Gorgeous Israeli Film "Yes!" Heads to North America
Israeli director Nadav Lapid’s acclaimed new film Yes! has been acquired by Kino Lorber for North American distribution, marking a fourth collaboration with the independent cinema powerhouse. The post-October 7 drama, praised at Cannes and internationally, explores art, sacrifice, and resilience in a nation in turmoil.
The veteran American distribution company Kino Lorber has announced the acquisition of North American distribution rights for Israeli director Nadav Lapid’s new film, “Yes!” The deal marks a rare achievement for an Israeli film in this period and signifies the fourth collaboration between Lapid and the leading independent cinema company.
Kino Lorber, operating for over 45 years with a library of more than 4,000 titles, is responsible for distributing classics such as Bertolucci’s “The Conformist,” the Oscar-winning foreign film “Mephisto,” Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Dogtooth,” and the Oscar-nominated Israeli films “Beaufort” and “Ajami.” The company previously distributed Lapid’s films “The Kindergarten Teacher,” “Synonyms,” and “The Knee.”
A Challenging Film About Difficult Times
“Yes!” follows Y, a struggling jazz musician, and his wife Yasmin, a former dancer, in post-October 7 massacre Israel. The two surrender their art, souls, and bodies to bring pleasure, entertainment, and comfort to a bleeding nation. At the film’s climax, Y is tasked with a mission of supreme importance, to find a melody for a new national anthem.
The 150-minute film, starring Ariel Bronz, Efrat Dor, Naama Preis, and Alexey Serebryakov, is a co-production of Israel, France, Germany, and Cyprus. Filming took place in Tel Aviv and its surroundings, Cyprus (over half the film), and France.
International Recognition and Achievements
Since its premiere in May at the “Directors’ Fortnight” section of the Cannes Film Festival, the film has received widespread acclaim. It was included in IndieWire’s list of the decade’s best films and earned enthusiastic reviews in Hollywood Reporter, Rolling Stone, and Le Monde. It was later selected for festivals in Karlovy Vary, Munich, and Jerusalem.
Oscar Hopes and Artistic Message
Richard Lorber, Chairman and CEO of Kino Lorber, stated: “Lapid has created a stirring and unsettling work that dissects the emotions surrounding one of the greatest tragedies of our time. The film is among the most outstanding screened at Cannes this year. We believe it has the highest chances of successfully competing for an Oscar nomination in the Best International Feature Film category.”
Lapid, the winner of the German Golden Bear (2019) for “Synonyms” and the Cannes Jury Prize (2021) for “The Knee,” described his new work: “This is the most difficult and demanding film I’ve made. I believe its screening in North America can be more significant now than ever. It is a protest film about the ability to say ‘no’ to power, through the choice of surrender.”
The film will be distributed in North American theaters and later on digital, educational, and home media platforms. Beyond the U.S., it has been acquired for distribution in over 20 countries, including Switzerland, France, Germany, Greece, and India.