A joint Israeli-Soviet commercial film venture is in the making. If negotiations now taking place here are successful, shooting will begin in the USSR next April and later in Israel.
George Daniela, a leading Soviet director, and Russian screenwriter Revaz Gabeiadz are in Israel to finalize a deal with Menahem Golan, head of Cannon Films, a company owned by Israelis that has produced major films for international markets. Cannon is known to be in financial difficulties.
Golan originated the idea of a comedy in English and Russian which attracted the attention of the two Soviet film-makers, neither of whom is Jewish. The plot concerns a non-Jew from the Soviet Georgian Republic who, hearing about Israel from Jewish compatriots, decides to pose as a Jew and try it for himself.
The production will be co-produced with Cannon Films and Golan-Globus Israel Studios in Jerusalem. About a third will be shot in the USSR, possibly in Georgia, and the rest in Israel.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.