Nina's tragedies

Through the eyes of Nadav, a sensitive teenage boy Oedipally smitten with his beautiful Aunt Nina, we scrutinize the unpredictable machinations of adults as they stumble through excruciating loss, mind-blowing sex, bizarre coincidence, mortal illness, and birth. At times, everyone disappoints Nadav, but in Gabizon's expansive universe, there is plenty of room for human fallibility, oddity, and diversity. Anything goes - Hassids dance in the streets with yuppies, Azerbaijani immigrants study sleep disorders, army officers write poetry, teenagers fantasize about their adulterous aunts, and a strange man wanders naked in the streets. No one exemplifies this nonjudgmental attitude better than Nadav's father, who ultimately gives his son unconditional acceptance. Whether dwelling on painful encounters or surprising us with whimsical twists, Gabizon gets at something uncannily real. And this raw truth, this emotional nakedness, is deeply refreshing. The film walked away with 11 Israeli Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Director.