Khen Shalem
FSU Film School
Khen Shalem first discovered his attraction to film when he was a young boy living in Israel. A French film crew shot a film near the river of his kibbutz, the small village he grew up in; this is when the wonders of film caught his attention. Later, while in the army, Khen was able to manipulate the camera for the first time. “As a lieutenant, I independently shot with my unit about fifty hours of film depicting the soldiers’ routine, from training to actual battles and operational activity.” However, Khen received an injury which put an abrupt stop to his time in the army and, subsequently, his filming.
Later, Khen would put his cinematic ambitions on hold, as he received a B.S. in Extended Physics at Bar-Ilan University, and a M.S. in Applied Physics at the Weizmann Institute of Science. “The choice of studying physics was not intended as a future occupation, but as a profound need to better understand the laws of nature. Notwithstanding the intellectual assets gained by my studying and practicing science, I gradually came to the awareness that I wanted to further develop my interest in human feelings and artistic creation.” Ultimately Khen knew it was time to return to film. His creative desire, unlocked long ago in his kibbutz, would eventually reveal itself as his ultimate aspiration.
When Khen began the process of applying to Film Schools, he found the odds were with him. With his recent first place award for a one-shot film competition with the International Jerusalem Film Festival, he received many acceptance letters from some of the top schools in the country. However, Khen decided to take FSU’s offer and became the first Israeli to join the highly competitive two-year program here at Florida State’s Film School.
At Florida State, Khen has received recognition for his outstanding work with the Film School. In 2006, Khen received a student Emmy for his film, Abe, which is “a short drama that tells the story of a dog who struggles to survive after his owner past away.” He also serves as Graduate Assistant, and is a recipient of various scholarships and grants, such as the Florida-Israel Institute Scholarship. Here, at FSU, Khen has been able to fully realize his dream of becoming a film maker. “As an Israeli, I believe that only by exploring these most personal experiences can a real change be made in this difficult reality that I come from. I thus hope to see my future cinematic work as a true instrument in shaping the society to which I belong.”
Click on the links below to view short films (best viewed with RealPlayer):
- December 2006: “Abe”
A short drama that tells the story of a dog who struggle to survive after his owner past away (8:06 minutes). The film won an Academy of Television College Award (Student Emmy). - July 2006: “My Last Day in Lebanon”
A short film based on my personal experience as an Israeli soldier in the Lebanon war (7:51 minutes). The film premiered at the Miami Jewish Film Festival 2007.