7 Days

A film at The Arts House as part of the Israeli Film Fest in Singapore
9/9/17

The scene opens with a corpse being lowered into a grave. Women clad in black mourn and cry hysterically. It's a cropped view of these glorious women of varying ages mourning the death of Maurice. Suddenly a siren goes off much like a war siren and people scramble to put on gas masks. Sadly they can't find their mom's mask and none of the children or grandchildren offer their mask to her.

Set in 1991 during the first Gulf War, this large family, the Ohayon - seven boys and two girls - are stuck in the same house for seven days to morn for the loss of their brother Maurice, as with Jewish tradition. There are glimpse of Jewish culture e.g. no consumption of meat during mourning, good things will befall you if you do good e.g. you will get a good husband if you do more good. And many other issues which manifest as gossip, confrontation, fights, bitching, adultery, desire and power struggle. Over money, coveting of e.g. a brother's brother.

Maurice is clearly the favoured son who is filial. There's talk about how his wife Ilana drove him to his grave with her materialistic demands. She recounts the moments before her death - they were dancing their four in the morning. He refuses to go home as if he knew what awaited - the final demand requiring his life - and dropped dead with his last drink and dance, due to a stroke. A good way to die I must say.

The eldest brother, Meir, did not take over the factories after the death of his father. Because of his lack of responsibility as eldest son, his youngest brother Charlie loses respect for him. Now Meir wants to run as mayor.

Before that the brothers were all poor and they depended on Maurice who gave them work in the factory, provided sister Simone with a monthly allowance. The family drove Maurice to his grave. He treated his brothers as co-workers but they wanted more and having sucked him dry and broke, only one brother is willing to mortgage his house to bail him out.

Lili thinks that Maurice loves her even though she's married to one of his brothers. The new widow, Ilana refutes her.

Vivianne this stunning woman has mutual affection for Ben Lulu, a family friend, and reciprocates her affection. She confronts her sister Simone who airs her grief - no one gave her support both emotionally and financially, after the loss of her husband. The brothers say they did try to reach out but she refused support.

Therese's sister, Evelyne, an unmarried woman of 44.5 tries to seduce Ben Lulu with a red butterfly scarf on her neck (not supposed to wear colours during mourning) to no avail. Her efforts are pathetic but identifiable as a woman pining for her lover. Ben Lulu is the least bit interested. She throws in the last straw by inviting him to her "birthday party" which he agrees to go. But it's obvious he only has eyes for Vivianne.

Ita loaned her money and her brother's money to her husband for the factory. Now that it has gone bust she wants her portion of the money back. Husband Jacques is left in a tight spot - piety to his immediate family or to his wife's?

The scene ends with the mom giving Meir the eldest son one right slap. He weeps silently and there other siblings express remorse while the Mother laments the loss of her most filial son.