A Place in Heaven

Showings

Castro Theatre Sun, Jul 27, 2014 4:05 PM
Cinearts at Palo Alto Square Wed, Jul 30, 2014 8:50 PM
California Theatre Thu, Aug 7, 2014 8:55 PM
Smith Rafael Film Center Sun, Aug 10, 2014 8:40 PM
Film Info
Director(s):Yossi Madmoni
Country:Israel
Year of Production:2013
Running Time:117
Language(s):Hebrew
Categories:Big Nights
Premiere Status:North American
Genre-Subject:Drama
Religion & Spirituality

Description

A fiercely non-believing, war-weary soldier sells his place in Heaven to a lowly army cook for a plate of scrambled eggs. With this fable-like incident at its heart, A Place in Heaven, the latest captivating drama from the assured writer/director of Restoration (SFJFF 2012), charts how the unholy bargain resonates through four decades in the life of the Israeli soldier, a Zionist war hero (and possibly war criminal) ironically nicknamed Bambi, played brilliantly by Alon Aboutboul, whose craggy face and steely demeanor conceal worlds of inner pain and stoic resolve. Seeking an earthly legacy through a son, Bambi is foiled (perhaps cursed?) at every turn, and even when a son materializes, he sets himself on a collision course with his father by turning devoutly religious. While always staying rooted in the particular lives and loves of Bambi’s complex family, the film unabashedly asks epic—no, Biblical—questions: Are the sins of the father inevitably visited on the son? What makes a good man in the first place? Who really deserves a place in Heaven? Director Madmoni’s allegorical tale, beautifully supported by grand cinematography and a haunting score, is one of those miraculous dramas that, rather than delivering a tidy message, forces you to wrestle with the ideas it raises long after the credits have rolled.-Peter L. Stein

California Premiere

Sponsored by Amy and Mort Friedkin

Actor Michael Aloni in person in San Francisco.