Talking Tribeca: Zero Motivation

I’ve had the pleasure this year of screening a number of selections from this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, which takes place April 16th-27th.

Zero Motivation
Directed by Talya Levie
Festival Screenings

This film isn’t exactly a progressive or productive portrait of either the Israeli army or women in the military. Set at a desert base, it follows the day-to-day boredom and superficiality of the female soldiers who serve as secretaries to the lone female commander who has understandable trouble earning respect from her male counterparts and superiors. It is, however, a very entertaining and enjoyable comedy, one which won’t advance any societal issues but still serves as a strong and fun film. Its two stars, Nelly Tagar and Dana Ivgy, are particularly terrific as Daffi, whose sole responsibility is shredding paper and who dreams of transferring to Tel Aviv, and Zohar, who can’t be bothered to do anything productive and causes more harm than anything else in her efforts to respond cleverly to orders she is given, respectively. Their energy corresponds perfectly to the film’s overall feel, a portrait of the mundane nature of doing something you couldn’t have any less interest in doing.

See it or skip it? See it! It’s far from the most serious movie you’ll see at the festival, but it’s an enjoyable dark comedy.