Directed by Moshe Rosenthal
Narrative Feature | Israel | 2022 | 100 min | Hebrew with English subtitles
Sponsored by Phyllis and Howard Fischer; Helen and Jordan Schwartz
Philadelphia Premiere
The days are slow and uneventful for Meir (Sasson Gabay) and Tova (Rita Shukrun), a married couple residing in a cozy Tel Aviv apartment complex. They have been married for 46 years, and despite their easy-breezy days, the spark in their romance has disappeared. Meir, a stoic, quiet man, avoids all social interaction, while his wife, a lover of dance and music, craves adventure in their lives. Everything changes when a new tenant, known around the apartment as the “penthouse guy,” moves into one of the floors. His name is Itzik (Lior Ashkenazi), and his dashing looks, free-spirited personality, and rousing karaoke parties leave Meir and Tova smitten and amused. As the couple befriends him and continues to attend his parties, their zest for life gradually grows, as well as secrets and painful desires that Meir and Tova have hidden from one another for too long.
Nominated for nine Ophir Awards (Israeli Academy Awards) and Official Selection of the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival, KARAOKE is a funny, authentic comedy/drama about aging, love, and the chance happenings that can forever change our outlook on life. With award-worthy performances all around, Moshe Rosenthal’s debut feature film avoids rom-com formula and peeks inside the hidden desires of the heart.
Official Selection:
- Boston Jewish Film Festival
- Jerusalem Film Festival
- San Francisco Jewish Film Festival
- Tribeca Film Festival