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Review: Lior Raz Film Casts Israelis as Villains, but Stops Short of Political Lecturing

How 2 Israeli newsrooms covered this story — translated into English and compared side by side.

Review: Lior Raz Film Casts Israelis as Villains, but Stops Short of Political Lecturing
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First reported by Ynet · Jun 24, 2026

What happened

Lior Raz stars in “The Pianist’s Assistant,” an indie thriller by Daniel Roher that has now opened in Israel after a U.S. release. The review praises its craft but criticizes its portrayal of Israelis, especially Raz’s character Uri, as crude and villainous. It also says the film pointedly avoids turning that depiction into an explicit political attack.

  • 01Lior Raz plays Uri, an Israeli safecracker in New York.
  • 02The film opened in Israel after an earlier U.S. release.
  • 03Daniel Roher directs his first narrative feature after winning an Oscar for “Navalny.”
  • 04The review says the movie portrays Israelis negatively but avoids explicit political accusations.
  • 05Dustin Hoffman, Tovah Feldshuh, and Gal Gadot are among the other named stars referenced.

Summary translated & synthesized from the sources below by baba. Read each original for the full report.

Full coverage · 2 outlets

The same event, reported separately by each newsroom. Open a few to compare what each emphasizes — and what they leave out.

WallaCenter · HebrewJun 25, 2026
Review: Lior Raz Film Casts Israelis as Villains, but Stops Short of Political Lecturing
YnetCenter · HebrewJun 24, 2026
After Nobel Victory, Daniel Roher Defends Casting Israelis as the Villains in His New Film

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