Nina's Tragedies

In his funny, sad, and thoroughly engrossing bittersweet comedy, director Savi Gabizon shows why this highly original coming-of-age story walked away with 11 Israeli Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Director. Fourteen-year-old Nadav is hopelessly in love with his sexy aunt Nina (Ayelet Zurer), who has recently lost her husband and is clueless about Nadav’s affections. He’s also caught between the two worlds of his divorced parents: his mother is a high-strung fashionista, while his father has recently become devoutly Orthodox and has withdrawn from the family in order to roam the gritty streets of Tel Aviv in a van, cheerfully blasting the word of God through loudspeakers. The film is told in flashback, as the family packs the boy off to live with his lonely aunt, unaware of his enormous crush on her. Nadav suffers as Nina falls for a man her own age, and he struggles over whether to reconcile with his father. Nina’s Tragedies perfectly captures that time in adolescence when one is old enough to wander around freely and observe the emotional and sexual activities of adults, and young enough not to be caught in their quagmire. Gabizon (Shuru, Lovesick on Nana Street) has a deft talent for mixing humor with drama and the trivial with the momentous. He masterfully directs a strong ensemble cast, and explores the tenuous but fierce connections between lovers, parents, and children. Ayelet Zurer (who starred in SFJFF favorites Florentene and The Dybbuk of the Holy Apple Field) is extraordinary in the title role.

SAVI GABIZON (Director) is writer/producer/director of his third feature film, "Nina’s Tragedies". He previously directed the Israeli comedy "Shuroo" ("The Lookout"), a box office hit and winner of the Best Film and Best Screenplays prizes at the Jerusalem International Film Festival as well as the recipient of seven Israeli Academy award including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. Gabizon’s next film, the comedy-drama "Lovesick on Nana Street," was also a hit with Israeli audiences and won Best Film and Best Screenplay prizes at the Jerusalem International Film Festival, and eight Israeli Academy awards including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. Gabizon also teaches filmmaking and screenwriting at his alma mater, Tel Aviv University, and serves in the Israeli Army reserves in the filming unit.