International titles : Cheli (France) ; Next to her (USA)
Score : 8/10
Year : 2014
Country: Israel
Language: Hebrew
Duration: 1h25
Writers: Liron Ben-Shlush (screenplay) ; Sari Ezouz (consultant)
Gabby is 24 years old. She's mentally challenged.
Cheli, her 27 year old sister raises her alone, until she's forced to place her at a day center.
From that point on, Cheli's routine of daily care for her sister is shattered and she has to learn to cope with the fact that she must share this care with others. But, things get really complicated when she meets Zohar...
At li layla's strength relies on solid acting and explores the boundaries of love, interdependence in a self-sacrificing nurturing relationship between Cheli and Gaby, and how such a symbiosis can evolve.
Dana Ivgy is very convincing as Gabby ; she truly becomes a mentally challenged person and portrays her role flawlessly.
As the short (19') making-off feature tells us, Liron Ben-Shlush wrote and refined her script for 4 years, which she imagined as another life she might have led. Then, she worked hard to incarnate Cheli in this film which her husband Asaf Korman directed...
Liron portrays very well the various stages Cheli has to experience : from obsessive nurturing to the difficulties in coping with the changes she's thrusted into as well as her growing fatigue and irritability, Liron's acting is superb.
Yaakov Daniel Zada brings his own intensity as Zohar, and one is left to imagine the source of this 34 year old man's personal wounds, as they aren't explored at all.
The story isn't about him, but how his interaction with these two sisters moves the narration forward.
The cinematography and directing usually seemed right to me - but I noted a couple scenes in which the camera angles didn't make totally sense to me. Nevertheless, these were minor moments and the overall atmosphere is quite heavy as it should with the topics of this film.
The original title ''at li layla'' means ''you are my night'' ; the ending song of the same title, is performed by Dana Ivgy (=Gabby) and its lyrics suit this movie perfectly. They do relate to intense love the narrator has towards a woman who left to another world... (several singers have recorded this song in the 1980 & 90's ; my favorite is Boaz Sharabi's version).
As many israeli movies, the soundtrack is very limited as most of this film has no score at all. Only the above mentioned song and two more are played.
Asaf Korman's first feature film should be rated R due to some nudity and sexuality, and the whole subjects it deals with.
At li layla garnered many international film awards, including in Israel and Cannes' festival, an unexpected success for this group of friends who worked for 5 years in its making.
In conclusion, I cannot say that I ''enjoyed'' this movie because of its serious topic ; it wasn't exactly entertainementy, eighter : it's like an independant art film one can watch almost like a documentary. It doesn't embellish anything and doesn't overexploit the nudity and sexuality as too many hollywoodian movies do... it's about (fictional) people and their lives.
Starring : Liron Ben-Shlush, Dana Ivgy & Yaakov Zada, et al.
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