Israeli-Directed Richard Gere Feature Acquired By Sony Pictures Classics
Image by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
By Talya Zax August 10, 2016
Earlier this week, Sony Pictures Classics acquired the rights to Israeli director Joseph Cedar’s “Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer” in North America, Asia outside of Korea, Eastern Europe, Scandanavia, and Benelux.
The fixer in question is played by Richard Gere, who co-stars in the film with Charlotte Gainsbourg, Michael Sheen, Hank Azari and Steve Buscemi. The film tells the story of a ineffectual political schemer who gets thrown into a whirlwind when an Israeli politician he’s been kind to becomes Prime Minister. It was financed in part by Israel’s Rabinovich Foundation, Keshet International, and Jerusalem Film Fund.
Cedar’s previous work includes 2007’s “Beautforte” and 2011’s “Footnote,” both of which received nominations for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Before “Beaufort,” it had been 24 years since an Israeli film received that honor.
Talya Zax is the Forward’s summer culture fellow. Contact her at [email protected] or on Twitter, @TalyaZax
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