Zero Motivation is a unique, sharply observed, sometimes dark and often hilarious portrait of everyday life for a unit of young female soldiers in a remote Israeli desert outpost. Playing out like M*A*S*H meets Orange is the New Black, writer/director Talya Lavie's brilliant debut details the power struggles of three women with different agendas and very little to do. Pencil-pushers in the Human Resources Office, best friends Zohar (Dana Ivgy) and Daffi (Nelly Tagar) spend their time playing video games, singing pop songs, jousting with stationery and dreaming of Tel Aviv. The indolent twosome are watched over by their aspiring senior officer, Rama (Shani Klein), who dreams of a higher position and a significant military career, but with a platoon of unskilled, idle female soldiers without any drive under her charge, her ambitions for promotion are constantly thwarted. With shifts of tone that go from slapstick to satiric to horrifying with fluid ease, and with a superb supporting cast of characters, Zero Motivation is destined to be one of the most talked about films of the year. Winner of the Best Narrative Feature Award at the Tribeca Film Festival.
CAST:
Dana Ivgy, Nelly Tagar, Shani Klein, Heli Twito, Meytal Gal, Tamara Klingon, Yonit Tobi
DIRECTOR:
Talya Lavie
It is not often that one sees a strong all-female cast that is able to portray relationships between everyday women.
This film does smart and humorous the right way.”
—Mayra Castro, LIFE IN L.A.
(A) gem of a debut film... Lavie has created something
genuinely new and exciting.”
—Amos Barshad, GRANTLAND
Inventively recasts conflict in decidedly non-heroic, absurdist white-collar terms... In this militaristic Office Space, the mayhem can only escalate.”
—Ronnie Scheib, VARIETY
A great mixture of Girls, M*A*S*H and Office Space.”
—Dustin Chang, TWITCH
Unpredictably entertaining.
Comedies this distinctive don’t come around that often. (Heralds) first-time writer-director Talya Lavie as an immensely promising new talent.”
—Mike D'Angelo, THE DISSOLVE
Venue:
Nuart Theatre
(310) 473-8530
Address:
11272 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Los Angeles, CA, 90025
(Just west of the 405 Freeway)