THE CAKEMAKER

Ofir Raul Graizer 2018 Israel 105min hebrew & german s.-t.en.
Synopsis:
Cooking and eating become a seductive dance in The Cakemaker – acts of joy and reciprocity, but also of betrayal. It’s through his stomach that Oren (Roy Miller) stumbles upon Thomas (Tim Kalkhof) working at a Berlin café where Thomas feeds him German cakes and cookies, and where a protracted affair is sparked and comes to a crashing halt after a terrible tragedy claims Oren’s life. The stomach is also at the heart of another pairing: Thomas and Oren’s widow, Anat (Sarah Adler). Without disclosing the truth of the affair, Thomas finds his way into Anat’s favour – and her kitchen in Jerusalem – through his baking skills. A German in a Jewish city, Thomas is confronted with suspicious whisperings, but also incredible kindness, and his sad eyes begin to sparkle with the promise of a new life both for himself and for Anat. But there are pitfalls to success, and even the best intentions can turn stale. Israel’s Best Foreign Language film entry for the Oscars, The Cakemaker has already met with critical plaudits for its blend of sweetness and despair. It is palpable filmmaking at its tastiest and most humane. – Michael Belcher