Time of Favor

Infobox Film
name = Time of Favor


caption =
director = Joseph Cedar
producer = David Mandil Eyal Shiray
writer = Joseph Cedar
starring = Aki Avni Tinkerbell Idan Alterman Assi Dayan Abraham Celektar
music = Jonathan Bar-Giora
cinematography = Ofer Inov
editing = Tova Asher
distributor = Blue Dolphin Film Distribution Ltd.
released = November 30, 2000 (Israel)
runtime = 102 min
country = Israel
language = Hebrew
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0268696

"Time of Favor" (in Hebrew, Ha-hesder) is Israeli writer-director Joseph Cedar's 2000 debut film, starring Aki Avni. The film plays out a psychologically complex love triangle in the middle of terrorist conflict in Israel's West Bank.

"The New York Times" called it an "art house thriller," cite news
last =Holden
first =Stephen
title =Time of Favor (2000)
work =
pages =
language =English
publisher =New York Times
date =
url =http://movies2.nytimes.com/movie/239454/Time-of-Favor/overview
accessdate = August 8 ] and the "Los Angeles Times" said it was "one of the most successful contemporary Israeli films." *cite news
last =Turan
first =Kenneth
title = Time of Favor
work =
pages =
language =English
publisher =Los Angeles Times
date =February 1 2002
url =http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-movie000007953feb01,0,7233026.story
accessdate = 8 August ]

Plot

In "Time of Favor" Manachem, a handsome, stoic soldier in the Israeli Defense Force, is offered his own unit, made up of fellow students from Rabbi Meltzer’s West Bank Yeshiva. At the same time, Rabbi Meltzer plays matchmaker with his daughter, Michal, and star student Pini. It’s no surprise that Michal, strong-willed and independent, prefers Manachem’s silent strength to Pini’s over excitement. The love triangle knots up and the political tension raises throughout the film until everyone’s allegiances are tested in the end.

“This land of Israel is bought with pain,” says Michal, the Rabbi’s pale and skinny much desired daughter, as she looks out on the sandy mountains of the West Bank. Romantic love and patriotic love are both full of pain in Cedar's film.

Set in Israel, "Time of Favor" Moves from the country's barren desert to a secret underground tunnel system. The characters bathe in underground pools, run through 1800 year-old catacombs, and pray on large spreads of earth, where the barren nature impresses a sense of solemnity.

Cedar’s Zionist upbringing is apparent in this highly religious film. "Time of Favor" handles the Holy Land with high regard and maintains a sense of solemnity throughout. The importance of prayer and tradition is stressed. Soldiers dressed in full uniform break from their training to open prayer books and raise their minds to God. The Rabbi’s religious position marks him as a strong authority in his community. He is trusted and respected, and his students, with total faith in him, follow his every wish.

Reception

"Time of Favor" met with mixed reviews. The film's complex depiction of Israel was generally praised. Cedar, an Israeli, offers an insider's unique, nuanced look at his homeland. While he's mildly critical of the settlements in the West Bank, he remains respectful towards the religious who live there. The "Los Angeles Times" gave the film a glowing review, calling it "intensely contemporary," ] and the "San Francisco Chronicle" described the film's "balanced, reflective and reasonable," cite news
last = LaSalle
first =Mick
coauthors =Edward Guthmann
title =Last Orders
work =
pages =
language =English
publisher =San Francisco Chronicle
date =March 1 2002
url =http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/03/01/DD87185.DTL#time
accessdate = August 8 ] tone.

The "Village Voice" said "Time of Favor" was a "flawed but engrossing thriller." cite news
last =Hoberman
first =J.
title =Rite What You Know
work =
pages =
language =English
publisher =Village Voice
date =January 16 2002
url =http://www.villagevoice.com/film/0203,hoberman,31487,20.html
accessdate = August 8 ] There's a sort of tunnel vision that neglects the Palestinians, but the fact that an Israeli is a terrorist makes the film "exotic." ]

Cast

*Aki Avni ... Menachem
*Tinkerbell ... Michal
*Idan Alterman ... Pini
*Assi Dayan ... Rabbi Meltzer
*Abraham Celektar ... Itamar (as Micha Selektar)
*Amnon Volf ... Mookie
*Shimon Mimran ... Benny
*Uri Klauzner ... Sivan (as Uri Klausner)
*Samuel Calderon ... Doron (as Shemuel Kalderon)

Awards

"Time of Favor" won five awards from the Israeli Film Academy Awards in 2000:
*Best Actor--Aki Avni
*Best Actress--Tinkerbell
*Best Cinematography--Ofer Inov
*Best Film
*Best Screenplay--Joseph Cedar

"Time of Favor" was nominated for six Israeli Film Academy Awards in 2000:
*Best Art Direction-- Yair Greenberg
*Best Costume Design-- Etti Luggassi
*Best Editing-- Tova Asher
*Best Music-- Johnathan Bar-Giora
*Best Sound-- Israel David and John Purcell
*Best Supporting Actor-- Idan Alterman

"Time of Favor" was nominated for a Peace Award from the American Political Film Society in 2003, and won the Audience Award from the Washington Jewish Film Festival in 2001.

ee also

*"Alila"
*"Kedma"
*"Kippur"

Notes

References

*cite news
last =Holden
first =Stephen
title =Time of Favor (2000)
work =
pages =
language =English
publisher =New York Times
date =
url =http://movies2.nytimes.com/movie/239454/Time-of-Favor/overview
accessdate = August 8
*cite news
last =Hoberman
first =J.
title =Rite What You Know
work =
pages =
language =English
publisher =Village Voice
date =January 16 2002
url =http://www.villagevoice.com/film/0203,hoberman,31487,20.html
accessdate = August 8
*cite news
last = LaSalle
first =Mick
coauthors =Edward Guthmann
title =Last Orders
work =
pages =
language =English
publisher =San Francisco Chronicle
date =March 1 2002
url =http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/03/01/DD87185.DTL#time
accessdate = August 8
*cite news
last =Turan
first =Kenneth
title = Time of Favor
work =
pages =
language =English
publisher =Los Angeles Times
date =February 1 2002
url =http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-movie000007953feb01,0,7233026.story
accessdate = 8 August

External links

*
* [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/time_of_favor/ Time of Favor on Rotten Tomatoes]