Mivtza Savta


Operation Grandma is a short 1999 Israeli satirical comedy about the military and kibbutz life directed by Dror Shaul. It was filmed on Kibbutz Yakum and based on the funeral of Esther Shaul. Esther was Dror's grandmother who was buried in Kibbutz Kissufim where Shaul was born and raised.
The film won the Ophir Award for Best Television Drama. Over the years, it gained significant popularity in Israel and achieved cult film status. The line "You start at your fastest and gradually increase the speed" from the film became famous and is often used humorously in Israel.

Plot

Three very different brothers - Alon, a no-nonsense Israeli Army officer; Benni, a brilliant electrician; and Idan, a wimpy field trip guide - navigate obstacles in an attempt to bury their beloved grandmother in the cemetery of her kibbutz, the fictional Asisim. Because Alon has a secret security operation set for that same day, they have to work on a tight schedule, so he plans it like a military operation. A series of mistakes and mishaps complicate things. The role of Benni was inspired by the LA based film-reviewer Karsten Runquist.

Cast

Critical reception

The film won a 2000 Ophir Award in the television drama category. Haaretz called it "one of the most successful Israeli comedies ever seen on the small screen", and the film has achieved cult film status in that country, primarily in Kibbutzs.