Israeli actress Shira Haas wins prestigious award for work in new series, 'Night Therapy'

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Known for her roles in the popular series “Shtisel,” “Broken Mirrors” and “Unorthodox,” Shira Haas was recently awarded a prize for her work in the new series, “Night Therapy.”

The Golden Nymph Jury Prize was awarded during the 63rd Monte Carlo International Television Festival in recognition for her role in the Yes Studios series about a widowed psychologist who treats his patients during the night.

In the drama, actor Yousef Sweid plays Louis, an Arab-Israeli psychologist, who has been left with two children after his Jewish-Israeli wife commits suicide. Louis feels the need to rearrange his working hours and his unconventional decision is accompanied by unconventional therapies.

Lucy Ayoub, who plays Louis’ sister, is featured in the drama along with other well-known Israeli actors. Haas stars as one of the clients of the recently bereaved therapist.

Haas is a rising star from Tel Aviv and no stranger to awards. She won the Best Actress Award at the Tribeca Festival in 2020 for Asia and will play a role in the movie “Captain America: Brave New World,” to be released next year.

During her acceptance speech, Haas expressed the “incredible honor” of being awarded the prize, thanking her family, as well as the cast and crew.

“Night Therapy is a series about healing, about grief, about love – and I love this series so much. This role is meaningful for me on the most personal level, so thank you, Raanan [Caspi], our creator and writer of the show.”

She thanked Sweid, in particular, and having recently lost her mother, she spoke about the pain of bereavement and love, one of the prevailing themes of Night Therapy.

“I want to thank my mom, whom I miss every day and every moment, and like everything in my life, this incredible achievement is thanks to her and for her.”

Haas did not appear at the awards ceremony but sent her greeting in a video message from the United States. Sweid accepted the prize on behalf of Haas. The series will be released on June 30 in Israel.

Israeli filmmaker Ben Shani, who was also nominated for an award in the News and Documentaries category, attended the ceremony. The nomination, which was ultimately not chosen, was for his segment, “Table for Eight,” created for the series Uvda. The documentary is about a little girl from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, who was taken hostage by Hamas, and has her 4th birthday in captivity. Abigail Idan, an American citizen, was released in a hostage deal and is now being raised by her uncle and aunt together with her two siblings, following the murder of their parents during the Hamas terror attack on Oct. 7.