Noga Erez, a leading figure in the Israeli music world, joined the local debut of the documentary Noga at the Jerusalem Film Festival on Friday. The event highlighted her path alongside musical partner Ori Rousso.

The festival continues through July 19.

Known for her candid style, Erez began her comments after the screening by noting that viewers now knew personal details about their lives and invited the audience to share their own stories in return.

Erez and Rousso attended the Jerusalem Cinematheque screening with directors Benjamin Bergmann and Jono Bergmann from Austria.

The project premiered earlier at Tribeca and appeared at Munich, yet Erez stressed the significance of this first Israeli showing.

Tracing an emerging star after October 7

She described the experience of viewing the Hebrew-language film with local audiences as moving and meaningful, noting it added fresh context compared to international screenings.

Created over five years, the documentary follows Erez as she gains worldwide recognition. It covers the impact of the October 7 events and ensuing conflict on her career, earlier strains in her relationship with Rousso, and their choice to start a family.

Shot mostly in Hebrew with an observational approach, the film combines live performances, collaborative writing sessions, and everyday moments to portray the duo in a way that appeals even to those new to their work.

Viewers will also appreciate their ability to reach listeners locally and abroad, along with Erez's firm position against calls to denounce Israel.

Emphasizing dialogue across perspectives

She repeatedly highlights the value of open conversation where varied experiences can be shared. The film shows her readiness to accept consequences for this approach.

Erez praised the directors for their thoughtful and affectionate handling of the material.

Rousso later joked that the filmmakers did not understand Hebrew and switched languages to claim she had spoken negatively about them.

The pair departed amid strong applause. The documentary will air on Yes Docu.