Jellyfish

Winner of the Cannes Camera d’Or, this dream-like film follows three women in Israel whose lives intersect in unexpected ways. There is Keren (Noa Knoller), a new bride; Batia (Sarah Adler), a waitress at Keren’s wedding; and Joy (Ma-nenita De Latorre), a Filipino caretaker attending the wedding with her employer. The film quietly shows the struggles of each character, as Keren spends her honeymoon secretly writing poetry in the hotel room after breaking her leg during the reception; heart-broken Batia finds a mysterious young girl wandering on a beach; and Joy tries to make a living but wonders if she did the right thing leaving her son behind in the Philippines. Painting a diverse portrait of modern-day Tel Aviv, the story lines show how vastly different women can find connections.

Shelf Talk: Jellyfish will benefit from the recent surge of Israeli titles, including The Band’s Visit and Walk on Water, being released to coincide with the country’s 60th anniversary. Arthouse fans also will want to know about this one, considering its film-festival wins, indie pedigree and co-director Etgar Keret, a writer whose stories have been featured in This American Life.