Actor, script writer, and director; Recipient of the Israeli Film and Television Council Prize.

Shmuel Biru – a graduate of the Yemin Orde Youth Village High School – already began his rich stage career during his military service in the framework of the IDF Theater. Following his military service, he majored in political science and theater at Haifa University, during which time he also wrote and directed plays and acted in various plays, such as “Julius Caesar” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” at Habima Theater.

Among the plays he wrote and directed are: “The Man who Spoke to Himself”, which was put on at “Theatronetto” – an annual festival of monodramas; “Gas Station”, which played at the Hasimta Theater; “A word of an Ethiopian” at Habima Theater; “Adis’ Wedding” at the Children and Youth Theater; and “Oy vavoy” at the Inbal Theater.

Biru’s film-related activities included writing the comedy “Modern Time” that was produced in Amharic, as well as a “Forgot me in a toaster” – a documentary film that was produced for Channel 1.

“Zrubavel” – a feature film that he wrote and directed – won the award for the best drama film at the International Haifa Film Festival in 2008, as well as the Panel of Judges’ Prize at the film festival in Taormina, Italy.

In 2011 he won the Film and Television Council’s Film-Art Prize.

In 2016 he put on a stand-up comedy show called “Fresh paint”.

He currently hosts a daily culture segment on television during Lucy Aharish’s program, “Today’s Talk”.