Police briefly detain actor in Israel’s Oscar nominated movie for attacking officers

Actor in Israel’s Oscar nominated movie detained

JERUSALEM — Police say an actor in “Ajami,” the Israeli movie just nominated for an Oscar, was detained briefly for attacking police in the neighborhood where the story was filmed.

Spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said Sunday that police arrested Tony Copti, whose brother co-produced the movie. He said the actor was involved in a brawl with police but had no further details. He was released after questioning, Rosenfeld said.

“Ajami” depicts the brutal life of drugs, violence and poverty in Jaffa, a mixed Jewish-Arab neighborhood near Tel Aviv.

It was co-produced by Scandar Copti, an Israeli Arab, and Yaron Shani, an Israeli Jew.

Characters are played by amateur actors from the Ajami neighborhood.

It was nominated for an Oscar for best foreign film last week.