KIROT/ THE ASSASSIN NEXT DOOR

Israel, 2009, 102 minutes, Colour.
Olga Kurylenko, Ninette Tayeb.
Directed by Danny Lerner.

Kirot is a tough thriller in the vein of Nikita. It focuses on a Ukrainian prostitute, trapped in Israel, involved in the sex trade and forced to commit killings by her boss for her survival. On the run with another woman, she is captured, tortured, the other woman killed. However, when she does another assassination, followed by a car chase and rescue, she is allowed to live in her apartment where she does a drawing of a mother and girl (with some flashbacks to green meadows and her daughter in a lyrical setting).

The film develops as her neighbour, Elinor, is abused by her husband whom she eventually kills. The two then go on the run, are pursued by the sex trade bosses, take refuge in a bus, where there is a shootout and Galia is mortally wounded. She is tended to by Elinor. The two women have become good friends, not necessarily talking, but comfortable in each other’s company and supportive.

The film was directed by Danny Lerner, who also directed the Israeli psychological thriller, Frozen Days.

1. The proliferation of sex trade films in the 21st century? Sexual slavery – especially for European women? In Israel?

2. The Israeli settings, Tel Aviv, the dingy aspects of the city? Streets and clubs? Apartments? The musical score?

3. The title? The focus on Galia? As a prostitute, as dominated by the bosses, as forced to commit assassinations? Elinor and her relationship with her husband, her husband’s death?

4. The film as a portrait of Galia, her Ukrainian background, memories of her daughter? Dominated by the bosses? Her alliance with the other prostitute, their staring at the clients, their leaving and running away? The pursuit? Climbing over the wall? Eventually captured? Tortured – and the other woman killed?

5. Galia and her being forced to commit the assassination, in the club, the toilet, the death – and the pursuit? The escape in the car, the driver running over the pursuer?

6. Galia and her apartment? Settling down? The significance of the drawing on the wall?

7. Elinor, quiet, her relationship with her husband, his dominance? His death?

8. The two women and their coming together, their friendship, ordinary aspects of life? The characters of each? A dependence, especially by Elinor?

9. The persecution by the sex trade bosses? Their characters? Brutality?

10. Galia and Elinor on the run? Pursued, in the bus, the gang coming onto the bus, the shootout? Galia and her killing the men, her being wounded? The final attack, no bullets in the gun? Elinor killing the assassin?

11. The two women getting into another bus, Elinor cradling Galia as she died? Galia’s wishes – and the memories of her daughter?

12. The film working as a brutal thriller? The film working as an expose of the sex trade – especially in Israel, in an Israeli film for an Israeli audience?