Film Review - Off White Lies
by Shelly Schoeneshoefer

Director: Maya Kenig, Israel/France

Maya Kenig takes us on an unusual and surprising road trip. Libby (Elya Inbar) arrives in Tel Aviv from California. Her mother has sent her to live with her father to whom she has had very little contact.  Starting with the pick-up at the airport Libby realises that her father Shaul (Gur Bentwich) is somewhat of a character and before long realizes that he plans to take her on an adventure rather than to his house.

As their relationship grows and trust soon becomes an issue, Libby realises that her father is a homeless inventor trying to find a solution to their plight. With the coming of the second outbreak of the Lebanese war, he decides to use that to his advantage and find them a home which is willing to take in refugees from the north. Along with fake identities and one lie after another the pressure builds up until Libby finally blows their cover.

This film has already won best actor at the Jerusalem Film Festival, as well as seven nominations at the Israeli Academy Awards. At the Q & A Kenig said that this film was semi- autobiographical. Shaul’s character was mainly based on her own father. She remembers going through airports to spend time with her father or going back to her mother. The film shows how the relationship grows between the father and the daughter and with time they realise how much they mean to each other. The film is sensitive, funny and poignant which includes crazy inventions like mini cigarettes, a smokeless vacuum cleaner as well as a coming of age story.