Review of Zero Motivation (2014) by Walter M — 29 Dec 2014

First, Daffi(Nelly Tagar), Paper and Shredding NCO, makes her friend Zohar(Dana Ivgy) late for the bus back to base. Then, Daffi almost has to be carried inside the gates, so depressed is she. Almost immediately, her spirits are lifted immensely when she meets Tehila(Yonit Tobi), a new woman to the army base who she assumes will be her replacement. Even more importantly, but only to Daffi, is that this means her transfer to Tel Aviv has been approved.

On the surface, "Zero Motivation" is about women in the Israeli military, and how they are marginalized there in boring office work.(Speaking of which, seeing the characters play Minesweeper brought back so many memories, even though my game of choice was Mah Jongg.) At the same time, this well-written movie is also about the bonds of female friendship, as depicted here with grace, empathy and humor, with these characters having been brought together from all over(Daffi is from Haifa, Zohar lived on a Kibbutz and Irena(Tamara Klingon) is from Russia).