A Matter of Size

A Matter of Size

A Film by: Sharon Maymon & Erez Tadmor

(Israel, 2009, 92 Minutes, Color, Hebrew, English subtitles, Cast: Itzik Cohen, Dvir Bandak, Alon Dahan, Shmuli Cohen, Irit Kaplan, Levana Finkelstein)

A group of obese people from the Israeli city of Ramla is fed up with their strict diet regime. But when one of them, Herzl, starts working as a dish washer in a Japanese restaurant, he is exposed to the world of Sumo through Kitano, the restaurant manager and a former Sumo coach in Japan. Herzl falls in love with the Sumo world and persuades Kitano to coach him and his obese friends in a sport and culture where their size is to their advantage. One by one, Herzl’s friends leave their dieting club and discover the world of Sumo, where fat people like them are honored and appreciated. Through Sumo, they connect to themselves and their fat bodies, each one in his or her individual way.

QUOTES

 “The sum of the picture, as you can imagine from its parts, is pretty hilarious. Instead of tired fat jokes, the dialogue is witty and real. The audience responded, where appropriate, with lots of laughter. You feel for the characters, who overcome personal adversity, fall in love and, yes, play sumo.” - MTV Movies Blog, Rachel Josue

"Part sports drama, part love story, this sweetly absurd tale of forlorn blue-collar guys pursuing a difficult goal -- and in the process learning to accept themselves -- recalls audience-pleasing fare such as "The Full Monty." With visual and verbal humor hitting the mark.” - Variety, Alissa Simon

“..as an examination of the complex issues surrounding body image and masculinity, it is a refreshing change from the silence or utter derision with which American films treat this subject" - The Jewish Week, George Robinson

AWARDS, FESTIVALS & SCREENINGS

• Tribecca Film Festival - Nominated in the “Discovery” section

• Karlovy Vary Film Festival – Audience Award

• Israeli Film Academy – Nominated for 13 Ophir awards (Israeli Oscar) - Won 3 awards:

Best Actress, Best supporting Actress, Best Costume Design

• Jerusalem Film Festival – opening film 

• Traverse City Film Festival – Jury Prize for Best Comedy Film

• Sarlat IFF – Prix Aquitaine, Pric Découverte       

• UKJFF - Award for Best Feature Film

• Alpe d'Huez International Comedy Film Festival - Grand Prix, Special Jury Award

• Hong Kong JFF - Audience Award for Best Film 

• Toronto International Film Festival 2011 

• Festival of JF Melbourne/Sidney - opening Film

• San Francisco JFF       

• Warsaw FF

• Melbourne FF

• Washington JFF

• Manila Israeli FF

• Dublin Israeli FF

• Embassy of Israel in Dublin

• Embassy of Israel in Manila

• Pitligiani Kolno'a Festival in Rome

• FICJA - Buenos Aires JFF 2013

• 14th Lecce EFF 2013

• Israeli Embassy in Singapore 2014

• National University Singapore 2014

• Milano PKF 2014

• Israeli Embassy in Tashkent 2014

• UKJFF 2014

• Florence JFF 2014

• Embassy of Israel in Bangkok 2014

• Embassy of Israel in Manila 2014

• Embassy of Israel in Ghana 2014

• Embassy of Israel in Hanoi 2017

• Imagine Festival, Baku 2019 

• UKJFF 2020