How Filmmaker Nitay Dagan Became a Culture Curator for Israel's Most Influential Film Podcast: “Movie Eaters”

Nitay Dagan is a writer, director, editor, and content creator from Tel Aviv, based in New York City. A graduate of the Sam Spiegel School of Film and Television, his work spans award-winning campaigns, internationally screened films, and viral social media series. He has worked on content for PETA, Campari, and Big Brother Israel. His short film Faygeleh premiered at the Santa Barbara IFF and was produced by Sean Baker, NEON, and Kodak. Nitay's creative projects have been featured at globally renowned film festivals, like Cannes, Venice, and Tribeca Film Festivals. He also is a co-creator and co-host of Movie Eaters, Israel's leading film podcast.

The Movie Eaters podcast, which has become Israel's most influential film podcast, was born out of the COVID-19 pandemic when people were unable to experience the shared, cozy darkness of a movie theater. Even though streaming is currently the dominant way to consume movies and TV shows, with the majority of worldwide homes subscribing to streaming services, there is nothing compared to going into a cinema and watching a film on the silver screen.

Nitay and his co-hosts, Liad Herman and Arnon Rosenthal, aimed to recreate the best part of the moviegoing experience: the conversation that starts the moment you walk out of the theater, when the film is still alive and burning in your mind.

The ongoing podcast has been running for five years, with 130 episodes, more than 18 video essays, and a rapidly growing following. In the beginning, "Movie Eaters" spoke mostly to a tight circle of hardcore moviegoers, but the mix of classics and contemporary films, balanced with analysis, humor, and community, caught on. Now, they reach far beyond the film nerd community. Their social media presence exploded (over 1.2 million views in just six months), and monthly live events at the Cinematheque in Tel Aviv have become a new center of attention, drawing in both longtime listeners and newcomers.

The format of the podcast is at the center of its success. In each episode, they pick a film they truly love and "eat it," meaning they analyze it from the angle of filmmaking craft, philosophical themes, cultural impact, behind-the-scenes stories, and more. They talk about films across the entire spectrum: from "Psycho" to the works of Chantal Akerman to James Gunn's new “Superman” film.

The live events were always a part of the plan and became a bridge between academia, the industry, and the audience. They teamed up with the Tel Aviv Cinematheque, the "Ozen Bar" live music venue, and other spaces to create events where they'd screen a film and record a live podcast episode, sometimes with a talk, a signature cocktail, or a dish inspired by the film. The most memorable events included one with legendary chef Aharoni for "Tampopo," and another screening of "Amélie" at a time when many people evacuated from southern Israel were staying in Tel Aviv.

Over five years, "Movie Eaters" grew from a mere podcast into the biggest film podcast in Israel, with over 200,000 listeners, hundreds of thousands of monthly impressions, 1.2 million views across platforms, and more than 35 sold-out live events. The influence grew organically and gradually, but if Nitay had to pick one turning point, it would be the second time they covered the Cannes Film Festival.

The Israeli media outlet "Relevant" interviewed him at the festival, and after that, Liad got a weekly spot on Galei Zahal Radio channel. Israeli film festivals like Cinema South and Haifa invited them to judge in their official competitions, Barbur Center asked them to curate a family film festival, and Israeli distributors started quoting them in their press releases.

When questioned about the rumors of Quentin Tarantino living in Israel, Nitay admitted he has never actually met him but shared stories of how Israelis freak out when they encounter the legendary director. He mentioned that Tarantino really gets into the local vibe and is not living there like a tourist.

The Movie Eaters podcast can be found on Spotify. With Nitay Dagan at the helm, the podcast continues to grow and captivate audiences, making it an essential part of Israel's film culture.

Follow @movie_eatersil on Instagram.