Film Review: Masel Tov Cocktail
by Rose Finlay

Germany 2020
Directed by Arkadij Khaet, Michey Paatzsch

Dimitrij Liebermann (Alexander Wertmann) walks into a school bathroom and shoves a classmate Tobi (Mateo Wansing Lorrio) against the wall while he is using the urinal. Tobi retaliates with antisemitism and Dimitrij punches him, a course of action which leads to his suspension when he refuses to apologize. What follows is a day where Dimitrij travels through the city encountering various personalities of Germans and Jews, some cliched, some a little too accurate for comfort. Meanwhile Dimitrij dismantles the ridiculousness of each one with aggressive panache until he once again must come face to face with his nemesis Tobi. Will the fake flowers his parents gave him help bridge the divide?

At only 30 minutes long, Masel Tov Cocktail is a poppy short film which effectively dissects some of the upsetting realities of being Jewish in Germany and also the clichéd assumptions of the German populace. Historical facts fly quickly at the viewer such as the dark history of Galeria Kaufhof and the prevalence of Jewish soldiers in the Red Army during World War II. The pacing breakneck with quick cuts and complementary music, making the whole film feel shorter than 30 minutes. With its perfect balance between comedy and criticism, Masel Tov Cocktail is a film which both allows the audience to laugh at itself and also self-examine without recrimination. It is a perfect choice for anyone who wishes to learn a little bit more about just how much further German society has yet to go in regards to its treatment of the Jewish community.