Shelter

Delicately unfolding an intricate and compelling narrative, Shelter is a 2017 film that underscores intense human emotions and intertwined destinies deftly layered with espionage and personal turmoil. Directed by Eran Riklis, the film stars the stellar Neta Riskin, Golshifteh Farahani, and Yehuda Almagor, who bring to life characters deeply entrenched in a world of secrets, mistrust, and quiet resilience.

Shelter is set against the mysterious and shadowy backdrop of international espionage. It unfolds in the atmospheric convolutions of Germany, specifically Hamburg, and the plot details are a confluence of betrayal, bravery and self-discovery that are gradually unfurled throughout the movie. Neta Riskin plays the role of the pertinacious Mossad agent, Naomi, who is called back from sick leave and thrown head-first into an operative mission. This incisive drama pivots around Naomi’s task to protect a Lebanese informant, Mona, played by Golshifteh Farahani with nuanced vulnerability.

Farahani's character, Mona, is not just an informer but also a surgery-altered woman on the run from Hezbollah, who, in the aftermath of her husband's assassination, has revealed the extremist group's most well-kept secrets. This makes her a high-priority target that needs immediate protection. Naomi's duty lies in securing Mona's safety in a Hamburg safe house for two weeks until she’s ready to set onto her new identity. As the plot thickens, this movie showcases the heightened tension between the two women, characterized by uncertain safety, the cumbersome burden of their pasts, and their own inner demons. The claustrophobic space they share fuels a gradual build-up of dialogue-laden interactions, brimming with perceptive unease, sharp pathways of suspicion but also unexpected bonds.

Enter Yehuda Almagor as Naomi's supervisor, who remains a peripheral character throughout the movie but possesses an influential presence vital to the development of the narrative. His role in this clandestine world is seemingly lined with ambiguity, hinting at subplots of secret alliances or possible deceit.

Director Eran Riklis deftly uses his experienced lens to weave the narrative in a tight-knit manner. Riklis has a profound ability to combine thrillers with human drama, as evident from his previous films. However, Shelter departs from the political underpinnings often associated with movies of this genre. Riklis’s directorial prowess lies in the intimate storytelling angle that zooms into the emotional microcosm of these two women caught in the whirlwind of international espionage, their relationship, their fears, and their survival instincts.

The quiet intensity pervading through the movie is punctuated by the gripping acting chops displayed by Neta Riskin and Golshifteh Farahani. Riskin, with her restrained strength and professional acumen, juxtaposes Farahani’s Mona, who oscillates between vulnerability and adversarial guile. In this cat-and-mouse game, Riskin’s Naomi must overcome any personal afflictions to stand as a defensive barricade between Mona and the dangers lurking outside their safe house.

The film revels in the exploration of these central characters, their background stories, and their multifaceted personalities. The looming uncertainty between Riskin’s unwavering dedication and the question of Farahani's true allegiance, layered with their respective traumas, lends the film a palpable tension. Simultaneously, the odd sense of companionship blossoming between the two paints a poignant picture of bonding amidst adversity.

Cinematographer Volker Tittel buoyantly captures this cloak-and-dagger milieu with a visual language that is as much part of the narrative as the performances and the dialogue. The confined setting of the safe house vis-à-vis the constant danger lurking in the outside world is portrayed through a subdued but haunting palette, adding to the undercurrent of suspense that permeates the film.

Shelter, with its compact characterization and intelligent storytelling, strikes a fine balance between the tension of espionage and the humaneness that underlies such shadowy operations. Each character is intricately layered, their palettes wide-ranging from grit, fear, and uncertainty to moments of soft-hearted connections. While the film is sure to appeal to lovers of spy dramas, it stands alone in its portrayal of the latter, making a significant mark in the dialogue about courage, trust, and the human capacity for emotional resilience.