Valeria is Getting Married
Christina is a Ukrainian woman living in Israel following her arranged marriage to Michael. Now Michael has brokered a similar marriage for her sister, Valeria. But when Valeria arrives, she comes down with a bad case of cold feet.
Christina is a Ukrainian woman living in Israel following her arranged marriage to an Israeli man, Michael. It's worked out ok so far—she lives in a nice enough apartment and has a job at a nail salon where she earns her own money. Comparatively, her life is better than the one she would have in Ukraine. Even Michael is okay, if a little controlling. For his part, he seems very happy with the arrangement, so much so that he's started brokering similar marriages for others, including Eitan, who is going to marry Christina's sister Valeria. Christina is thrilled at the prospect of having her sister with her in Israel, and Michael has made a tidy sum. Eitan and Valeria have been chatting online, and everything seems to be going well. But meeting in person is different, and Valeria's arrival threatens to throw the whole delicate arrangement into chaos. Eitan arrives bearing gifts and quoting Russian proverbs that he's learned for the occasion. But as the four of them prepare to sit down to a special lunch that Christina has prepared, Eitan asks Michael when Christina will become an Israeli citizen. In about a year, Michael tells him and Eitan responds, "So until then she'll do what you say?" All at once, the stakes have been laid bare, in this insightful exploration of the circumstances that might lead women to make such a choice and the men who might choose to take advantage of those circumstances.
- Original Language Title: Valeria Mithatenet
- Director: Michal Vinik
- Principal Cast: Lena Fraifeld, Dasha Tvoronovich, Yaakov Zada Daniel, Avraham Shalom Levi
- Country: Israel, Ukraine
- Year: 2022
- Running Time: 76 min.
- Producer: Ayelet Kait, Amir Harel
- Screenplay: Michal Vinik
- Cinematographers: Guy Raz
- Editors: Maya Kenig
- Music: Daphna Keenan
- Website: Official Film Website
- Awards: Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival 2022 (Special Jury Award: International Feature Film Competition)
- Filmography: Blush (2015)
- Language: Hebrew, Russian, English
- Has Subtitles: Yes
- International Sales: M-appeal