Broken Wings (aka Knafayim Shvurot)

(in Hebrew with English subtitles)

Directed by Nir Bergman

This drama about an Israeli family shows a mother struggling to cope with both the loss of her husband and the care and support of four kids, each of which is rebellious in his or her own way. The main character, Maya (Maya Maron) is a teenage hipster, Israeli-style. I love it when movies take me places I’ve never been. So I loved the portrait of the young rock-and-roll Maya -- frustrated because she has to take care of the little kids -- annoyed by her teen brother who doesn’t pitch in very much (Nitai Gaviratz as the philosophical and detached Yair) -- she really wants to be banging it with the band but struggles to find a balance with her family responsibilities. The film was obviously shot on a low budget so there is no stunning cinematography that will be lost if you see it on video – the power of this movie is in the buildup of the characters and how they adapt to deal with their problems.

Images are copyright Sony Pictures Classics.

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