Talya Lavie debut marks best opening for an Israeli indie in three years.
Talya Lavie’s directorial debut Zero Motivation has gone down a storm at the Israeli box office, drawing 100,000 admissions after two weeks from only 20 screens — making it the best opening for an independent Israeli film in three years.
The darkly comic Tribeca Film Festival winner, which charts the everyday life of a unit of young, female Israeli soldiers, has beaten out a number of Hollywood blockbusters in the process.
Strong reviews, the relatable plot, and the local audience’s desire for comedy have driven the film’s impressive run, according to the film’s distributor Lev Cinemas.
Guy Shani, Lev Cinemas CEO, told Screen: “It is a fantastic result given the complicated security situation the country is experiencing in addition to the draw of the World Cup.”
And after hitting cinemas on June 27, an expansion could be on the cards in coming weeks.
Produced by July August Productions in co-production with Haut et Court, backers included the Israeli Film Fund and HOT TV.
Zeitgeist will release in the US. The Match Factory handles sales.
Lavie will be at the Jerusalem Lab presentation today to discuss her new film in development, The Current Love of My Life.
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