This Israeli film, coming to the Jewish Film Festival at 2 p.m. on June 8, documents the process one couple goes through to obtain a divorce, called a ‘gett,’ in a rabbinic court. I thought it was unnecessarily grim until I realized that divorce in Israel, like marriage, can only be performed through such a rabbinic tribunal. It’s a hard concept for us Americans to grasp, but this means a woman cannot extricate herself from an unhappy union without the consent of these judges and, in most cases, the permission of her husband. The film is oppressively stark and austere in every way, set entirely in the bare-bones courtroom over a period of five years.
Our couple, Viviane and Elisha, are unhappy by any standard, but he does not want the split and refuses to free her. As the scenes progress and span the years, she becomes visibly more desperate, almost unhinged. It is a hard film to watch, but a remarkable thing to see and realize that in this day and age, and in a country as modern as Israel, women remain powerless in such an important arena of their lives.
The Jewish Film Festival runs June 7 to 11 at Plaza Frontenac; ticket prices are $10 to $15 per film, depending on how they are purchased. Town & Style is a proud sponsor of the event. Check stljewishfilmfestival.org for more details.
Should You See It? Yes. —D.W.