Super Women

This intimate portrait follows the interwoven stories of a group of women who work the same shift as cashiers in an Israeli supermarket. In Super Women, delicate cinema verité style frames the layered relationships between subjects, most of whom are Russian immigrants living and working in Israel. Maya, educated and in her 60s, reminisces about the exciting and rewarding career she once held prior to emigrating from Russia. She does not allow herself to compare her current lifestyle with her previous one. Ella, a young newlywed, spends her work breaks longing to reunite with her husband, whom she hasn’t seen in over a year. Marlene hopes to provide a greater quality of life for her two young children. Yulia battles the constant frustration of being caught in a cycle of low paying jobs, angry that she cannot afford to celebrate her son’s bar mitzvah and certain that she cannot expand her family until she attains financial security. And Nella, a shift leader, is a matriarch of sorts who offers support on smoke breaks and acts as their representative to management, advocating for the best interests of the crew. Outstanding cinematography lures the viewer into the back rooms of the supermarket and on breaks with the employees, framing conversations about family, relationships class and more. Northern California Premiere Sponsored by Carl and Gay Grunfeld