- Source: Bonjour Monsieur Shlomi
Bonjour Monsieur Shlomi (Hebrew title: הכוכבים של שלומי Ha-Kochavim Shel Shlomi, Shlomi's Stars) is a 2003 film written and directed by Shemi Zarhin. The film stars Oshri Cohen, Aya Koren, Esti Zakheim and Arieh Elias. The film received twelve Ophir Award nominations. The story is about a 16-year-old Israeli boy, named Shlomi (Cohen), Who cares for everyone in his life but himself.
Plot summary
Shlomi (Oshri Cohen) lives with his jealous and pretentious mother, his soldier brother, and their elderly grandfather. Although not doing well in school, Shlomi is a gifted cook and takes care of most household chores, while all the grownups around him are busy with their childish affairs, neglect him, and ignore his dyslexia.
Shlomi tries to be invisible, especially at school, until a routine math test catches the attention of Shlomi's teacher, who suspects that a unique gift lies behind that dormant facade. The school's headmaster takes Shlomi under his wing, and Shlomi blossoms.
Main cast
Oshri Cohen – Shlomi Bar-Dayan
Arieh Elias – Grandfather Bar-Dayan
Esti Zakheim – Ruhama Bar-Dayan, the mother
Aya Koren – Rona
Yigal Naor – Avihu, the headmaster
Albert Iluz [he] – Robert Bar-Dayan, the father and Ruhama's Ex-husband
Jonathan Rosen [he] – Doron Bar-Dayan, the brother
Rotem Abuhab – Ziva, the sister
Asi Cohen – Tzachi, the brother-in-law and Ziva's husband
Soundtrack
The original music for the film was composed, arranged, and performed by Jonathan Bar Giora. The theme song - "Od Avo" (I Will Come Again) was sung twice during the film by Haim Uliel, with music by Jonathan Bar Giora and lyrics by Nathan Alterman Performed by Chaim Uliel. Film star Aya Koren also performed a short excerpt from it. The film's soundtrack features oud, bass and bouzouki guitar player Yankele Segal, violinist Nitzan-Chen Razael, ney and clarinet player Amir Shahasar, percussionist Oren Fried, guitarist Avi Ben Dov, Yonatan Bar Giora himself on keyboards and samplers, and film director Shemi Zarhin on synth kanun. Zarhin also contributed background vocals to the theme song. In early 2020, Helicon released the original soundtrack album, composed and arranged by film composer Yonatan Bar Giora, which also includes remixes and tracks not heard in the film. Upon the film's release, a music video for the theme song was also filmed, starring Oshri Cohen and Haim Uliel.
Reception
The film has a 71% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 31 critical reviews.
The film received 12 nominations at the Ophir Awards:
Best Film
Best Actor - Oshri Cohen
Best Actress - Esti Zakheim
Best Supporting Actor - Arieh Elias
Best Supporting Actress -Aya Koren
Best Director - Shemi Zarchin
Best Screenplay - Shemi Zarchin
Best Cinematography - Itzik Portal
Best Editing - Einat Glaser-Zarchin
Best Costume Design - Inbal Shaki
Best Music - Jonathan Bar Giora
Best Sound - John Purcell, Eli Yarkoni, Israel David, Ronen Sabo
References
External links
Bonjour Monsieur Shlomi at IMDb
Soundtrack album [1]
Theme song Od Avo [2]
