Review: Israel’s Oscar Submission "Asia"

By Abe Friedtanzer

It's been quite the year for Shira Haas. Known previously to American audiences for her work in Shtisel on Netflix and the Jessica Chastain film The Zookeeper's Wife, she arrived in a big way in 2020 as the star of Unorthodox, which premiered on Netflix in March. Just a few weeks later, she was named Best International Actress at the Tribeca Film Festival, where her film Asia was slated to have its world premiere. After popping up at a number of festivals over the past few months and winning nine of its twelve Ophir (Israel’s Oscar) nominations, Asia is now opening the Israel Film Festival in Los Angeles, which begins today…

In her past few roles, Haas, who turned twenty-five in May, has been playing younger than her age. Esty in Unorthodox was nineteen, and in Esau, which debuted on digital and VOD a few weeks ago, she portrays a particularly young teenage love interest...

Shira in "Esau"

 In Asia, she’s seventeen-year-old Vika, the moderately rebellious daughter of single mother Asia (Alena Yiv), who works many hours at a local hospital as a nurse. The two have a complicated relationship, one that finds them interacting more often as friends than as child and parent, though Asia isn’t always aware of what Vika is doing because of how much she works.

That all changes when Vika experiences a serious health setback that quickly worsens, gradually robbing her of the ability to walk and move on her own. This film’s title favors Asia because she is the one who deals with two people, examining the person that she is when she supports the daughter she’s never been able to connect to in the way that she wants and that daughter who is becoming increasingly dependent on her for care. As Vika becomes sicker, there is a very real fear present in the way she speaks that is complemented by an anger and resentment that this fate has befallen her. That progression is difficult to watch but extremely powerful and compelling.

Both Yiv and Haas won very well-deserved Ophir Awards for their performances. Yiv is genuine and vulnerable in her portrayal of Asia, who also needs her own release from the terrible situation. Haas delivers another commanding performance. What they both say with their facial expressions and body language alone is emphatic, and there is a tenderness that shines through in the few moments where they are able to connect and even laugh. The bevy of other prizes awarded by the Israeli academy, including cinematography, score, production design, and makeup, underline the cohesive and resounding nature of this intimate, affecting character study.

Alena Yiv is "Asia"OSCAR FUTURE?
I’d rate a nomination chance relatively high. Of the six previous Israeli nominees for Best International Feature that I’ve seen (and from what I’ve read of the other four), I think this is the most universal film, in that it doesn’t really involve any distinctly Israeli or Jewish themes. While I always appreciate seeing both explored in cinema – and in a number of great Israel Film Festival selections from this year – I think being accessible to any viewer will bolster its likelihood of bringing Israel back to the Oscar lineup for the first time since Footnote in 2011.

Residents of Southern California can order virtual tickets for the Israel Film Festival. Asia was picked up by Menemsha Films back in June and is scheduled to premiere at Film Forum in New York sometime this winter.