Three Mothers (2006)

Directed by Dina Zvi-Riklis, this is an engrossing Israeli drama about the lives of three sisters – Rose, Flora and Yasmeen – who grew up in a prosperous family in Egypt before moving to Tel Aviv. They look back on their lives and the various challenges that came their way, and in doing so reveal the secrets behind their relationships. 

There’s strong acting, and the singing by Rose (Miri Mesika) is particularly good. The plot has a few holes, or rather moments that risk tipping it into “trashy soap-opera” territory. For example, it’s hinted that a death was actually a murder, but then the plot continues as if nothing especially unusual has happened.

On the plus side, the modern day vs. flashback elements are handled extremely well, with both timelines sustaining equal interest. This isn’t usually the case in now-and-then film scenarios.