Broken Wings

The trauma that accompanies the sudden loss of a beloved family member is being repeated all over the Middle East today. Behind the headlines are the stories we never read about. One of these is told metaphorically in Nir Bergman's brilliant first effort Broken Wings. It is not an overtly political film, but the implications are clear. Set in the Israeli port city of Haifa, it depicts the effect of the loss of a patriarch on each member of his family, perhaps suggesting the emotional state of Israel since the murder of Yitzhak Rabin. The 83-minute film won accolades at the Berlin International Film Festival and has been a huge critical and commercial success in Israel, winning nine Israeli Academy Awards in 2003. The beautifully expressive Maya Maron, in her first major role, plays an Israeli teenage singer-songwriter (also named Maya) who dreams of becoming a rock star, and wears wings when she sings in her local band. As the film opens, Maya is singing a song she wrote in memory of her father who died suddenly nine months earlier, for reasons not disclosed until the end of the film. Her song is interrupted when her mother Dafna (stage actress Orly Zilberschatz Banai), a nurse, phones and tells her that she has been called to work on the night shift at the local hospital and needs Maya home to take care of her brother Ido and sister Bahr. Maya emphatically refuses, then relents, but the tension between mother and daughter is palpable. The young woman, who was with her father when he died, does not fully grasp the guilt behind her bottled-up rage, and takes out her anger on her mother, who is both sympathetic and irritating as she labors wearily to keep the family from a collision course. We learn that each family member is suffering the father's loss in his or her own way. Dafna stayed in bed for three months, leaving the children to do the parenting, and the results are reflected in their erratic behavior. Six-year old Bahr wets her bed and Ido carries out a strange ritual of filming himself while jumping into an empty pool. The oldest brother Yair (Nitai Gaviratz), also a teenager, has been suspended from school, and hands out leaflets on commuter trains dressed in a mouse costume while expressing a nihilistic philosophy to anyone who will listen. His inability to respond to the words father, fear, and anger during a word association test prompts his school counselor to deny him re-admittance until he receives treatment, but he does not help his cause when he tells the counselor "Your words are meaningless. This conversation does not exist and you don't exist." Yair tells Maya that "things could be worse," and they do get worse before they get better. Broken Wings may sound depressing, but in Bergman's skillful hands, its sadness is balanced with humor and the strength and dignity of its characters. Stylistically, the film doesn't break any new ground, but displays the kind of insight that allows us to learn something new about ourselves. Though rooted in reality, Broken Wings has a heart that leaps and a soul that soars, and it's a film that I truly loved.

The only problem I had with the film is while what the characters are goig through is intensely trmatic, I didn't feel connnected to the characters. Things happen and it is very sad, but ultimately a good ending. For me, I really wanted to see a Jewish movie, and this seemed like a good choice. Happy that I bought it for sure, but not the best movie out there.

WOW. This is movie is many things - a family drama, a story of teenagers' coming of age, a single mother's struggle mixed with some middle age crisis and loneliness, all wrapped into one with great mastery and subtlety. It is a tearjerker that doesn't try to be one. In fairness, you'll laugh some, too. It doesn't try too hard to be anything - it is just good, just right, well-balanced, well-told uplifting drama with a few laughs and cries mixed in. If your soul needs a bit of "caffeine" to re-awaken, then run, don't walk to watch this. P.S. I really don't get how all the great reviews add up to 3 stars? Some bug in the review system, I suppose.

Usual excellent Israeli fare. The films are always a sociological epic just packed with the human factor.

This film is the story of a family trying to come to grips with the death of the father/husband. The children are gifted, the mother is exhausted, and each family member is struggling with his/her own attempt to recover from the death of their husband and father several months earlier. The family's four children have to look out for each other; the heaviest burden falls on the older girl, who is a songwriter who has just been discovered by a recording company. It's a nice story and an interesting view into ordinary Israeli life. Set in modern Haifa, the film will interest those who like psychological drama and Israeli films in general. You won't waste your money on this film; while not superlative, it is well done and satisfying.

Broken Wings is an inspiring and insightful Hebrew-language drama that portrays the difficulties, financial and otherwise, of a family that has lost their father due to unexpected tragedy.

Everyone in this family struggles with daily responsibilities and relationships since the father died nine months earlier. There is not much new here other than the fact they live in Israel. The older daughter gives the best performance as a talented singer who has to put off her dreams and aspirations to act as a sort of surrogate mommy. The mother clearly feels hopeless and wonders how she can keep her 4 kids from feeling the same way. It's worth watching once.

I love Israeli films and started a nice collection. I rate this one 'good'. Not too terribly exciting and even a little slow. But if you are into Hebrew and love to listen to the language, go get it.

Der israelische Film zeigt den Umgang der Familienmitglieder (Ehefrau und Kinder in verschiedenen Altersgruppen) mit dem plötzlichen Tod des Vaters/Ehemannes. Besonders gefällt mir die unterschiedliche pathologische oder auch heilsame Verarbeitung der Kinder/Jugendlichen, aber auch der Ehefrau. Ein sehr gefühlvoller Film mit schönen Bildern, vorsichtigen Begegnungen, Annäherungen, aber auch Blockierungen derselben im Trauerprozess. Das Ende nimmt nicht vorweg, sondern bleibt halb offen, so dass sich der Zuschauer selbst noch Gedanken machen kann. Mich hat der Film sehr berührt, so dass ich ihn auf Filmfestspielen so häufig wie möglich anschaute. Auch auf kleinem Bildschirm (als DVD) vermag er es, große Gefühle zu wecken. Sehr gelungen: Es ist kein politischer Film, obwohl er durch das Thema Tod in Israel vielleicht auch mit Politik konnotiert ist. Migration (Immigration und Emigration) sind ebenfalls im Hintergrund angedeutete Themen. Sehr überzeugende Schauspieler, schöne Musik, gelungene Kameraeinstellungen. Wonderful film showing the mourning-process of children and wife after the sudden death of their father/husband. Pathological as well as healthy stages in the process are described. We get to know modes of behaviour, emotions and thoughts of the wife and children in different ages. Torn between sense of responsibility and feelings of despair and helplessness the protagonists try to find their own ways, leading them back to cooperation within the familiy together with a helpful surrounding. Great feelings are evolved by excellent actors, good camera work, nice music and the portrayal of possibilities and hinderings in human contact during extreme life events. Besides, this non-political film might also touch political themes in the background, like death (here in a non-political context) or migration (immigration and emigration). In cinema, I watched this film as many times as possible. Also on a small screen as DVD it is a beautiful and moving film.

This beautiful film, set in urban Israel, is a moving (yet at times highly amusing) study of how family members respond and eventually adapt to the unexpected loss of a loved one. The script and acting is superb. I would recommend this film to anybody with an interest in the complexities of human relationships and/or psychotherapy. It is sad but ultimately uplifting.

Children and teenagers astray, break-up in siblings and family relationships. Single parents struggling to make ends meet. Nothing typical or inspiring

Family drama. Story of a hardpressed family. Very well directed and well worth watching.

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