Israeli producer in US tunes in to voices from home
Israeli producer, Gil Kenan, is busy promoting his animated movie 'Monster Home', breaking box offices throughout the US, but spends every spare moment listening to news from the Mideast
The war in Lebanon caught Israeli producer Gil Kenan, in the midst of promoting his animated movie Monster Home, which is currently breaking box offices throughout the US.
While on his worldwide promotional tour, spanning Australia to Mexico, Kenan finds time to tune into the news on the war in Lebanon. He calls his family in Ramat Gan at every chance he gets.
"It's terrible what's happening in Israel," Kenan says in a telephone interview from Australia. I am very concerned about my family and hope the war will end soon. I can' wait for the war to be over."
He says it's amazing how the Israelis are united during times of conflict, adding that times such as these bring out the best in Israelis.
The american dream
Monster Home, produced by Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg - soon to be showing in Israel - has already managed to bring in USD 57 million throughout North America.
The two liked Kenan's graduation movie which he had produced at the University of California. Kenan's movie told the story of a bird that changed the balance of power between a couple going through a crises. Robert Zemeckis and Steven Speilberg decided to place their movie in his hands.
"It was like a dream come true, like a fairytale," Kenan admitted, I grew up on Zemeckis and Spielberg movies.
Zemeckis and Spielberg gave Kenan a lot of freedom, also allowing him to chose the cast for the dubbing which includes Jason Lee, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Kathleen Turner.
Kenan says that his next movie will be science fiction. "Tom Hanks will produce the movie, and I am very excited." He said.
The storyline of Monster Home takes place on Halloween, and describes the plight of an inquisitive child who tries to solve the mystery of his strange neighbor's house.
