VITA A VIDA/ CHEERS TO LIFE
Brazil, 2024, 103 minutes, Colour.
Thati Lopes, Roderio Simas, Regina Braga, Jonas Bloch, Diego Martins.
Directed by Cris D'Amato.
The title is the equivalent of “To Life” and the Hebrew “L’ Chaim”. While this is a Brazilian production, there has been a collaboration with Israel, the early part of the film set in Brazil itself, in black-and-white in the 1970s, in colour in 2023. But, a great deal of the film was made in Israel itself. Which means that for the Israeli audience, there is a connection with the diaspora in Brazil and a lighthearted romance with some family problems. Which also means for the Brazilian audience a trip to Israel, literally going on tour, the sights of Tel Aviv, Joffa, of the Mediterranean, of a trip to Jerusalem, the overview of the city, the Wailing Wall, a trip down towards
Eilat, out in the Negev, a trip to the Dead Sea and a cable car to Masada. An enjoyable opportunity to see quite something of Israel.
This film could be described as a romantic comedy. The focus is on Jessica, her mother dead, not knowing anything of her family. But she has a necklace memory with a photo. She works, somewhat messily, in an art shop. She does not get on well with her boss.
She encounters Gabriel, in a tangle with his photographer wife. As they get to know each other, it emerges that they are related, some family background, sisters remaining in Brazil but in the 1970s, another sister eloping with an adventurous type and relocating in Israel, cutting off all connections with Brazil.
Discovering that she and Gabriel are cousins, Jessica “borrows” some jewellery to pay for airfares for them to go to Israel to search out her mysterious grandmother.
On the one hand, we can all enjoy the tourism in Israel. On the other, there are the grandparents, she walking out on her husband who used to be adventurous but now wants lentil soup every second Wednesday. In fact, he owns the tourism company. (And there is a very camp enthusiastic guide, a gay couple, a married couple and three Catholic nuns in their habits, all enjoying the sights and the activities.)
There are various crises, finding the right moment to reveal identities but, of course, it happens at the wrong moment with a few dire consequences, disbelief from the grandfather, and moments of joy from the grandmother who did not know she had a granddaughter.
There are many celebrations, a Bat Mitzvah, plenty of Haga Navila – and, during the final credits, a bus in the desert with the drapes flying, homage to Priscilla!
Slight but enjoyable in its way, romantic and slapstick, but especially for Brazilians and Israelis.
