My favorite discovery of BFF thus far is a narrative short about the immigrant experience in America that–in what I find to be affirmation of my excellent taste–has already won an Academy Award: a 2019 Student Academy Award. Tree #3 is director Omer Ben-Shachar’s American Film Institute thesis film. The comedic short won an AFI award, a College Emmy from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and more than a dozen other festival awards. I expect it will win more.
To paraphrase Leo DiCaprio in Django Unchained, from the first frame, Tree #3 had my curiosity; it quickly earned my attention. Within minutes, it had also captured my heart. Two days later, I’m still giddy with this lovely film.
The story is a simple one, excellently told. Itai (a captivating Lior Malka) is an Israeli immigrant boy in middle school, his character a born actor with a winsome, Gavroche-like energy, who is trying out for the lead in his class production of Sleepy Hollow. His Betsy DeVoss-esque teacher seems gently amused and charmed by his earnest performance, but, thanks to her uncreative mind and innate prejudice, casts Itai and the two other minorities in the class as non-speaking background scenery.
What follows is a timeless story of childhood innocence lost and confidence regained, a celebration of creativity and artistic innovation, and the perseverance that wins over audiences despite all challenges. Young Lior Malka in the lead role carries the film effortlessly with charisma that can’t be contained on the screen; it fills the entire room. His–and all the cast’s–acting is natural and compelling, every beat authentic, every development earned. The tension builds and tugs at your heart, and by the end you–if you’re anything like me–are ready to throw bouquets of roses at the screen.
Omer Ben-Schachar is a graduate of the AFI film program, and it shows in his confident direction. One of the marks of great directors is that what they put before you on the screen is consistently compelling, yet never distracting; you become fully immersed in the story being told, completely invested in the characters and their outcomes. Only later do you step back to notice how elegantly each frame is crafted.
Beautifully filmed, Tree #3 is a victory on every level. It’s the first film in ages with which I could find no fault whatsoever. Malka’s Itai reminded me of the star-making turn of a young Natalie Portman in The Professional; back in 1994 I couldn’t keep my eyes off of her apprentice assassin, and knew she was destined to become a major Hollywood talent. I feel the same way about Malka and his director. Both are talents worth following.
If you come across a chance to watch Tree #3, please do. I promise it’ll charm you more than any other shrubbery ever has.
