It doesn’t take an expert to know that the percentage of obese Israeli citizens is far below ours in the U.S. To be overweight here almost makes one part of the majority. That being said, it is far less “normal” to be severely overweight in a country where the condition is almost non-existent. Not that they are always accepted here, but I can’t imagine Israelis greeting obese people with as much acceptance as Americans do. If the other films in this festival are any indicator of Israeli culture, being overweight in Israel would be like repeating middle school over again and again. And that’s what the characters of A Matter of Size have deal with every day of their lives.

Herzel (Itzik Cohen), our main character, is a sporadically employed cook who lives with his widowed mother in her Ramla apartment. He, among others in his Weight Losers Group, is struggling with what seems to be a life-long battle with obesity. Herzel quits his job one day after being demoted because of his appearance. After telling his mother about his plight, she passes him a takeout menu from a Japanese restaurant, saying “work here, the food is disgusting; you won’t be tempted to eat”. Later that evening he is offered a job washing dishes, as there are no cook positions available.

Sumo wrestling is the sport of choice for the TVs at the restaurant bar, and once Herzel sees the strong resemblance between himself and the sumos, he begins to wonder if he’s missed his calling. When asked about this unknown sport, Mr. Kitano, his new boss, hesitantly tells Herzel just enough to entice him to tell all of his friends at the diet club. Aharon (Dvir Benedek), Sami (Shmulik Cohen), and Zehava (Irit Kaplan), all fellow dieters, are equally intrigued by the idea of turning their weight problem into an advantage. Through Sumo, the group finally gains a sense of belonging, focus, positivity and acceptance. Each member of the group deals with their own issues; whether it be self-esteem, marital problems, trust issues or relationship lulls. For them, Sumo becomes an escape from life’s woes and an emotional catharsis.

Their three months of training culminates in a televised tournament in front of a packed crowd in a professional wrestling ring. The characters have done their best to take control of their own lives and the film closes showing Herzel, Aharon and Sami at wrestling classes with more and more sumo hopefuls. 

I’m not sure sumo wrestling has caught on in Israel, or anywhere outside of Japan for that matter. The basis of this film isn’t quite realistic, but the anguish the characters feel for being different is. Not everyone is meant to be 99 lbs (or acne-free, conventionally beautiful, have straight teeth, etc. etc.); it’s easy to relate to Herzel, Zehava, Aharon and Sami. Their performances made the film believable- perhaps the actors felt a connection to the characters they played. A Matter of Size isn’t the most moving or provocative film of the festival, but with some beautifully shot scenes and feel-good moments, it is a pleasure to watch.

A Matter of Size's notable achievements include 14 nominations at the Israeli Academy's "Ofir" awards in 2009 and 3 wins for Best Actress, Best Costume Design and Best Supporting Actress. The film will be screened Saturday, January 30 at 7pm at the Mayerson JCC. For more information on the Jewish and Israeli Film Festival, visit www.jewishcincinnati.org/filmfestival