Richard Gere landed in Israel Monday to continue shooting Joseph Cedar’s latest movie, “Oppenheimer Strategies,” which began filming in New York last month.
The film’s cast, which includes Gere and Lior Ashkenazi, also features Steve Buscemi and Michael Sheen, as well as French actress and singer Charlotte Gainsbourg.
An Israeli-American production, the film focuses on the relationship between Norman Oppenheimer, played by Gere, a Jewish businessman from New York, and Micha, played by Ashkenazi, a rising Israeli politician. The timing seems more than appropriate given the latest headlines about former prime minister Ehud Olmert, convicted Monday of illegally taking money from American Jewish businessman Morris Talansky.
Cedar, who was raised in Jerusalem and lives in Tel Aviv, has become one of Israel’s most successful filmmakers, His film “Beaufort”, about an isolated IDF unit, was nominated for an Oscar, as was his last film, “Footnote,” which won the best screenplay award at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.
Gere’s latest movie was “The Second Best Exact Marigold Hotel,” although the former heartthrob actor is best known for “Pretty Woman,” which just celebrated its 25th anniversary.
By Jessica Steinberg
