Dalia Castel (born 1975) is an Israeli filmmaker based in Berlin. She grew up in Jerusalem and studied film editing in Tel Aviv. In 1998, her work on the award-winning movie “Urban Feel” (dir: Jonathan Sagall) was rewarded with a nomination for the Israeli Oscar. She lived and worked in Rome for 7 years. There, she started her directing career. From 2002 until 2007 she worked in collaboration with the Italian filmmaker Alessandro Cassigoli. Under the name “gotandafilm” they made various documentaries among them “Good Times” (2004) which won awards in more than 15 film festivals around the world, including Full Frame (US) and the Dok Festival, Leipzig.
In 2005 she moved to Berlin where she worked for various productions.
At the same time, she independently produced and directed the film “Jerusalem for cowards” which won the “Preis der Autoren” of the Autorenstiftung in Frankfurt am Main 2014 and Best Feature Film in Boddinale festival 2015. As well as the short films “The Feed”, “The great indoors”and music videos. In 2021 she directed “working on Safe and sound” documenting the creative process of Lee Meir’s piece “Safe and sound”(Hau 4), and also “This Gentle Moment” a video dance by Nitsan Margaliot. in 2022 she created “Landers” together with B.A.G choreographers collective, and made a video installation in “Queering Nosferatu” by Anna Natt.
Her approach to storytelling is deeply influenced by her experience as an editor. Dalia is interested in experimenting with non-linear narratives and in the possible connections and analogies between different materials, she is curious to explore new ways of expression.
Her work has often been described as raw and rough around the edges.
Since 2018 she is also part of Trial and Theresa a feminist VJ-collective.