Behind the Scenes With Israeli Actress, Rivka Michaeli In Pursuit of The Property
By Laura Goldstein
From her 14th floor apartment terrace in Tel Aviv, actress, comedian and TV talk show host, Rivka Michaeli is giving me a panoramic tour of the vibrant city that never sleeps. It’s late at night when we speak but the 87-year- old venerated celebrity is as sharp and funny as ever.
“The Property actually started as a graphic novel written in 2013 by award-winning comics writer, Rutu Modan and I read it ten years ago. Because my parents were in Israel, I had no personal connection to Poland and the diaspora. It’s really Rutu and her sister Dana’s story. They co-wrote the screenplay together and Dana directed the film,” Rivka explains. “Coincidentally, I’ve known Dana from a very early age as she was in kindergarten with my daughter.”
The film is inspired by the sisters’ father and his true-life encounters living in Warsaw prior to WWII. The plot revolves around a grandmother (played by Rivka) and her granddaughter Mika (actress Sharon Strimban) who travel to Poland to try to reclaim the deed to an apartment building owned by their family and confiscated by the Nazis. Several twists of fate and a lot of bureaucracy ensure a surprising and somewhat mysterious adventure.
The Property plays at the Victoria International Jewish Film Festival, Wednesday, October 22 at The Vic Theatre, 808 Douglas Street.
“I had to learn Polish for my lines and I worked with two teachers and although I thought I knew the lines, when the camera was on me I’d say the first line then forget the second one. I always had someone to practice with but still I had to polish my Polish!” Rivka laughs. She reminisces about her co-star, Polish actor Andrzej Seweryn (but without giving away spoilers.) “When we went into a restaurant together everyone was looking at him because he’s a very famous actor in Poland and Europe. It was so nice to know I was with a star and we always got a good table!”
“All the indoor segments of the film were shot in Tbilisi, Georgia and all the outside shots were filmed in Warsaw so I opened a door in Tbilisi and I was suddenly in Warsaw,” she laughs. “I felt very good in Georgia because my father came from there and I know a few words.”
In a fascinating coincidence, Rivka is the aunt of Victoria driftwood, wire and paper sculptor, Tanya Bub. “I was in Victoria about 10 years ago and met with her and my sister-in-law, Ronit. I have two little birds Tanya made. It’s a beautiful city,” Rivka exclaims. “And more recently, we all met from three continents in Madrid for a Passover seder.”
Rivka has no plans to slow down. In fact, the day of our late night interview she relates a busy schedule currently performing in two different shows: “One is a travelling musical comedy from Metula to Eilat called Naomi and Norma and I play a tough old lady. The other is a musical homage to her late artistic partner, the veteran actor, singer and winner of the Israel Prize for theatre, Yossi Banai.”
“You know, what makes The Property so compelling is the combination of sadness and humour. That’s what makes it human.” Rifka affirms.