Popular Israeli stand-up comedian Adir Miller (MATCHMAKER, SJFF 2011; THE WONDERS, SJFF 2014; THE MONKEY HOUSE, SJFF 2024) wrote, codirected and stars in this exceptional comic melodrama about a father-daughter odyssey to find his mother’s fabled ring.
In the film’s prologue, a desperate Hungarian-Jewish mother, clutching a baby, bribes a soldier with her valuable ring to let her off the train going to Auschwitz. Fast-forward to the 2000s: Violetta is still passionately presenting the story of her Holocaust experience and miraculous escape. When her health declines, her son Arnon (Miller), a devout man-cum-disgraced lawyer, whose career was ruined by illegal gambling, convinces his estranged daughter (Joy Rieger, PAST LIFE, SJFF 2017; IMAGE OF VICTORY, SJFF 2022) to join him on a quest to find the iconic ring. The uneasy duo travel to Budapest, sleuthing, comically needling each other and confronting emotional discoveries.
Miller does an exceptional job anchoring the cast as a fish-out-of-water leading man with intense energy and comic timing, while affording Rieger opportunities to shine. While audiences will get dramatically hooked on the whereabouts of the ring, the film’s real joy is deeper—the journey to family healing and mutual understanding.
Director Bios: View on IMDB (Miller/Doron Paz/Yoav Paz)
Adir Miller is a celebrated comedian, actor, writer and creator. He gained international acclaim for his work with Avi Nesher and has since become one of Israel’s most recognizable and respected talents in cinema.
Doron & Yoav Paz are Israeli filmmakers known for their bold visual style and emotionally charged storytelling.
Happy Hour: Wine/beer/noshes for sale in the J Cafe before the film.
