In a retirement home in Jerusalem, a group of 70-something friends think up way for their long-suffering, dying friend to kill himself. But rumors about this “miracle machine” spread throughout the home as more and more residents want to use it to end their circumstances, which include incontinence, pain, guilt and Alzheimer’s. The friends therefore are faced with a real dilemma: can they play god?

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This intense and provocative drama is perfectly spiced with a remarkable cast. The darkly comic Israeli film The Farewell Party is directed with enthusiasm by Sharon Maymon and Tal Granit, and the dialogue is skillful with just the right amount of irony. Its central theme is becoming evermore significant in our aging society: who may decide who can live or die? As opposed to Michael Haneke’s Amour and Runar Runarsson’s Volcano, the filmmakers of this movie prefer to infuse the subject matter with a dose of absurdity. With great success.