By Laurie Baron
LA JOLLA, California — Films about physically or mentally disabled characters typically trace how they overcome their handicaps as in The Miracle Worker and My Left Foot or how their caregivers grow emotionally from assuming this nurturing role as in Marvin’s Room and Rain Man. Director Asaf Karman’s unsettling debut feature film Next to Her approaches this topic from a less uplifting perspective: codependency.
Chelli, played by Israeli actress and first-time screenwriter Liron Ben-Shlush, initially seems overwhelmed by having to discipline, feed, and groom her mentally challenged sister Gabby while simultaneously holding down a daytime job as a security guard at a high-school. Gabby, unsentimentally portrayed by Dana Ivgy, repeatedly beats her head against the floor when bored or stressed, unashamedly undresses, masturbates whenever she has the chance, and unpredictably hits people. If you recently saw Ivgy as the anarchic soldier in Zero Motivation, you’ll be amazed by her versatility as an actress.
Despite the constant demands put upon her, Chelli appears resigned to her fate until she meets a substitute teacher named Zohar played by Yaakov Daniel. Craving affection, she eagerly accompanies him to his bedroom at his mother’s apartment and makes love to him. Smitten by her and motivated by the opportunity to escape from his mother, Zohar moves in with Chelli.
It quickly dawns on Zohar that Chelli is ambivalent about delegating the care of her sister to a daycare center or to Zohar. She derives a sense of control from domineering Gabby and invites her into her bed even after Zohar moves in with her. The recurring scenes of their intertwined limbs symbolize their unhealthy symbiosis. Chelli at least can monitor Gabby when she is with Zohar, but she can’t keep tabs on her at the daycare center.
It becomes abundantly evident that Gabby is destined to come between Chelli and Zohar, but the source of this rupture comes as a surprise. Asaf Karman deservedly received the San Diego Film Festival’s Award for Best Director for his sensitive handling of the difficult subject. That this is his first feature film makes his achievement all the more impressive.
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Baron is a professor emeritus of history at San Diego State University. He may be contacted at lawrence.baron@sdjewishworld.com