Six Acts (film)

Six Acts (Shesh Peamim)
Directed by Jonathan Gurfinkel
Produced by Udi Yerushalmy
Screenplay by Rona Segal
Starring
Cinematography Shark De-Mayo
Edited by Arik Leibovitz
Distributed by Films Distribution
Running time
 93 minutes
Country Israel
Language Hebrew

Six Acts (Originally released as Shesh Peamim and also referred to as S#x Acts) is a 2012 Israeli film, directed by Jonathan Gurfinkel. The film is set in Herzliya and shows Six different encounters between a group of teenagers over the course of a few weeks. The film was written by Rona Segal, and it is inspired by true events. The film was produced by Tazfilm productions and funded by the The Israeli Film Fund and Keshet Broadcasting.

Plot summary

Naïve teen girl Gili (Sivan Levy) changes schools. She is determined to improve her inferior social status, so she hooks up with her new school’s coolest guy, Tomer (Roy Nik). Her plan succeeds, and she takes pride in her ability to draw attention. Even when her crush passes her off to his friend, she is still flattered. But soon all of the boys become aware of Gili’s reputation, and as each new encounter pushes her limits a little further, the line of consent begins to blur.[1]

Cast

Eviatar Mor, Jonathan Gurfinkel, Sivan Levy, Roy Nik and Rona Segal during the San Sebastian Film Festival

Official cast:[1]

Production

After 3 years of writing, Six Acts was presented at the Jerusalem Film Festival Pitch Point 2010, where it won a Jury's special mention. Later that year, the Israeli Film Fund and Keshet Broadcasting decided to invest in Six Acts, and it was shot in the summer of 2011. The Shooting took place mainly around Herzliya and Ramat Hasharon. These locations are considered the fancy suburbs of Tel Aviv, and their appearance in the film plays a role of its own: "In this world of swimming pools, iPhones, glossy houses and daddy’s cars - this is Ramat Hasharon, but could be Malibu, Sydney, the South of France" (Screen International).[2] In an Interview, director Jonathan Gurfinkel and screenwriter Rona Segal said they chose Nouveau riche surroundings in order to resonate the extensive Neo-liberal process Israel has gone through in the last few decades.[3]

Release

Festivals

Distribution

Six Acts is represented by Films Distribution,[7] and was bought for theatrical distribution in several markets, including Australia, Russia, CIS countries and Korea. The Israeli theatrical premiere is due October 2013.

Reception

Critical response

Six Acts was well received by critics. Fionnuala Halligan of Screen International called it an "Arresting debut", saying: "Six Acts is a completely universal film... If you don’t immediately recognize the people and situations on screen here, you’ve forgotten what it is to be 16. “[2] While at the Tribeca Film Festival, Complex (magazine) chose Six Acts to open their Tribeca "Must-See" list, describing the film as a "“Bold, devastating look at the psyche of a 16-year-old who's just trying to be accepted, albeit in the most self-destructive ways possible".[8] Sivan Levy's acting was described as a "Knockout performance". IndieWire was also praising Levy's performance, saying she had "unforgettably sharp features that suggest Bettie Page as a blade".[9] Isaac Zablocki Huffington Post wrote: "Six Acts is both stylistically innovative as it captures a realism and represents a new lost generation similarly to Larry Clark's Kids (film).[10]

Accolades

Notes

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