Cinema Sabaya

Israel's submission to the 95th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film depicts nine women - both Jewish and Arab - collaborating on a project. In the course of the movie, the viewer gets to learn about the characters, their trials and tribulations, and even an argument about politics.

I understand that "Cinema Sabaya" is Orit Fouks Rotem's solo feature film debut. Well, I gotta say that it's an impressive one. Basically, it's about what makes us human. Filmed in a naturalistic style, it emphasizes the realization among these women that their similarities outweigh their differences.

I guess that there might be an argument that the movie takes a simplistic approach to complex issues. Maybe, but this movie isn't intended as a deep look at that. It's about these women and how their come to understand what they have in common. Check it out if you get a chance.

After the off-road thrill ride of King Car (2021-also reviewed) I was excited to continue viewing titles at the online WOW Film Festival, and got set to be reeled in by the cinema of Sabaya.

View on the film:

Note: Review has some plot details.

Sitting down with the eight women to watch their video recordings, writer/director Orit Fouks Rotem makes her solo feature film debut by closely working with cinematographer Itay Marom in giving each of the in-film videos different styles, which goes from fake documentary home movies, to more restrained, artfully composed shots, each of which reflects what the woman director wants to express to the rest of the group.

Listening in on the criss-crossing conversations the excellent ensemble cast is having on what they each filmed, Rotem captures the ebb and flow of the exchanges with fluid hand-held camera moves, which move with ease as they speak In a relax manner about their home lives, but become more jagged edge when disagreements over politics are raised.

Later saying that she wanted this title to be about "Existence", rather then co-existence, the screenplay by Rotem paints a warm portrait of all nine ladies, with Rotem delicately keeping visible the lines of disagreement, whilst emphasizing all the common events which have been experienced, by all the women on both sides of the camera.