinemaofisrael.co.il (in Hebrew). Israeli Cinema File.
  19. ↑ Lazere, Arthur (June 4, 2017). "The Women's Balcony". CultureVulture.
  20. ↑ Leydon, Joe (October 26, 2016). "Film Review: 'The Women's Balcony'". Variety.
  21. ↑ Scheck, Frank (March 6, 2017). "'The Women's Balcony': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter.
  22. ↑ "קולות רקע". filmfund.org.il (in Hebrew). Israel Film Fund.
  23. ↑ "קולות רקע". haifaff.co.il (in Hebrew). Haifa International Film Festival.
  24. ↑ "'Golden Voices': Russian Expats in Israel Put Their Vocal Talents to Unexpected Use". Variety. October 29, 2021.
  25. ↑ Saveliev, Alex (November 3, 2021). "Golden Voices". Film Threat. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  26. ↑ "Golden Voices Reviews". Metacritic.
  27. 1 2 Gullickson, Brad (February 21, 2022). "Dramedy 'Golden Voices' is a Sweet Tale of Identity and the Power of the Human Voice".
  28. ↑ "הסרט "קולות רקע": "צריך להשלים עם העבר ולומר לו שלום"". N12 Mako (in Hebrew). May 12, 2022.
  29. ↑ "Film Review: Golden Voices". DMovies. November 24, 2019.
  30. ↑ Kemp, Stuart (December 1, 2019). "Japan's 'Kontora' is awarded best film at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival". Screen International.
  31. ↑ "Big wins for Israeli movies in Europe, Asia and U.S." The Jerusalem Post. December 3, 2019.
  32. ↑ Brown, Hannah (September 28, 2023). "Avi Nesher's 'The Monkey House' is a delightful puzzle". The Jerusalem Post.
  33. ↑ Barraclough, Leo (December 17, 2025). "Moshe Rosenthal's Tell Me Everything Boarded by Paradise City Sales". Variety. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  34. 1 2 Sundance Institute (January 2026). "Tell Me Everything". Sundance Film Festival.
  35. ↑ Lemercier, Fabien (June 19, 2024). "Moshe Rosenthal's Tell Me Everything is in post-production". Cineuropa.
  36. ↑ "Sundance Film Festival 2026: Tell Me Everything". sundance.org. Sundance Institute. December 2025.
  37. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 10, 2025). "Sundance Film Festival 2026 World Cinema & Documentary Lineups Announced". Deadline Hollywood.
  38. ↑ Debruge, Peter (January 24, 2026). "'Tell Me Everything' Review: Moshe Rosenthal's Sensitive Period Drama Captures a Generation". Variety.
  39. ↑ Frosch, Jon (January 25, 2026). "'Tell Me Everything' Sundance Review: A Moving, Visually Stunning Portrait of 90s Israel". The Hollywood Reporter.
  40. ↑ Connelly, Irene Katz (January 25, 2026). "At Sundance, the AIDS crisis through the eyes of a bar mitzvah boy". The Forward.
  41. 1 2 שלו, גיל משעלי, אלעד (September 9, 2026). "הזוכה הגדול בפרסי אופיר: הסרט "עצמאות" הוא נציג ישראל לאוסקר". mako (in Hebrew). Retrieved October 3, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  42. ↑ Schleier, Curt (March 19, 2026). "A monument to what?". New Jersey Jewish News.
  43. 1 2 "אחרי שהואשם בניצול מיני ועשה "עלייה" - צפינו בסרט של בריאן סינגר" [After being accused of sexual abuse and making "Aliyah" - we watched Bryan Singer's film]. Ynet (in Hebrew). March 22, 2026.
  44. ↑ "Israeli architects honor Lebanese soldiers in new feature film 'Monument'". The Jerusalem Post. March 22, 2026.
  45. ↑ "A monument to what?". The Jewish Standard. March 19, 2026.
  46. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (September 26, 2019). "Stana Katic Series 'Absentia' Officially Renewed For Season 3 By Amazon". Deadline Hollywood.
  47. ↑ "Absentia Staffel 3, Folge 6: In Quo Ego Vado Vos". fernsehserien.de (in German).
  48. ↑ "Cracow Monsters, TV Series, 2021–2022". Crew-United.com. Crew United.
  49. ↑ "זיו ברקוביץ'" [Ziv Berkovich Profile]. jsfs.co.il (in Hebrew). Sam Spiegel Film and Television School.
  50. ↑ ""בשבילה גיבורים עפים" ו"על הספקטרום" מובילות במספר המועמדויות" ["When Heroes Fly" and "On the Spectrum" Lead TV Award Nominations]. Walla! (in Hebrew). January 30, 2019.
  51. ↑ "Cinematography prize went to Ziv Berkovich for Home Port". Screen International via IMDb.
  52. ↑ Berkovich, Ziv (February 9, 2025). "הצלם זיו ברקוביץ על עבודת הצילום בסרט" [Cinematographer Ziv Berkovich on the photography work in the film]. Taasiya.co.il (in Hebrew).
  53. ↑ Kemp, Stuart (December 1, 2019). "Japan's 'Kontora' is awarded best film at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival". Screen International.
  54. ↑ "Awards of the Israeli Film Academy (2023)". IMDb.
[edit]
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