Lipstikka

This 2012 Seattle International Film Festival entry from Israel/UK (English captions when necessary) started out with masterful dialogue which established distinct personalities. Even though the publicity says a "life-altering encounter with two Israeli soldiers" caused later problems, a flashback made it clear to me that both personalities of those two Palestinian girls were already established long before that encounter.

These are the main characters:

• Clara Khoury ("Body of Lies") is Lara, quiet, shy and a bit in love with her brash friend; she has married well, has a lovely home in London and a son she adores. She also drinks.
  
• Nataly Attiya ("Kavod (Honor)") is Inam, provocative, nosy, envious and promiscuous: after years apart, she barges into Lara's house, opens the refrigerator, takes whatever she wants and stuffs a small knickknack into her purse when Lara isn't looking.
• Daniel Caltagirone ("The Pianist") is Michael, Lara's husband. He is successful, patient, understanding and a good father. He had first been interested in dating Inam.
• Taliesin Knight in his first role, is James, the cherished son.
• Zif Weiner plays the young Lara, always bewitched by her impetuous friend.
  
• Moran Rosenblatt plays the young Inam and tied with Nataly Attiya for the Best Actress award at the Jerusalem Film Festival.
  

Flashbacks to their childhood in Ramallah show us what a wild child Inam has always been and how constrained and careful Lara will always be: Inam is always the spark plug and Lara always worries about the con- sequences, but follows her friend's irresistible lead, just the same.

Writer/Director Jonathan Sagall ("Urban Feel") was nominated for the Golden Berlin Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.