Past Life

Two Israeli sisters, the daughters of Holocaust survivors, unravel the shocking truth about their father’s murky wartime experiences in this hybrid detective thriller and heart-tugging drama. Set in historic 1977, the film centers on combative liberal journalist, Nana, and her younger sister, Sephi, a soprano and aspiring classical music composer. After a choral performance in West Berlin, Sephi is traumatized by a startling encounter with an elderly Polish woman who angrily accuses her father of murder.  As guilty secrets and troubling revelations are dredged up, the film boldly charts dangerous emotional territory, still very much part of the Israeli collective subconscious. The film’s polished period details, rich-hued cinematography and handsome production design are further served by a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack.