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Nadav Lapid Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth8 April 1975

Age47 Years

BirthplaceTel Aviv-Yafo, Israel

ProfessionDirector, Screenwriter, Filmmaker, Actor

NationalityIsraeli

Marital statusMarried

SpouseNaama Preis

FamilyFather: Haim Lapid; Mother: Era Lapid (deceased); Brother: Itamar Lapid

Nadav Lapid Biography

Nadav Lapid is an Israeli filmmaker, screenwriter and former IDF conscript known for award-winning films including Synonyms and Ahed’s Knee. Born in Tel Av

Early life and background

Nadav Lapid was born on 8 April 1975 in Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. He grew up in that city and attended Ironi Daled high school before studying at Tel Aviv University and later at the Sam Spiegel Film and Television School in Jerusalem. He holds academic degrees in philosophy and French literature.

Lapid comes from a family active in film and writing. His father, Haim Lapid, and his mother, Era Lapid, both worked as scriptwriters and directors. His brother Itamar Lapid is also a filmmaker. Lapid served the required period in the Israel Defence Forces as a conscript for 32 months before spending time abroad in Paris.

Career

Lapid’s early work included contributions to documentary projects and short films. He worked on a documentary titled Diary 1973–1983 and wrote and directed short films such as Kvish (Road) and Ha-Chavera Shel Emile (Emile’s Girlfriend), both of which received festival recognition. He also co-directed documentaries including Proyect Gvul (Border Project) and Gaza Sderot: Life in Spite of Everything, and appeared as an actor in the short film Nobody’s Girlfriend.

His first credited feature as a director was Ha-shoter (Policeman) in 2011. The film earned him awards and festival attention, including recognition at the Jerusalem, Locarno and Buenos Aires festivals, and he received a screenplay award for the project at the Jerusalem Film Festival.

Lapid followed with Haganenet (The Kindergarten Teacher) in 2014, a film he wrote, directed and executive produced. That film screened internationally and collected multiple awards and critical prizes at festivals such as Faro and Buenos Aires. He continued working across formats, contributing as co-director and writer to the anthology Love Letter to Cinema and directing short dramas such as Lama? (Why?) and Myomano Shel Tzlam Hatonot (From the Diary of a Wedding Photographer), which were selected for major festivals.

His 2019 feature Synonymes (Synonyms), co-written with his father, won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival and was honored with the FIPRESCI Prize. In 2021 Lapid’s film Ha’berech (Ahed’s Knee) won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. He also directed the short The Star (2021) and appeared as a character named Kurt in the drama Madeleine Collins that same year.

Throughout his career Lapid has been invited to serve on juries at major festivals, including membership on the Golden Leopard jury at Locarno, participation in the International Critics’ Week jury at Cannes, and as a member of the official competition jury at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Public profile

Lapid is widely recognized for bold, outspoken views about politics and culture which have shaped his public reputation as much as his films. He has publicly criticized Israeli government cultural initiatives, including expressing opposition to the establishment of a government-backed Shomron (Samaria/West Bank) Film Fund alongside a group of Israeli filmmakers.

In November 2022 he served as chief juror at the International Film Festival of India in Goa. During the festival he made remarks about the Bollywood film The Kashmir Files that prompted significant public reaction; he later issued an apology saying his comments were not intended to hurt people who had suffered during the events depicted in the film.

Personal life

Lapid is married to Israeli actress Naama Preis. He is of Israeli nationality and was raised in a Jewish household with Ashkenazi family origins. Physical details reported in available material list his height at approximately 177 cm and a weight around 65 kg.

Latest updates

As of the most recent reports in 2022, Lapid remained active in festival circuits and continued to develop feature projects, including work reportedly connected to the story of Ahed Tamimi. He has continued to participate in international film juries and to produce films that receive attention at major global festivals.
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Recent Work

Synonymes (Synonyms)

Feature film co-written with his father; won the Golden Bear and FIPRESCI Prize at the 2019 Berlin International Film Festival.

2019
Ha’berech (Ahed’s Knee)

Feature film that won the Jury Prize at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.

2021
The Star (short)

Short film directed and written by Lapid.

2021
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Career Highlights

  1. Debut feature Ha-shoter (Policeman) (2011) earned multiple festival awards and a screenplay prize at the Jerusalem Film Festival.
  2. Haganenet (The Kindergarten Teacher) (2014) screened internationally and won directing and screenplay awards.
  3. Synonymes (Synonyms) (2019) won the Golden Bear and the FIPRESCI Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival.
  4. Ha’berech (Ahed’s Knee) (2021) won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
  5. Served on juries at Cannes, Locarno and Berlin film festivals.
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Nadav Lapid born?

8 April 1975

What is Nadav Lapid known for?

Director, Screenwriter, Filmmaker, Actor

What is Nadav Lapid’s marital status?

Married

Who is Nadav Lapid married to?

Naama Preis