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The Thin Line
The Thin Line
Directed by	Michal Bat-Adam
Written by	Michal Bat-Adam
Starring	Gila Almagor
Cinematography	Nurith Aviv
Release date	1980;
Running time	94 minutes
Country	Israel
Language	Hebrew

The Thin Line (Hebrew: על חבל דק, translit. Al Hevel Dak) is a 1980 Israeli drama art film^[1] written and directed by Michal Bat-Adam.^[2] The film was selected as the Israeli entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 53rd Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.^[3]

Plot

The Alon family consists of four members: Pola (Gila Almagor), the mother; Nadav (Alex Peleg), the father; Maya (Aya Verov), the eldest daughter; and Nili (Liat Pensky), the youngest daughter.

Nadav, a photographer who owns a photo shop, frequently takes pictures of the family. Pola, however, struggles with managing the household. She is often erratic in her behavior, fluctuating between periods of cheerfulness and energy, and times when she is withdrawn, spending long hours in bed, muttering to herself, crying, and forgetting household tasks.

Maya is sent to a kibbutz, while Nili stays home to care for Pola. In this role reversal, Nili takes on the responsibility of looking after her mother. Nadav, feeling helpless, spends long hours at his shop.

The family doctor, Dr. Gerber (Avner Hazazah), persuades Nadav to admit Pola to a psychiatric institution. During the summer, Nadav sends Nili to the kibbutz and, in her absence, takes Pola to the institution, where she is received by the doctor (Yitzhak Chavis) and the head nurse (Miri Fabian). They instruct Nadav not to contact Pola for a few weeks.

As Pola’s mental state deteriorates, she becomes violent, requiring physical restraint and electroshock therapy. Nadav tells the daughters that Pola is resting with relatives in Jerusalem and does not inform them of her hospitalization.

When Nili returns home from the kibbutz, she discovers the truth about Pola’s whereabouts. Nili attempts to care for her mother, even treating lice that Pola contracted at the institution. Despite her efforts, Pola's condition worsens, and Dr. Gerber administers a sedative, sending Pola back to the psychiatric institution.

Cast

Gila Almagor as Paula
Alexander Peleg as Nadav (as Alex Peled)
Liat Pansky as Nili
Aya Veirov as Maya
Avner Hizkiyahu as Dr. Greber
Svetlana Mazovetskaya as Dressmaker (as S. Mazovetzkaya)
S. Greenspan as Degarit
Kina L. Hanegbi as Bina
Irit Mohr-Alter as Zila
Miri Fabian as Nurse

References

^ Ella Shohat. Bat-Adam, Michal. In Kuhn, Annettee; Radstone, Susannah, eds. (1990). The Women's Companion to International Film. Berkeley, California: University of California Press Studies of the Americas, p. 37. ISBN 9780520088795. Retrieved 13 March 2017. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ "The Thin Line". Israeli Films. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
^ Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences