David Ofek, born in 1968, grew up in the town of Ramat Gan, Israel. Besides being interested in mathematics and philosophy, he dreamed of making movies, and spent most of his free time during high school watching the great masterpieces at the Tel Aviv "Cinamateque."

After graduating from the Sam Spiegel Film & Television School in Jerusalem in 1993, Ofek continued devoting his talent and energy to creating movies that depict unique Israeli scenes and dilemmas. Always straddling a fine line between documentary and feature film, he keeps on challenging the obvious: from his first short film, "Home," the story of his family during the first Gulf war as they watch the CNN coverage of bombed Baghdad and excitedly recognize their old home there, through his feature-length documentary "No. 17," in which he insists on trying to identify the unknown victim of a terrorist attack. David does not hesitate to take a stand and construct a new reality rather than merely document the existing situation. His most recent fiction work, the TV mini-series, "Melanoma My Love," is the poignant and revealing portrait of a man who loses his wife to cancer-ostensibly just a well-made drama, but actually a penetrating documentary epic, based on the leading actor's true-life story.

David's latest documentary fim "The Ulpan" ("A Hebrew lesson") is a delightful if thought-provoking look at the problems of several immigrant students in a Hebrew language ulpan, where their personal stories meld with the complexities of Israeli reality. The immense effort of learning a new language is revealed through their encounter with a strange culture and an unfamiliar environment. Ofek's film reveals Israeli society through the foreigner’s eyes.

A winner of many international awards, David Ofek's excellence lies in his deeply serious outlook and his constant search for new fields of expression. His proactive attitude to his work and to life is exemplified by his statement: "My film takes the active approach. If a filmmaker can make a difference, so can the individual. If Pnina Firestone (one of the film's protagonists), bedridden with arthritis, can still demonstrate for peace, so can the ordinary citizen. You have to care, or the next blast will happen sooner than you think."

Starting August 2007 Ofek will enjoy a year at Harvard University as part of the prestigious Nyman program.

In August 2007, Ofek will embark on a year’s studies at Harvard University as part of the prestigious Nyman program.