A Touch of Magic

Osnat is a teenage girl living with Down’s Syndrome who is fighting for her place in society, and her future. She does not get on with her peers, some of whom are prejudiced against individuals with special needs, whilst her mother makes sure all the others are kept at bay. The mother, a successful lawyer, has little patience for her daughter and her sort. One weekend, the pair head off to the countryside where Osnat’s grandmother lives. Uneducated and superstitious, Osnat’s mother is every bit as disdainful of her own mother as she is of her daughter. When a magician passes through the village, for a brief moment it seems as if the relationship between the three generations of women is about to turn a corner; however, the magician ends up disappearing as cryptically as he had appeared, leaving mother, daughter, and grandmother to find their own path to happiness.

Directed by Baruch Dienar, A Touch of Magic leans on a strong ensemble — Ezra Dagan, Edna Fliedel, Aviva Ger — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1993.