A Human Resources manager at Israel's largest bakery finds himself the unlikely chaperone of the body of a young Romanian woman in this touching tragic-comedy. Eran Riklis, the acclaimed director of The Lemon Tree and The Syrian Bride, brings a poignant and personal approach to a story that speaks to the ever-present threat of violence in Jerusalem and the increasing sense of social dislocation.
The characters in The Human Resource Manager have no names; they are unhappy people known solely by their professional roles, until the young woman's tragic death -she's been the victim of a suicide bombing - forces them to find comfort in each other and in life.
The Human Resources Manager (Mark Ivanir) is a well-meaning but selfish man, putting his career in front of his family and constantly breaking promises to his daughter. His reputation is threatened when he is scapegoated by his employer and blamed for not noticing that one of their employees is missing. When the deceased employee, Yulia, is traced back to the bakery, the Human Resources manager atones for his oversight by escorting the young woman's coffin to her hometown in Russia.
The result is a quirky, transnational road trip. Eccentric characters like The Israeli Consul and her husband, The Vice Consul, help the Human Resources manager along the way. Yulia's unhappy and estranged family, particularly her son, provides the Human Resources manager with the opportunity to make amends for his once self-centered ways and learn how to better support those around him. An obnoxious reporter and a bizarre hearse bring comic relief to this often tragic tale. Beautiful panoramas of the Romanian countryside in winter offer visual delight. Riklis's talent lies in his light touch and in his insistence that, though the world may be dark, there is always room to laugh and to hope.
-Jane Schoettle (Toronto International Film Festival)
