The Cakemaker / HaOfe MeBerlin
Thomas, a young and talented German baker, is having an affair with Oren, an Israeli married man who dies in a car crash. Thomas travels to Jerusalem seeking answers. Keeping his secret for himself, he starts working for Anat, his lover's widow, who owns a small café. Although not fully kosher and despised by the religious, his delicious cakes turn the place into a city attraction. Finding himself involved in Anat's life in a way far beyond his anticipation, Thomas will stretch his lie to a point of no return. Original title: HaOfe MeBerlin Year: 2017 Length: 104 minutes Director: Ofir Raul Graizer Genre: | 
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Shown at
- 15th Annual JCC Rockland International Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- 15th Israeli Film Festival (Canadian Film Institute) - 2018
- 20th Annual Lenore Marwil Jewish Film Festival (Detroit) - 2018
- 22nd Annual Hartford Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- 22nd Annual Jewish Film Festival of Dallas - 2018
- 23rd Denver Jewish Film Festival - 2019
- 26th Portland Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- 26th Toronto Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- Asheville Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- Athens Jewish Film Festival - 2019
- Atlanta Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- Austin Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- Baltimore Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- Barshop JCC Jewish Film Festival - 2019
- Berkshire Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- Beth Tzedec Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- Brussels Jewish International Film Festival - 2018
- Budapesti Zsidó és Izraeli Filmfesztivál - 2017
- Buffalo International Jewish Film - 2019
- Central Massachusetts Jewish Film Festival - 2019
- Charlotte Jewish Film Festival - 2019
- Cherry Hill Volvo Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema - 2018
- Columbus Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- Dayton Jewish International Film Festival - 2018
- Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival - 2019
- Harrisburg Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- Hong Kong Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- Honolulu Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- Houston Jewish Film Festival - 2019
- Israel Film Festival - Singapore - 2018
- Israel Film Festival Los Angeles - 2018
- Israel Film Festival New York - 2018
- Israeli Film Festival at the Weinstein JCC - 2019
- Jewish Arts and Film Festival of Fairfield County - 2018
- Jewish Film Festival (Chautauqua) - 2019
- JFilm Festival (Pittsburgh) - 2018
- Jüdisches Filmfestival Wien: Servus Israel- 2018
- Karen Schneider Jewish Film Festival of Flint - 2018
- Louisville Jewish Film Festival - 2019
- Miami Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- Mobile Jewish Film Festival - 2019
- Nashville Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- New York Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- Northern New Jersey Israel Film Festival - 2018
- Pioneer Valley Jewish Film Festival - 2019
- Ring Family Wesleyan University Israel Film Festival - 2018
- Sarasota-Manatee Israel Film Festival - 2019
- SERET the London Israeli Film & TV Festival - 2018
- Seret: The Amsterdam Israeli Film and Television Festival - 2018
- Silicon Valley Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- Tampa Bay Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- The National Center For Jewish Film's 21st Annual Film Festival - 2018
- Triad Jewish Film Festival - 2019
- Vancouver Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- Victoria International Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- Washington Jewish Film Festival - 2018
- Westchester Jewish Film Festival - 2019
‘Cakemaker’ takes top prize at Jewish film festival in Germany
https://www.jpost.com/OMG/Cakemaker-takes-top-prize-at-Jewish-film-festival-in-Germany-564646
Sad and sweet, and with a rare lyricism, “The Cakemaker” believes in a love that neither nationality, sexual orientation nor religious belief can deter. Some may find its reticence off-putting or even irritating, but at heart it’s just a tender love triangle with a ghost in the middle. And a mouthwatering abundance of crème fraîche.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/movies/the-cakemaker-review.html?referrer=google_kp
That story is finally both convincing and quietly moving, a tale of emotional journeys and trials and the challenge of starting anew after tragedy. The brilliance of its telling marks a very auspicious debut by the talented Graizer.
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-cakemaker-2018
Cinematographer Omri Aloni shoots some of the baking scenes in a dreamy twilit haze practically akin to the pottery scene in “Ghost”: Most of us, it’s fair to say, have never looked quite so sexy or serene while working with yeast. Yet such romanticization aptly reflects Thomas’s own state of reverie in the kitchen — the one space, after all, where he feels confidently, capably himself — in contrast to the film’s muted, silver-shadowed naturalism elsewhere.
https://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/the-cakemaker-review-1202487213/
Once “The Cakemaker’s” plot kicks in, it’s inevitable that we wonder how long Thomas can keep the past a secret, and what will happen should the the truth come out. The most fascinating kind of tension results, an unusual state of affairs that plays fair with the characters, and with us.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-the-cakemaker-review-20180628-story.html
The film seems slight, and in many ways it is. This much passivity can only take a narrative so far. But Graizer knows how to hint at a deeper pain: The many, many scenes of silence and isolation hang in the air like unbaked clouds of flour. As the siren rings throughout Jerusalem calling all the Jewish families to Sabbath dinner, our German friend whose cooking can break your heart sits alone in his spotless apartment, dipping into takeout hummus.
https://www.npr.org/2018/06/28/624046119/in-the-cakemaker-grieving-is-baked-in
Kalkhof’s subtle performance lays the groundwork for The Cakemaker’s affecting climax—a final discharge of suppressed emotions that’s hardly surprising but very much earned. Despite some obvious moments, Graizer’s film is a complex mix: Binding its narrative to fascinating explorations of national identity, sexuality, and, of course, food, it avoids being limited by its use of allegory and melodrama. Instead, it deploys elements of each to craft a poignant film about mourning and forgiveness.
https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/the-cakemaker
The same formal composure characterises The Cakemaker’s performances and visuals, and the same quiet revelation as well. Offering controlled but vivid portrayals, Kalkhof and Adler ensure their two sides of the same grieving, anguished coin remain as different as they do similar, all the more so as their characters slowly step closer together. Behind the lens, first-time feature cinematographer Omri Aloni frames with cool poise — other than when sensual food shots are involved — while fellow newcomer Michal Oppenheim proves just as precise with the film’s measured editing.
https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-cakemaker-karlovy-vary-review/5119590.article
Graizer takes his time and never feels the need to spell everything out, and “The Cakemaker” is a testament to what filmmakers can achieve when they trust the audience.
https://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/Israeli-German-film-The-Cakemaker-a-13086989.php
Graizer too often seems afraid to potentially offend anyone (but especially straight audiences along for the ride) and too polite to explore the darker recesses of grief, desire and sexuality. One doesn’t even need the more explicit approach of someone like Joao Pedro Rodrigues, whose Odete touches on many similar themes; a tonally hushed film like Lilting, which also looked at secrets, gay desire, being stuck between cultures and how the memory of a loved one can inform actions in the present day, felt much more emotionally transparent and honest and thus affecting. But after The Cakemaker’s over, audiences will shrug, instantly forget the wishy-washy characters and not even run to the nearest patisserie.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/cakemaker-der-kuchenmacher-1019272
The Cakemaker is more of a petit four than a belly bomb, but it’s striking in its particularity. Though the film is shot in Jerusalem, it contains nothing of the Old City or anything else from a Fodor’s Travel guide. Israel’s religious codes are just a fact of life for secular Jews, like traffic is for those in Los Angeles or stalled subways are for those in New York. As the story cooks, we wait for Thomas to get burned, but don’t judge him too harshly. Though in a rough situation, these are fundamentally good people; the film’s aftertaste is sweet.
https://www.villagevoice.com/2018/06/27/the-cakemaker-is-more-of-a-petit-four-than-a-belly-bomb/
It’s a hefty portion to swallow in this movie, but it’s well-worth the time to dig in.
https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/movies/2018/07/26/cakemaker-review-beautiful-picture-intimacy-and-heartbreak/824700002/
The Cakemaker is a touching, quietly assured and beautifully handled drama about grief, religion and traditional values in modern societies. Both Kalkhof and Adler are superb, and it’s the relationship between them which makes the film so special. Graizer ensures that there’s no eureka moment, allowing their bond to slowly grow in the most unfertile ground. The Cakemaker is a thoughtful and moving film about two people dealing with shared grief.
http://www.backseatmafia.com/lff-review-the-cakemaker/
Slowly and calmly told, The Cakemaker is a charming and touching story of decent people and their loneliness, shared grief and love for the same man – though Tomas’s is a painful, strangled grief that can’t be revealed in that religious Jewish society. The contrast in colour and vibrancy between Berlin and Jerusalem suggests the awakening that the chaos and closeness of Israeli life could have on him. The film is a little beautifully iced gem.
http://www.dogandwolf.com/2017/10/bfi-lff-the-cakemaker-2017/
The cast is exceptional. Thirty-year-old German actor Tim Kalkhof makes an impressive debut as the gay pastry chef whose life takes an unexpected turn.
https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/blogs/staff/flix/review-the-cakemaker-is-a-beautiful-film-that-explores-love/article_bb42b7de-886c-11e8-b9e4-936a30f230da.html
Director Ofir Raul Grazier also manages to illustrate the culture clash between Thomas and his new environment through food porn (yes, really). Your mouth will water as you see the delicacies he serves up in the kitchen, even though very little of what he makes is suitable for sale in an Israeli cafe, due to not having kosher status. In a movie so concerned with the emotions of its characters, the little details about working in an unfamiliar culture help ensure the movie feels tangible outside the central storyline.
http://gay-themed-films.com/review-the-cakemaker/
The movie is good at (very) slowly turning up the heat, but a lot of it comes out half-baked. Even aside from logical questions left unanswered, it doesn’t really explore issues raised by the notion of an imposter taking someone’s place, or of the connections between religious strictures and those placed on sexual identity. Perhaps this is because Thomas’s character, who never explores Jerusalem outside of this one Jewish enclave, is passive to the point of being almost absent himself—an effect heightened by Kalkhof and Adler both sounding more stilted in English, the characters’ only language in common. The Cakemaker is very tasteful indeed, but does it satisfy?
https://www.straight.com/movies/1135451/cakemaker-cooks-polysexual-enigma
Rather than become an over-the-top melodrama, The Cakemaker asks profound questions about the complexity of human nature, empathy, and our value beyond archaic doctrines that serve to separate more than unite. It offers two unforgettably complex leads struggling to find their worth in the wake of devastating news that inexplicably find themselves able to help steady the other despite their unknown roles in shattering the other’s foundation in the first place. Graizer can therefore authentically touch upon the myriad taboos projecting adversity upon them because they’re more or less the same beneath it all. The performances Kalkhof and Adler draw within that truth prove equally inspirational as devastating. And as so much external noise tries dividing them, it’s food’s great unifier that silences their minds to amplify their souls.
http://jaredmobarak.com/2018/07/25/the-cakemaker/
This is an impressive debut for Gralzer and there are few wrong steps taken here. The late-film flashback that explains some of what happened between Thomas and Oren probably should have occurred sooner in the film and the ending was a bit muddled but beyond that this is the kind of rainy day movie that will whet your appetite in more ways than one.
https://carlosdev.wordpress.com/2018/06/06/the-cakemaker/
Thematically, while it seems that the issues of religiousness, Jewishness, homosexuality and the position of a German in Israel are delicate topics that the film deals with, what is really subversive about it is its refusal to conform to the norms of sexuality: no one here seems to be clearly homo- or heterosexual, and the protagonists of this movie are looking for love and care, for tenderness and closeness, regardless of their sexual roles. The refusal to reduce one’s identity to any of the traditional divisions represents the beating heart of The Cakemaker.
https://www.cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/330611/
Both the gay character and the straight wife are admirable human beings – strong, independent, thoughtful, wise and kind of adorable, at least as played by Kalkhof and Adler. These characters are brave role models for the rest of us. That makes the film sound dull and lecturing. It is exactly the opposite of that. It’s totally involving, quietly glorious, telling the truth for once, in fact a whole series of truths.
http://www.derekwinnert.com/the-cakemaker-2017-tim-kalkhof-sarah-adler-roy-miller-zohar-shtrauss-movie-review/
What is lacking is a sense of real passion in the initial period of the relationship between Thomas and Oren and, in places, a strong narrative drive. Yet the film, its cast and its themes more than survive its deficiencies.
https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-cakemaker-2017-film-review-by-richard-mowe
You may know where The Cakemaker is going, but getting there is a sweet and satisfying trip.
http://maddwolf.com/new-in-theaters/friend-of-the-family/#sthash.T3NRSD09.sWS6kGzY.dpbs
The Cakemaker is one of those beautiful absorbing movies that slips under your skin and stays there for some time.
http://www.queerguru.com/2018/01/the-cakemaker
“The Cakemaker”, which was recently shown in Jeonju International Film Festival, requires some patience due to its slow narrative pacing, and some of you may complain about its rather unresolved ending, but it is rewarding experience on the whole thanks to its competent direction and good performances.
https://kaist455.com/2018/06/03/the-cakemaker-2017/
This is a thoroughly hamish (home-like) look at the conflicts faced by a Berliner whose lover had just died, and also the opposition he faces from a member of the Jewish family who at first rejects the idea of a Gentile’s working with Anat, then warms up to him, and ultimately changes his mind once again.
http://www.shockya.com/news/2018/06/25/the-cakemaker-movie-reveiw/
Rife with genuine pathos and boasting a coda as mysterious and suggestive as it is heartwarming and hopeful, The Cakemaker is a film that lingers on the palate long after the final radiant shot of a transformed Anat looking at her future with freshly-nourished perspective.
https://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/films/reviews/view/28622/the-cakemaker