WORKING WOMAN
Israel, 2018, 93 minutes, Colour.
Liron Ben- Shluch, Menashe Noy, Oshri Cohen.
Directed by Michal Aviad.
This is a strong film from Israel, a significant contribution to issues of sexual harassment.
While many of the headlines, especially in relationship to #MeToo, focus on the world of theatre and cinema, many more cases of sexual harassment of women occur in the workplace. This is the focus of Working Woman.
The focus here is on Orna, a mother of three, who has been successful during her military training, is involved with her husband in setting up a restaurant, wants to use her talents in work and property development, applying for a job with an entrepreneur, Benny, whom she had worked with in the army and who admires her ability. Despite some reluctance from her husband who is very much involved in the restaurant and finalising permits and other red tape, he agrees that the money she earns will benefit the development of the restaurant.
Property developers in Israel are thinking big, buying properties, developing high-rise luxury units, not only selling them in Israel itself but to Jewish customers overseas. They are not only luxury units but, for more traditional and older Jewish men and women, living in Europe and contemplating moving back to Israel, at least for a part of the year, there are synagogue and prayer opportunities, communal affirmation of couples who can buy units together in the building. Orna is particularly good in sales, personal empathy with clients.
With this scenario, the audience is well aware that there will be scenes of sexual harassment. We are just waiting to see when they will occur and in what circumstances. A business trip to Paris proves to be a catalyst and Benny, married long since, makes his aggressive approach. There is no doubt about Benny, his attitudes and behaviour.
The impact for the audience is how Orna reacts, the surprise, the violence, sense of helplessness, possibilities of some acquiescence, embarrassment and shame, aggression and hostility towards Benny. This is the key sequence, with consequences that the audience will ponder.
But, there is a further complication. How much will she say to her husband about the situation? How will he interpret it? Is he a loving husband? Is he a man who reacts to suspicions rather than to empathy with his wife? What about the children? What about the restaurant (and Benny has pulled some strings to get instant permits)? What about Orna and her continuing her work, the possibility that Benny will destroy her reputation?
Without revealing anything of the ending, most audiences will be pleased with how Orna thinks it through and how, shrewdly, she acts.
1. The title? A professional woman? In the business world? Success? Harassment and assault?
2. The Israeli setting, the city, home, restaurant, mansion, building sites and the sea, offices? The visit to Paris? The musical score?
3. The title and the perspective on women? In the workplace? Roles of men, roles of women? Equality? Inequality? Men exploiting women? Their taking it for granted? And the issue of the role of the husband, taking offence, jealousy, inability to accept the situation?
4. Orna’s story, her age and experience, wanting to work, the three children, financial situation, her husband establishing the restaurant, needing permits, the delays? Her application to work with Benny? The interview, accepted? Her role, in the office, with clients? Her skills in sales? The enterprise, the building, her giving it a name, Lily Beach, the contacts with the other members of the company, offices, interviews with officials? Her being accepted? The success?
5. The husband, setting up the restaurant, the bond between them, their children, his accepting her going to work, the issue of finance? Benny coming to his restaurant and complementing him? The invitation to the party, their going, conversations? The visit to Paris? His listening to Orna, the story, coaxing responses from her, his negative reaction, feeling betrayed, not talking to him, assuming the worst? His being presented in a bad light, not trusting his wife, the consequences?
6. Benny, the military, his knowing Orna before, often her the job, her skills, his appreciation, the kiss, her reaction? The work together, financial issues, promises of bonuses, promoting her, taking her to the building site, her reserve? Going to the restaurant for the meal? Going to the party, meeting the guests? The visit to Paris, her exhilaration in the city, her charm with the clients, the promise of the room for synagogue, sealing the deal?
7. Benny, the device with the key to the room, his pushing her into the room, forcing her against the wall, her resistance, stoic acceptance, his sexual behaviour, saying she drove him wild, his complete oblivion to the impact on her?
8. The return home, her upset, with her children, her daughter comforting her? The phone calls, deciding to get a new job, using the device of regular hours, asking Benny for the recommendation? His refusing? Her composing the letter herself, taking it to his house, confronting him in front of his wife, his reluctance signing the letter? The wife
observing?
9. The portrait of the family, Orna and her relationship with the children, sharing the work with her husband?
10. The final sequence, or the walking along the street, her self-assertion, self-respect, confronting her assailant, her future?
