Shalosh Imahot – Three Mothers (2006)
This was the last film I saw in the Israeli film festival. I caught this one in Encino in the valley and it was quite a jungle. There were literally hundreds of people who came to see the last two screenings in the festival (Sweet Mud was showing at the other theater). It was really crowded and many people weren’t able to get tickets.
The AC wasn’t turned on all the way and the the old Laemmle theater wasn’t really used to accommodating this many people. During the screening one person fainted and they had to stop the film and bring in paramedics. It looks like the guy was ok and we all resumed the movie afterwards.
As for the film itself, it wasn’t the best I’ve seen in the festival but it certainly was one of the more impressive ones. This is a huge production that follows the lives of three sisters (triplets) from Egypt in the 40’s to our own time.
This is one of the only Israeli movies I’ve ever seen that was shot in 2.35:1, the camerawork by Shai Goldman was really impressive and this really gave the film a very different and more epic look than the other films I’ve seen in the festival.
It’s still a very intimate story that is in part based on the life of it’s director, Dina Zvi-Riklis. Most of the critique I’ve heard of the film said that it is borderline soap opera and that it tries too much to bank on the popularity of one it’s main stars, popular Israeli singer Miri Mesika. I don’t really think this is fair to the film. Miri gives a very good performance as the more vibrant of the three sisters, rose, but this is clearly an ensemble piece (led by Mesika and veteran Israeli actress Gila Almagor) in which pretty much everyone turns in excellent performances.
I really liked how the film tried to weave in historical events into the story of the the three sisters. One of the pivotal scenes in the films takes place while the entire family is watching Egyptian president Anwar Sadat in his historical visit to Israel after the signing of the peace treaty with egypt.
Overall this is a solid and well made film, it didn’t quite move me as much as Sweet Mud or Aviva my Love but it was still well worth watching and I’m glad I got to see it on the big screen.
Rose, Flora and Yasmin – The three sisters played by Raymond Amsalem, Miri Mesika and Dana Zilberstine
Great movie. I saw it on my last visit in Israel. It touched me. As a woman who grew up in Israel, I enjoyed the story, the era, the music, and the story. Very realistic, and touching. I highly recommend every one to see it.