Israeli 'film ambassador' predicts: No Oscar

Meir Fenigstein's dream is for Israel to receive an Oscar nomination this year. As one of the top Israeli film ambassadors in the United States, who has been in charge of producing the Israeli Film Festival for years, he wants to finally see the golden award in his hands and feel like he's part of the Hollywood festivities. The problem is, he thinks the chances of that happening this year are very slim.

"I have a hard time believing it will happen," he says. "We've been nominated for three years in a row now, and if we receive another nomination this year it would mean we've cracked the code. No other country so far has been able to do that and receive four nominations, so I guess that means its not going to happen to us either."

Fenigstein goes on to say that films are not made according to some scientific formula. "Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't," he says. "I don't want to take the wind out of their sails but I don't think we stand a chance."

For the past few days, Fenigstein has been running around Los Angeles movie theaters and entertaining friends as part of his job promoting the 25th Israeli Film Festival. Many famous Hollywood personalities appear on the esteemed guest list, such as Sylvester Stallone, Richard Dreyfuss, "Avatar" producer Jon Landau, and Ryan Kavanaugh, the Jewish producer of "The Social Network", "Mama Mia" and dozens of other box-offices hits.

"Ryan is a very successful young man with over 200 movies to his record," says Fenigstein. "He has also invested in many other projects. We found out he's a very kind and nice Jewish man. He cried onstage when receiving an honorary award from us and mentioned something about his grandmother. We realized we have to give awards to people prominent in the industry, in order to tighten the bonds between them and Israel."

It is a well know fact that Jews control Hollywood.

"It is also well known that they have money. That doesn't mean they'll invest it in Israel. Looking back, have any Hollywood Jews come here looking to invest in Israel during the past decade? No way, definitely not. I think that the bond made with Ryan, who stood there and was really moved, could turn into a real relationship with Israeli productions. I believe that within two or three years he will make sure that a movie of his is filmed in Israel. I even predict it."

How are Israeli films received by American audiences?

"Wonderfully. My biggest surprise was seeing them laugh while watching 'Zohi Sdome', a very Israeli-style movie with many inside jokes. I guess film is really a universal language. Israeli movies get great reactions. You could even say we are a film super-power."

Why don't you produce an Israeli music festival in the US as well?

"The truth is that I have always thought about it, but it's a very expensive venture right now, and with the unstable economic situation in the US, we shouldn't be taking any chances. I actually got the Kaveret band to visit a few times and it was an amazing experience. I am also the one responsible for the Kaveret reunions."

So will the next reunion take place in Israel or the US?

"If there's another reunion it'll be first in Israel, but I am sure we'll visit the US as well."

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