One Week and a Day
Tears of laughter and tears of grief are both in abundant supply in [the] uproariously funny and heart-wrenchingly moving 'One Week and a Day.'
One Week and a Day
In the Jewish religion, a week of sitting Shiva (or mourning the deceased) is called for after a funeral. However, for Eyal and Vicky, a week is hardly enough time to properly mourn the loss of their 25-year-old son Ronnie. A married couple edging into the back half of middle age, the two find themselves reacting to the end of the Shiva in markedly different ways.
A return to routine seems to be in order for Vicky, a teacher, as she finds herself back at school trying to abruptly kick out the substitute assigned in her stead. Meanwhile, shopkeeper Eyal opts for a total abdication of routine, as he steals his dead son’s bag of medical marijuana, and proceeds to get high, play ping-pong and judge air guitar routines with his neighbor’s stoner son Zooler.
As the world refuses to accommodate Vicky and Eyal’s sensitivities during their time of bereavement – taxi drivers are still difficult, neighbors are still obnoxious, and grave diggers are just as indifferent as anyone else in the service industry – the two grieving parents find themselves acting out in outlandish ways as they attempt to regain a sense of control over their lives.
Asaph Polonsky’s debut feature ONE WEEK AND A DAY juxtaposes the grieving process against the immutable fact that, despite the most painful losses imaginable, the world stops for no one’s mourning. With endearing performances from Shai Avivi and Evgenia Dodina as Eyal and Vicky, and Tomer Kapon as Zooler, ONE WEEK AND A DAY provides a nuanced perspective on loss that is as merciless as it is funny and insightful.
A return to routine seems to be in order for Vicky, a teacher, as she finds herself back at school trying to abruptly kick out the substitute assigned in her stead. Meanwhile, shopkeeper Eyal opts for a total abdication of routine, as he steals his dead son’s bag of medical marijuana, and proceeds to get high, play ping-pong and judge air guitar routines with his neighbor’s stoner son Zooler.
As the world refuses to accommodate Vicky and Eyal’s sensitivities during their time of bereavement – taxi drivers are still difficult, neighbors are still obnoxious, and grave diggers are just as indifferent as anyone else in the service industry – the two grieving parents find themselves acting out in outlandish ways as they attempt to regain a sense of control over their lives.
Asaph Polonsky’s debut feature ONE WEEK AND A DAY juxtaposes the grieving process against the immutable fact that, despite the most painful losses imaginable, the world stops for no one’s mourning. With endearing performances from Shai Avivi and Evgenia Dodina as Eyal and Vicky, and Tomer Kapon as Zooler, ONE WEEK AND A DAY provides a nuanced perspective on loss that is as merciless as it is funny and insightful.
Genre
Drama,
Jewish Culture
Runtime
98
Language
Hebrew
Director
Asaph Polonsky
Cast
Shai Avivi,
Evgenia Dodina,
Tomer Kapon
Awards:
Nominee, Grand Prize Critics Week ~ Fipresci Award, Cannes Film Festival
Nominee, Golden Camera, Cannes Film Festival
FEATURED REVIEW
Hannah Brown, Jerusalem Post
The Jewish custom of shiva, the seven-day mourning period for a family following a death, is one of the religious laws that is observed by observant and secular Jews alike. It makes sense to take this time to honor the memory of the person you have lost, and friends and family know how to help ...
Played at
Fine Arts Theatre 11.16.16 - 11.16.16
Royal 4.28.17 - 5.11.17
Town Center 5 4.28.17 - 5.11.17
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