YesIt is true: indieview can exclusively report it Lorber Cinema has acquired North American distribution rights to Israeli filmmakers Nadav Lapid‘S Cannes premiere “Yes”, invoiced by the distributor as a “bite satire set and filmed in Israel in the aftermath of October 7.” The filmAs by many, were considered the most provocative and ‘dangerous’ (Lapid’s own words, but with lots of asterisks) at this year’s festival, were considered by many as a tough sale.
Enter: Kino Lorber, since the independent distributor has not only taken up the film, but plans a theater edition in early 2026, followed by a digital, educational and home ideas. The film marks Lapid and Kino Lorber’s fourth collaboration, following the publishing of “The Kindergarten Teacher”, Berlinale Golden Bear winner “Synonyms” and Cannes Jury Prize winner “Ahed’s knee.”
The film wrote and directed by Lapid and made its world premiere in the directors two weeks at the Film Festival 2025 Cannes and was an official selection at Karlovy Vary, Munich and Jerusalem film festivals. The movie Stars Ariel Bronz, Efrat Dor, Naama Preis and Alexey Serebryakov.
Like David Ehrlich wrote in his very positive review From the film from Cannes, the movie “is a veritable orgy of self-esteem surrender that confirms Lapid as the world’s most visceral director on shot-by-shot. ‘Salo, or the 120 days of Sodom“And Jim Carrey -comedy” Yes Man “, Lapid doubles the mostly the violence of his filmmaking while he completely embraces his growing appetite for submission.”
As of today’s announcement from Kino Lorber, the film is played out “the days after October 7, (AS) Y., a jazz musician, and his wife Yasmine, a dancer, decides to say yes to everything. Y. and Yasmine sell their bodies and souls to the highest bidder, surrender themselves and their art to Israel’s social, political and military and military and military and military and military and military.
At the festival, Lapid spoke a long way with IndieWireIncluding about the film’s location outside the competition and his expectations of where it can end up. “I say what my press agent told me to say when I was asked why the movie is not in the competition,” Lapid told IndieWires Ryan Lattanzio at Croisette beach at Cannes a day before “Yes” had the premiere. “More or less asks all this question. What she told me to say is:” Maybe it’s a question that should be addressed to the people who chose the movie and not to you. ”
Lapid, who said he is not good at being “diplomatic”, added, “then she told me to say I would say:” I don’t know. Maybe the movie was too disturbing. Maybe someone was scared. “What I can say is that the film, throughout its (production), and even when it ended, became unwilling – a kind of tool that measures cowardice and courage, to distinguish between the cowardly and the brave.”
A France-Israel-Sam production, the film has been criticized and condemned by the Netanyahu government, with the Ministry of Culture that accused it in an interview of “Open Wounds in Israeli society” and officials condemned Lapid and demanded the film’s removal from 2025 Jerusalem Film Festival. And yet, “yes” was recently nominated for the seven Ophir Awards – the Israeli equivalent of Oscars – including best actors (Ariel Bronz), best actress (Naama Preis), best director (Nadav Lapid) and best picture. As a best picture -nominated, “Yes” is one of five films that are short -listed to be the Israeli post to the 98th Academy Awards.
“Nadav Lapid has delivered an exciting, dizzying work of film art that draws and quarters all emotions about one of the greatest political and human tragedies of our time,” said Kino Lorber chairman and CEO Richard Lorber in an official statement. “Here he puts his own fever psyche and masterful skills in the front lines in a conflict that tear on his own soul without any rational refuge. We could not be proud to work again with Nadav to share a truly unique film experience with North American audience that has come to expect no less than almost any other movie.
Added Lapid, “” Yes “is the most difficult and demanding movie I have ever made. I am grateful for Kino Lorber’s enthusiasm and for their courage, and I am worried, provided the North American edition. I think the introduction of this movie to North American audience can be, now more than ever, powerful and meaningful.
The deal for “yes” was negotiated by Kino Lorber VP from acquisition Karoliina Dwyer and Alice Lesort for Films du Losange. “Yes” is a les movie you bal, chi-fou-mi prods. Production in co-production with Bustan Films, Amp Filmworks, Complize Film, Arte France Cinéma, ZDF/Arte, Trésor Films in collaboration with 240 films, Cinemage 18 development, Albi film and TV fund. The film is produced by Judith Lou Lévy, Hugo Sélaignac and Antoine Lafon.
