Is Israel becoming an increasing provider of talents for Hollywood?
I recently wrote about successful non high tech businesses abroad and movies was one of them (TV shows also). Let me list here a few elements around that trend
- Beaufort is a movie was recently nominated at the academy awards
- betipul is being adapted by HBO under In treatments.
- I recently saw on TV that a young movie producer was hired by a major for a big production.
- Eytan fox is on the list of hot new talents with walking on the water that received good reviews in the US.
- Spielberg used recently a few Israeli actors for Munich.
- We already have a international star with Natalie Portman.
- I just saw the excellent "we own the night" where an israeli actor Moni Moshonov holds the role of the Godfather. I like very much this actor (specially in the funny series ktsarim), although i did not find him convincing in this role. [sidenote: the tech billionaire Marc Cuban is an exec producer ]
The Israeli movie industry is not very mature and probably not the most regarded internationally but all of those elements started in the last 5 years.
I would not be surprised to see some day our best Israeli actors (and we do have a few, not many but a few) going to a full career in Hollywood like Antonio Banderas did when he left Spain.
You've only scratched the surface! There's also The Band's Visit, which despite being disqualified from the foreign Oscar race is getting truly outstanding reactions from critics all over the world; Ashraf Barhom and Ali Souliman in The Kingdom; Yigal Naor getting good reactions for his role in Rendition, and an ex-Israeli, Oren Peli, selling his no-budget horror movie Paranormal Activity to Dreamworks at Slamdance. There is a trend here, yes.
Posted by: Doron Fishler | 14 February 2008 at 06:37 PM
You're right ! We own the night, is probably one of the best movies of 2007. Underrated at the Cannes Film Festival (no awards : should at least have got something for Joaquim Phoenix, Best Diector, Best screenplay, or Best Supporting actor for Robert Duvall or Mark Wahlberg)
Posted by: ljud | 14 February 2008 at 08:53 PM
see you
Posted by: arachesostufo | 14 February 2008 at 10:52 PM
How do I dind ouriel ohayon direct email contact .
Pinchas Leibovitz, Dallas TX, callcentertiger@gmail.com
Posted by: Paul Leibovitz | 17 February 2008 at 08:21 PM
lets not forget the recent face of Julia Levy Boeken (a French-Israeli actress) who had a large role here on Ha-Aloofa and has crossed over to the very popular HBO show of Entourage as Jacqueline, Drama's love interest in Cannes.
Posted by: israluv | 18 February 2008 at 12:18 PM