Maya Kenig

Maya Kenig is an Israeli film director, writer and actress. As a director, she is known for In the shade of the palm tree (2018), The Bentwich Syndrome (2015), Off-White Lies (2011) and Top of the world (2005). Her films were awarded in many festivals worldwide. As an editor, she is known for On the spectrum (TV Series, 2018), Uri and Ella (TV Series 2016), Up the wrong tree (Feature film 2012), Connected (TV Series 2009). These days she is writing a script for a feature film Milk which was selected for the Berlinale talent Market 2018 and it won the VFF Talent Highlight Award. As an actress she is known for Around trip (2018), You're Next (2016), A Strange course of events (2014) Up the Wrong Tree (2013), Petah Tiqva (2007).

On 2018 she made In the Shade of the Palm tree” - a 15-minute short that was part of a compilation Voice Over, curated by Renen Schorr.

These days she is writing a script for a feature film called Milk. The script was selected for the Berlinale talent Market 2018 and won the VFF Talent Highlight Award.

16th Annual Inside Out Toronto Film and Video Festival and many other festivals worldwide. The film My Mom, Documentary, 15 min.was broadcast on Channel 10

On 2015 Maya created with Gur The Bentwich syndrome a 1-hour Documentary which won the Best Documentary Prize at the Jewish Motifs International Film Festival.

Bali (2014), Shira (2014), Danny (2014), Malki (2014), Sivan (2014)

Tala (33), an offbeat musician who just gave birth to her first daughter, takes up a job at Milky Way, a dairy for mother's milk, where women sit in working-stations for their breasts to be pumped. The milk is distributed mainly to mothers who can't or don't want to breastfeed their babies but can afford fresh organic mother's milk – For nature knows best what's best for you. The need to earn a living and support her baby with no father in the picture has pushed Tala into this awkward job. Tala soon learns the house rules: 100% discretion, 1-year minimum commitment, 40-minute pumping sessions with 3-hour intervals, strict diet, no drinking, no drugs. The only consolation is the sisterhood woven between the women at the dairy – and of course the handsome paycheck. Everything would have worked out just fine if only Tala wasn't Tala- Even though she tries her best to accept her new role, her rebellious nature keeps pushing her to confrontations. A sneaky cigarette is detected in her blood tests and Tala is suspended from the factory. Upon hitching a ride home with the 'breast'-milkman, she accidentally meets the upper-class woman who receives her own milk, an encounter which leads her to a bumpy and surprising journey, in which she learns what it really means to be a mother.

Berlinale's Official Selection – Generation

Zlin FF Czech Republic – Miloš Macourek Award

Yerevan IFF Golden Apricot – Official Selection

Jerusalem IFF – Best Actor – Gur Bentwich

São Paulo IFF – International Perspective

Asian Pacific Screen Award – Best Children's film

Palm Springs IFF – New Voices / New Visions

Kiev Molodist FF – Israeli Week – Ukraine

Alongside her film making, Maya also Established herself as an editor, worked on many different projects, both documentary and fiction, among them: Connected (a documentary TV Series), up the wrong tree (a praised feature by Gur Bentwich), On the spectrum (recently premiered in Tribeca Film Festival and won best TV series at Cinemania, France), Etgar Keret- what animal are you? (2012) 1 hour Documentary by Gur Bentwich, Uri an Ella 2016 TV Series (sold for remake the American network CBS).

Off-White Lies (2011) is her first full-length feature film, it premiered at the Berlinale, and it was nominated for the Israeli academy awards in many categories, including for best film, script and directing. Gur Bentwich received the Best Actor award at the Jerusalem Film Festival 2011- for his role in the film.

Best Actor, Jerusalem Film Festival 2011- Gur Bentwich

Supported by The America-Israel Fund The 11th International Student Film Festival, Tel-Aviv

In 2006 she has made the film In utero along with her partner in life Gur Bentwich, which has also become her professional partner in many projects. The film was screened at the Jerusalem FF, broadcast on TV and won the prize for best film at KIN International women's film Festival.

On 2001 she studied filmmaking at The London Film School, where she made several shorts, One of them called Still water received a special mention note. After one year of studies there she went back to Israel and started studying at the Sam Spiegel film school in Jerusalem. Where she has made the film Top of the world screened in many festivals around the world, and My Mom a short documentary that was screened at the Docaviv FF and was broadcast on TV in Israel.

Kenig graduated with excellence the acclaimed art High school Alon and majored in literature and film. Her graduation film The Latchkey Kid (1997) won two prizes at the Jerusalem film Festival. In the army Maya served at a film unit, where she had the chance to practice filmmaking and specialized mainly on editing photographing and teaching.

Born in 1979 in Tel Aviv, Maya Kenig spent her early childhood in Germany. She came back to Israel with her family at 6 years old and later on as a teenager, began developing in films.