The broken part of these wings is what happens to the Ullman family in Israel after their
father/husband is killed in a freak accident. Nine months later, the four children and their
mother are trying to come to terms with it.
Terms mean different things to different people, but what seems obvious is that
no-one's coping too well and no-one's talking. The relationship between Dafna (Orly
Silbersatz Banai), the mother, and 17-year-old Maya (Maya Maron), a budding
singer/songwriter, has collapsed into guerrilla insults. Maya's twin, Yair (Nitai Gaviratz),
has dropped out of school, given up basketball - his passion - and slobs around the
apartment, saying things such as: "This conversation does not exist and you don't
exist."
Nir Bergman's film has every right to be the biggest downer since
Nil By Mouth, but, like Lilya 4-ever, this is far from the case. There is
much humour, warmth and humanity here. As an ensemble piece, it hooks you in with
compassion for Dafna's indefatigable courage, Maya's confused loyalties and Yair's sweet
nature.
Bergman's non-judgmental approach allows the audience to make up its own mind about
whether this family is going under, or will come through a potential second tragedy more
united.
Emotions may be all over the place, but the performances are as strong as Dafna's spirit.
Although a slice-of-life movie, offering no easy answers and only a soupcon of
sentimentality, Broken Wings is a healer. You feel better for watching it.