"knafayim shvurot" (not "shvurut"!), the first dramatic feature from nir bergman, is a well made drama about a haifa family's attempts to deal with the death of the husband/father (from a bee sting!) and to try and get on with their lives.
the main focus is the relationship between mother orli zilbershatz-banai and teenage daughter maya meron, and these two fine actresses really shine. meron's beautiful, expressive eyes help her to create a hugely sympathetic central character. all the supporting actors, even the kids, put in really good performances.
even as the early parts of the film deal with characters' attempts to get on with their everyday lives, the director took great care to keep the film moving at a brisk pace. at any given moment, something interesting is happening on screen, so there isn't a dull moment.
on a personal note, it was fantastic to see haifa (my home town, and nir bergman's), which i always thought was very cinematic, as the backdrop for a story, and many city locations are used to great effect.
this movie is thoroughly enjoyable. it balances its dramatic and comedic elements with impressive skill. it's unpretentious yet sure of itself, and will have most viewers wiping a tear from their eye before the end.
i'd recommend "knafayim shvurot" to just about anyone.
the main focus is the relationship between mother orli zilbershatz-banai and teenage daughter maya meron, and these two fine actresses really shine. meron's beautiful, expressive eyes help her to create a hugely sympathetic central character. all the supporting actors, even the kids, put in really good performances.
even as the early parts of the film deal with characters' attempts to get on with their everyday lives, the director took great care to keep the film moving at a brisk pace. at any given moment, something interesting is happening on screen, so there isn't a dull moment.
on a personal note, it was fantastic to see haifa (my home town, and nir bergman's), which i always thought was very cinematic, as the backdrop for a story, and many city locations are used to great effect.
this movie is thoroughly enjoyable. it balances its dramatic and comedic elements with impressive skill. it's unpretentious yet sure of itself, and will have most viewers wiping a tear from their eye before the end.
i'd recommend "knafayim shvurot" to just about anyone.