"Aya" is a film set in Israel and is a strange sort of story about a woman who is waiting for someone at the airport. Oddly, however, when a man is looking for his driver to take him to a piano competition, she impulsively decides to pretend to be his driver and take him on the long drive from the airport in Tel Aviv to his hotel in Jerusalem. Exactly why she does this isn't really clear and they set off on this road trip across the country. The story is mildly interesting, though I kept waiting for that moment when everything would make sense or have a pay-off to make the film seem Oscar-worthy. However, this is not to say the film is bad, however. I really, really loved the cinematography and still wonder how they were able to film a few of the scenes. In particular, it's tough to film folks inside a car because there is so little room for a camera. So, they often do tricks like removing mirrors and windshields when you watch these scenes on TV or in films. And, usually the car is actually being towed--no one is really driving. Yet, there are a few shots that reveal that none of these tricks are happening at times. In fact, if anyone can tell me HOW they did all this, I would love to know, as in one case the camera is inside the car and then goes outside and around it--all in what looks like one take. Overall, this is a decent film with great camera-work but not much more.
6 Reviews
A movie that proudly quits while it's ahead
Nozz11 October 2012
The publicity for AYA makes much of the fact that the film, although shown theatrically as a feature, is only forty minutes long. And the publicity does well to make noise about that, because you don't want people indignantly surprised when the ending comes at what would normally be the halfway mark on your wristwatch. The claim is that structurally the movie is complete as is, and that its quality is sufficient reward for a trip to the movie house even without some short co-feature to fill out the time. I find the first half of the claim pretty credible, because the movie is about a new and tentative acquaintanceship that would only be overburdened by any additional adventures, coincidences, or revelations. As for the second half of the claim-- I think I wouldn't have minded seeing another short film before going home.
A reasonable way to spend 40 minutes
paul-685-66457510 June 2020
I saw this on Kanopy. It's short and entertaining.
Much of it takes place inside a moving car driven by an Israeli woman and next to him a Danish guy. Both are well educated and intelligent. It constantly bothered the heck out of me that neither of them wearing a seat belt. Now I've been to Israel many times and I know how they drive there, so I could digest that the driver had no seat belt but, for G.d's sake, a Danish music researcher without a seat belt? No way! I just don't get it.
Apart from this, I didn't regret spending more than half an hour watching what the outcome will be and I wasn't disappointed.
P.S. The film reminded me of the joke that all drivers in Israel are excellent (because the bad ones are all dead).
Much of it takes place inside a moving car driven by an Israeli woman and next to him a Danish guy. Both are well educated and intelligent. It constantly bothered the heck out of me that neither of them wearing a seat belt. Now I've been to Israel many times and I know how they drive there, so I could digest that the driver had no seat belt but, for G.d's sake, a Danish music researcher without a seat belt? No way! I just don't get it.
Apart from this, I didn't regret spending more than half an hour watching what the outcome will be and I wasn't disappointed.
P.S. The film reminded me of the joke that all drivers in Israel are excellent (because the bad ones are all dead).
Journey to Jerusalem
Horst_In_Translation14 March 2016
Warning: Spoilers
The really multi-cultural 40-minute "Aya" (named after the female protagonist) is a 2012 French/Israeli movie that is mostly in English language and stars Danish actor Ulrich Thomsen, just under the age of 50, as one of the 2 protagonists. His counterpart is the much younger Sarah Adler who was born in Paris. In charge of the script were Oded Binnun and Mihal Brezis and they got nominated for an Oscar (certainly helped by Thomsen's good name), but eventually lost out. This is certainly a dialogue-driven (no pun intended) film as it is really all about the interactions between the two main characters here. I would say that even for such a short film, or maybe especially for a short film, it is vital that you focus because if you check out for a minute or two here, you maybe feel as if something significant is missing to really make it a worthy watch and some point you could interest and maybe you will not really care anymore who the characters are or what they do and get back into the entire thing. Luckily, the two key character (or rather the actors) and especially Adler's make it relatively easy to stay glued to the screen. I can imagine the way the film starts, so the premise of everything that happens before the car ride may not be too everybody's liking and maybe it may sound too absurd for some. I briefly summarize: A man arrives via airplane and assumes wrongly the woman waiting is his driver, although she is waiting for somebody else really. Yet, she decides to act as his driver and randomly drives him through the city in the direction of the hotel where he will be staying. I think the acting was good enough all in all to make it work. Others may see it differently.
The music you hear at the very beginning that is hummed by the female protagonist later on is also really catchy and a great tune indeed. The film could have worked with half the duration too I am sure, but it still did not drag in my opinion and I am glad about that. So no need to rush things. It was nice they took the time for it to work out the way it did, like with a good concert. The man playing the piano with his fingers on the female's fingers was of course one of those (not so) small moments that stayed memorable and if you look at her reaction to it, which was really nice acting by the way, then you will not be surprised that they get back to that later on. Also the way how she tears down his wall bit by bit was on the memorable side. How she would not take it when he just sits quietly next to her and listens to a piece he is about to review. She wants the attention for the decision and maybe even risk she took in going on the ride with him. Perhaps you guessed that it would take until the end of the film for the truth to come out, but nope she tells him before halfway into the film and of course has his full attention this way then too. The ending definitely surprised me a bit then because I had a feeling that she was crushing a bit on him since the first time she saw him, which may of course be true despite her family background, but I was wondering as well exactly what she was responding to the guy: Why shouldn't she come back? Well, maybe he was guessing already that a woman like this would not be single anymore, but who knows. The entire film is all about being in the moment and doing what feels right to you, even if it may feel wrong to many others. This is also why I am hesitant in saying that the film does not have a happy ending. Maybe for the male protagonist it is true, but for her it may still feel right. I am also wondering by the way what happened to the person she was actually waiting for and what the guy would be doing afterwards who was initially waiting for Thomsen's character. We will never know. I mean maybe he thought that the latter did not show up, but he might still be surprised then why Adler's character was gone as well the moment he returned.
Anyway, I recommend subtitles here for the Hebrew parts. It is not absolutely essential to understand those, but it will help. For example, take the moment in which the female protagonist makes a call to even know where she is supposed to be going. One of the comedic highlights of the film. On imdb it says that there are Danish parts as well, but those have to be minimal. Thomsen's character is also Danish as we find out, which is not a given because his name Overby sounds at least as English as Danish and the character also does not have an accent. So yeah, overall I would say that it was a good watch, maybe not my favorite short film of the year and the Oscar would have been slightly too much, but I am still not sure if I consider the other nominees superior. There could have been worse winners than this one here. It is not a Danish co-production despite Thomsen on board, but Denmark has of course been really successful in the live action short film category in the past, so it is not surprising this one here got in, even if it is much longer than the other Danish nominees and winners. Or cut the "other". If it had been five minutes longer, it maybe would not have been eligible. With ten definitely not. So yeah, it's a thumbs-up from me for this film where I would say that you will appreciate it more in your 30s than in your 20s and maybe even more in your 40s, so it is never to late to watch it. It's not a must-see either, but I say that you should go for it. You will be fascinated by the title character who deserves this film carrying her name. And maybe you will also live a bit more in the moment yourself after seeing it.
The music you hear at the very beginning that is hummed by the female protagonist later on is also really catchy and a great tune indeed. The film could have worked with half the duration too I am sure, but it still did not drag in my opinion and I am glad about that. So no need to rush things. It was nice they took the time for it to work out the way it did, like with a good concert. The man playing the piano with his fingers on the female's fingers was of course one of those (not so) small moments that stayed memorable and if you look at her reaction to it, which was really nice acting by the way, then you will not be surprised that they get back to that later on. Also the way how she tears down his wall bit by bit was on the memorable side. How she would not take it when he just sits quietly next to her and listens to a piece he is about to review. She wants the attention for the decision and maybe even risk she took in going on the ride with him. Perhaps you guessed that it would take until the end of the film for the truth to come out, but nope she tells him before halfway into the film and of course has his full attention this way then too. The ending definitely surprised me a bit then because I had a feeling that she was crushing a bit on him since the first time she saw him, which may of course be true despite her family background, but I was wondering as well exactly what she was responding to the guy: Why shouldn't she come back? Well, maybe he was guessing already that a woman like this would not be single anymore, but who knows. The entire film is all about being in the moment and doing what feels right to you, even if it may feel wrong to many others. This is also why I am hesitant in saying that the film does not have a happy ending. Maybe for the male protagonist it is true, but for her it may still feel right. I am also wondering by the way what happened to the person she was actually waiting for and what the guy would be doing afterwards who was initially waiting for Thomsen's character. We will never know. I mean maybe he thought that the latter did not show up, but he might still be surprised then why Adler's character was gone as well the moment he returned.
Anyway, I recommend subtitles here for the Hebrew parts. It is not absolutely essential to understand those, but it will help. For example, take the moment in which the female protagonist makes a call to even know where she is supposed to be going. One of the comedic highlights of the film. On imdb it says that there are Danish parts as well, but those have to be minimal. Thomsen's character is also Danish as we find out, which is not a given because his name Overby sounds at least as English as Danish and the character also does not have an accent. So yeah, overall I would say that it was a good watch, maybe not my favorite short film of the year and the Oscar would have been slightly too much, but I am still not sure if I consider the other nominees superior. There could have been worse winners than this one here. It is not a Danish co-production despite Thomsen on board, but Denmark has of course been really successful in the live action short film category in the past, so it is not surprising this one here got in, even if it is much longer than the other Danish nominees and winners. Or cut the "other". If it had been five minutes longer, it maybe would not have been eligible. With ten definitely not. So yeah, it's a thumbs-up from me for this film where I would say that you will appreciate it more in your 30s than in your 20s and maybe even more in your 40s, so it is never to late to watch it. It's not a must-see either, but I say that you should go for it. You will be fascinated by the title character who deserves this film carrying her name. And maybe you will also live a bit more in the moment yourself after seeing it.
Impulsiveness pays off (for once)
StevePulaski3 March 2015
At thirty-nine minutes, Aya is by far the longest of the 2015 Oscar nominated live action short films, and alongside The Phone Call, it's the best, as it focuses on an unlikely friendship that develops over complete and total chance. We focus on Aya (Sarah Adler), who is awaiting the arrival of her friend at the airport. We see a gaggle of drivers, holding signs and awaiting the arrival of their own passengers who they need to escort to their appropriate destination. When one driver has to move his car, he momentarily bears the responsibility of seeking out his particular client on another driver, who needs to take off and get his own client where he needs to be. Aya, the first person the perplexed driver sees, hands the extra sign to her, and sure enough, the client, named Mr. Overby (Ulrich Thomson), shows up and expects a ride.
Aya impulsively ditches her friend before her arrival to take Mr. Overby where he needs to be. It's not his fault that the other driver was incompetent, we believe is Aya's rationale to doing what she is doing, but through a conversation between the two about following orders do we get a sense of Aya as a person. While Mr. Overby believes in never following ones' heart and that we as human beings should be rational when it comes to our decision making, Aya is more impulsive and wayward, not quite understanding what she is doing at all times (like now) but feels a nudge to do what seems right in a momentary sense.
Aya is a beautiful short film because it understands the beauty of character and character motivations, confining two individuals, who should've never met each other in the first place, to a small space (a vehicle) for an extended period of time, as they embark on a peculiar destination and enjoy the company of one another along the way. Directors Oded Binnun and Mihal Brezis understand that it's possible for Aya not to know why she does what she does, but to focus on her selfless behavior and her embracement of all that is impulsive is a delightfully original concept explored to great effect here, given such a short runtime. Aya works because it's not only emotionally honest, but rich and full in the sense of character exploration.
Starring: Sarah Adler and Ulrich Thomson. Directed by: Oded Binnun and Mihal Brezis.
Aya impulsively ditches her friend before her arrival to take Mr. Overby where he needs to be. It's not his fault that the other driver was incompetent, we believe is Aya's rationale to doing what she is doing, but through a conversation between the two about following orders do we get a sense of Aya as a person. While Mr. Overby believes in never following ones' heart and that we as human beings should be rational when it comes to our decision making, Aya is more impulsive and wayward, not quite understanding what she is doing at all times (like now) but feels a nudge to do what seems right in a momentary sense.
Aya is a beautiful short film because it understands the beauty of character and character motivations, confining two individuals, who should've never met each other in the first place, to a small space (a vehicle) for an extended period of time, as they embark on a peculiar destination and enjoy the company of one another along the way. Directors Oded Binnun and Mihal Brezis understand that it's possible for Aya not to know why she does what she does, but to focus on her selfless behavior and her embracement of all that is impulsive is a delightfully original concept explored to great effect here, given such a short runtime. Aya works because it's not only emotionally honest, but rich and full in the sense of character exploration.
Starring: Sarah Adler and Ulrich Thomson. Directed by: Oded Binnun and Mihal Brezis.
The best of the 2015 live action short film Oscar nominees!
Hellmant6 February 2015
'AYA': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)
A 40 minute French-Israeli short film; which was nominated for an Academy Award, for Best Live Action Short Film, at the upcoming 87th Academy Awards. The film tells the story of two strangers, that meet at an airport, where one mistakes the other for his driver and the other does not immediately correct his mistake. It was directed by Oded Binnun and Mihal Brezis and written by Binnun, Brezis and Tom Shoval. The film stars Sarah Adler and Ulrich Thomsen, as the two strangers. I think it's the best of the 2015 live action short film Oscar nominees!
The short begins at an airport, in Israel, where a woman, named Aya (Adler), waits for her friend to get off a plane. A professional driver, waiting to pick up his passenger, asks Aya to hold his sign for him, as he leaves for a couple of minutes. The sign is for a man named Mr. Overby (Thomsen). When Mr. Overby spots Aya holding the sign, he of course thinks she's his assigned driver and she impulsively doesn't correct him. She then proceeds to drive him to Jerusalem, for a piano competition. The two get to know each other, a little, along the way.
I really enjoyed how unexpected the short is. I also found it's commentary on life, and the relationships we form with others (specifically strangers), very moving. The contrast between Aya's joy in doing things randomly, and living through impulsive decisions, to Mr. Overby's obsession with routine, is really fascinating and involving. The cinematography is beautiful and the performances are both excellent. I found it to be the most interesting, and entertaining, of all the Oscar nominated shorts this year, through it's entirety. I could also really relate to both characters, especially Aya; who I most would like to be like (in my life).
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://youtu.be/WFFIYhYu22M
A 40 minute French-Israeli short film; which was nominated for an Academy Award, for Best Live Action Short Film, at the upcoming 87th Academy Awards. The film tells the story of two strangers, that meet at an airport, where one mistakes the other for his driver and the other does not immediately correct his mistake. It was directed by Oded Binnun and Mihal Brezis and written by Binnun, Brezis and Tom Shoval. The film stars Sarah Adler and Ulrich Thomsen, as the two strangers. I think it's the best of the 2015 live action short film Oscar nominees!
The short begins at an airport, in Israel, where a woman, named Aya (Adler), waits for her friend to get off a plane. A professional driver, waiting to pick up his passenger, asks Aya to hold his sign for him, as he leaves for a couple of minutes. The sign is for a man named Mr. Overby (Thomsen). When Mr. Overby spots Aya holding the sign, he of course thinks she's his assigned driver and she impulsively doesn't correct him. She then proceeds to drive him to Jerusalem, for a piano competition. The two get to know each other, a little, along the way.
I really enjoyed how unexpected the short is. I also found it's commentary on life, and the relationships we form with others (specifically strangers), very moving. The contrast between Aya's joy in doing things randomly, and living through impulsive decisions, to Mr. Overby's obsession with routine, is really fascinating and involving. The cinematography is beautiful and the performances are both excellent. I found it to be the most interesting, and entertaining, of all the Oscar nominated shorts this year, through it's entirety. I could also really relate to both characters, especially Aya; who I most would like to be like (in my life).
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://youtu.be/WFFIYhYu22M
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