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Nadav Lapid's 'Yes' Challenges Israeli Narratives at Cannes

The provocative film critiques Israeli societal indifference to Gaza and the October 7 attack, earning acclaim and controversy at its Cannes debut.

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Yasmin et Y., couple qui s’adore. Au moins au début.
Le cinéaste israélien Nadav Lapid à Paris, le 9 juin 2022
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Overview

  • Yes’ premiered on May 22, 2025, in the Quinzaine des Cinéastes section of the Cannes Film Festival, drawing both praise and criticism.
  • The film explores themes of complicity and nationalism through a protagonist tasked with rewriting Israel's national anthem into a call for Palestinian eradication.
  • Lapid employs carnivalesque and unsettling imagery to critique Israeli society's collective 'blindness' to the Gaza war and its human toll.
  • The production faced significant challenges, including funding withdrawals and crew departures, ultimately relying on French producers and an independent Israeli public fund.
  • While scheduled for a mid-September release in France, the film currently lacks an Israeli distributor, reflecting its contentious reception in Lapid's homeland.