Bathe in the glow of two life-affirming short works by Israeli filmmaker/actor Pini Tavger at Contemporary World Cinema: Israeli Short Films at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. With painterly, clear compositions and an infectious, cheek-pinching performance by youngster Anthony Berman in the title role, Pinchas (2008) deftly tells a heartwarming tale of Russian immigrants, mom and young son, newly arrived from the motherland. While hardworking mom finds solace in the arms of a married man, Pinchas finds his with a religious family upstairs. 10 Weitzman Street (2006), a comic little gem that Charlie Chaplin would have loved to claim, finds Russian immigrants dad, mom and daughter, who desperately needs to pee, trudging through Tel Aviv looking for their new house. In 13 minutes, these indomitable immigrants lose their luggage and their tempers, live through a gas attack and pee on the floor. It’s a delight! Filmmaker Tavger will answer questions after the screening. 7 p.m. 1001 Bissonnet. For information, call 713-639-7515 or visit www.mfah.org/films. Free.
Mon., Nov. 8, 2010
This article appears in Nov 4-10, 2010.
