VPRO – Joris Ivens Award IDFA –International Documentary Festival Amsterdam, The Netherlands November, 2003;

Best International Documentary Feature Award Hot Docs – Canadian International Documentary Festival, Toronto, Canada – April 2004,

The Golden Gate Award San Francisco International Film Festival, USA – April 2004;

Special Documentary Award DOKFEST - Munich Documentary Festival, Germany – May 2004;

Cinematography Award Tel Aviv International Documentary Film Festival, Israel – April 2004

Special Jury Mention, First Prize for Innovative Photography

Documenta Madrid – Madrid International Documentary Festival, Spain May 2004

Best Documentary Award Newport International Film Festival, USA – June 2004;

Best Documentary Award Calgary International Film Festival, Canada – September 2004

Best Documentary Award Docupolis Festival, Barcelona, Spain – October 2004

Winner of "The Golden Rib Award", Zagreb International Film Festival,Croatia – October 2004

Nominated for the "EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY DOCUMENTARY 2004 - PRIX ARTE" Award.

Winner of the Special Documentary Prize Entrevues Film Festival Belfort, France - November 2004

Winner of the Point of View Prize for Best Film Int'l Documentary Film Festival of Navarra – Punto de Vista, Spain - February 2005

Winner of the “Magnolia” Award for Best Documentary in the Humanities, The 11th Shanghai Television Festival People’s Republic of China – June 2005

Special Mention by the Jury, 4th Roma International Documentary Film Festival, Italy – June 2005

“Theatre of the absurd at a series of Israeli border crossings” (Jury Statement, IDFA - International Documentary Film Festival, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2003)

"Working on the frontlines, MAHSSOMIM - CHECKPOINT bravely confronts one of the most explosive geopolitical situations in all its absurdity and danger, offering all viewers a new perspective" (Jury Statement DOKFEST Munich – Munich Documentary Festival, Germany, 2004)

"The strongest of the many films dealing with political issues at this time, and it does so in a very pure and simple way" (Variety, USA)

"…Shamir silently leads us, without any compassion, into deeper, darker ‘atmospheres’ where only very rarely a sunray can be spotted. This movie is much more than only a library on political analysis! …Checkpoint deals with the psychology of cruelty and humiliation and portray in in an absurd light the politics behind the checkpoints..." (Het Parool, The Netherlands)

“The most remarkable film of the IDFA festival.” (Vrij Nederland)