Tuesday, September 22, 2009

FLAT

Some people think I lead a very exotic and glamorous life here in the Middle East.

It's true.

Last night, I was invited to attend a movie premiere.

Alas, Brad and Angelina sent their regrets. To bad for them, they really missed out.

You see, I have a very talented friend. Nitsana and I go waay-waay back. I knew her in my college/Bnei Akiva youth group days. At the time she was an aspiring actress. She moved to Israel many moons ago and we sort of lost touch. But I contacted her when we moved here.

That was right about the time that Nitsana was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. She went about the business of getting treatment and beating this disease with the grace of--the tens and hundreds and thousands of women we all collectively know who fight this disease every single day of the year.

Nitsana, never one to sit on her laurels, used her energy to direct and produce a movie short called FLAT. She invited me to see the premiere of the movie and I was glad I was able to go. Nitsana and I are very different; she is artistic and single and lives in Tel-Aviv (her life really does seem glamorous). The premiere was held at a hip pub and attending for me, was stepping out of my box. After I saw the 4 1/2 minute movie, I was so stunned that I couldn't even applaud. It was so unexpected, even shocking.

But it made a profound statement about the way we lead our lives.

I'm going to tell you all that the movie has nudity. Remember, it is a movie inspired by Nitsana's battle with breast cancer. If you think that will offend you, well, you've been warned.

The film was selected to be part of the finals for an international competition in Toronto as the only Israeli film. All the films entered are by or about survivors of Breast Cancer. The winner will be determined by online voting.

You can visit the site to see the film – and if you like it, vote for it. Voting is really easy and you can vote up to three times. You can also send the link to your facebook, twitter and e-mail friends. I'd love to see Nitsana win. You can see the film and vote here. FLAT is on the top right corner.

And while we're on the subject, I've just scheduled my annual mammogram at Machon Hala. Have you scheduled yours (or made sure your wife, mother, sister scheduled hers)?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Awesome! Nitsana made such a provocative film. I voted too.

CK

Anonymous said...

Baila, what a smart and wonderful way to reach so many people. Not only for Nitsana's film (which got my vote) - but for Breast Cancer Awareness too. You might've saved someones' life by gettting them to have that mammogram

Benji Lovitt said...

Just voted. Very well done.

Leora said...

I was going to say I hope it plays in New Jersey...but then I realized it is all online already.

Look forward to watching it. Thanks for the review.

RivkA with a capital A said...

Hey, I know Nitsana from the "old days" too! Now I am wondering if our paths crosses as well, but we just did not know it....