Filmmaker Yaki Raisner Recounts Rejection Before "Good Boys" Box Office Success

Filmmaker and TV host Yaki Raisner, known for the Israeli film "Good Boys," shared his struggles in getting the project off the ground in a recent podcast interview. Raisner revealed that the hit movie, which has become a major success in Israeli cinema, was initially conceived as a television series.

However, Raisner faced significant rejection from major Israeli broadcasters, including Keshet and Reshet, when he pitched the series idea about matchmaking about ten years ago. He described being turned away by these networks, feeling disheartened by the repeated refusals.

A crucial piece of advice shifted his perspective: he learned that in television, multiple entities must approve a project, whereas in film, an independent producer with funding can proceed if they believe in the material. This realization prompted him to take a personal financial risk.

Raisner decided to fund the project himself, anticipating a potential loss of up to a million shekels. Despite this significant financial gamble, his faith in the script and his willingness to invest paid off handsomely. "Good Boys" ultimately became a major box office hit, earning him a profit of one million shekels, demonstrating how initial setbacks can lead to unexpected success through perseverance and personal investment.