Israeli Producer Shines at Cannes While Heart Remains in Israel

“The dream of every filmmaker is to make it to the official competition at Cannes,” said Israeli producer Emilio Shenker. He and his producing partners, Eyal Rimmon and Gideon Tadmor, walked the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival for the world premiere of Paul Schrader’s latest film, Oh Canada, a contender in the main competition. “It’s kind of like the holy grail of being a filmmaker,” Shenker remarked, reflecting on the journey that brought them to this prestigious event.

While only one short film from Israel competes at Cannes this year, Shenker, Rimmon, and Tadmor—who work with Sipur, an Israel-based international entertainment studio—ensured Israel's presence at this high-profile festival. Collaborating with global producers, they brought Schrader’s Oh Canada to the screen. The film stars Richard Gere, Jacob Elordi, and Uma Thurman and is adapted from a Russell Banks novel. It tells the story of a draft dodger turned filmmaker, reflecting on his life in Canada.

Schrader, best known for writing Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, has had a storied career. At 77, he sees Oh Canada as a significant work, possibly attempting to make sense of his own life. Shenker and his partners celebrated the film's premiere at the iconic Lumiere Theater, where they received a seven-minute standing ovation.

“It’s an iconic theater, and I almost cried when I entered it with a movie that I produced,” Shenker said. “Paul Schrader deserves it so much; he hasn’t always gotten the recognition he should have.” He also praised Gere, highlighting his talent and remarking on the industry's underappreciation of the actor. Gere’s previous work with Israeli director Joseph Cedar and his visits to Israel made this collaboration even more special.

Despite this triumph, Shenker’s thoughts were with Israel, where conflict continues. “I’m here, the sun is shining, the ocean is blue, and the birds sing – but my heart is in Israel, with the soldiers and with the hostages,” he said. Shenker and his team distributed yellow pins symbolizing the hostages' plight, receiving respect and understanding from festival-goers, though political symbols are banned on the red carpet.

Shenker recounted an encounter with an American creator who refused to work with them because of their Israeli identity. He criticized this stance, especially given the creator’s membership in Queers for Palestine. “The next time she is invited to celebrate in a gay party in Gaza, I’m happy to join her,” he quipped, pointing out the harsh realities faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in many parts of the Muslim world.

Despite such challenges, Shenker chose to focus on the success of Oh Canada. Although he couldn’t yet disclose the film’s distributor, he assured that it would have a wide release. He expressed hope that Gere would visit Israel to promote the film, signaling a positive future for this significant work.

For Shenker, balancing the joy of Cannes with the realities in Israel remains a complex but heartfelt endeavor. “It’s tough to be Israeli these days and it’s also tough to celebrate – it’s very tough. My heart is in Israel, but my body is in Cannes,” he concluded.

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