The Cousin
New York Jewish Film Festival 2018
January 10 - 23, 2018
A Palestinian handyman is accused of assaulting a young girl, and the progressive-minded Israeli actor who has hired him to do work on his house steps up as the lone voice in his defense in this morally complex, comic-tinged drama. Preceded by The Law of Averages.
Q&As with director Tzahi Grad
In this darkly comic thriller, progressive-minded Israeli actor Naftali (writer-director Tzahi Grad) hires Palestinian handyman Fahed (Ala Fakka) to do some work in his home. When a young girl is assaulted nearby, the neighbors immediately begin to suspect Fahed, and so Naftali steps up as the lone voice in Fahed’s defense. Grad cleverly evokes the moral complexities through Naftali, who is no Atticus Finch. Grad portrays him as a comically stubborn and self-righteous actor—one who, in the film, is developing a reality show about bridging the gap between Israelis and Palestinians—who must reckon with the uncomfortable realization that he, too, might be letting his politics cloud his reason.
Preceded by:
The Law of Averages
Elizabeth Rose, Canada/USA, 2016, 13 min
A young woman must sort out her relationship with her mother while they await the death of her grandmother. A comedy.
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