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Jan. 20, 2006
Life's great mysteries
Film with ultra-Orthodox stars sets precedent.
KATHARINE HAMER EDITOR
A hit comedy about Chassids celebrating Sukkot? It's not an oxymoron.
Ushpizin (Holy Guests), from director Gidi Dar, has
been well received not only in Israel, where it was nominated for
many awards, but in the United States.
Ushpizin tells the story of the devoutly religious Moshe
Bellanga (Shuli Rand) and his wife, Malli (Michal Bat Sheva Rand),
who – with the holiday fast approaching – are unable to
afford a sukkah or the four species. At the same time, the couple
have been unable to conceive a much longed-for child, despite their
fervent prayers. The film opens with a gloomy Moshe wandering the
streets. "How's it going, Moshe?" a neighbor asks. "Terrible!"
Moshe replies, "His name be praised!"
An unexpected windfall allows the couple to buy an etrog thought
to be the most perfect specimen in Jerusalem and decorate a seemingly
abandoned sukkah. That's when the trouble starts. Moshe and Malli
are visited by a pair of escaped criminals, Eliyahu – an old
acquaintance from Moshe's past – and Yossef. The duo wreak
havoc with their drinking, smoking, music-blaring ways – and
Moshe blames it all on the stolen sukkah.
On the phone from Jerusalem, Dar explains that the script was based
on a true story: someone actually did take Rand's sukkah and thereafter
had a disastrous experience with his Sukkot visitors.
It provided the perfect vehicle for Rand, who – having left
the secular world of acting – was initially reluctant to return.
In fact, it was only upon consulting his rabbi that he agreed to
do so – with the condition that his wife play opposite him.
Since Michal Rand had no previous acting experience, she was doubtful,
but Dar persuaded her to take the role of Malli and she carries
it off with aplomb.
Shooting a film with an ultra-Orthodox cast was a first, said Dar,
and to do so, he had to agree to certain conditions. The film cannot
be screened in Israel on Shabbat, and a hotline to Rand's rabbi,
the so-called "red phone," was set up in case there were
any conflicts between the film world and the rules of halachah
(Jewish law).
Thankfully, said Dar, "There never came a point where Shuli
and I argued over halachah versus art."
The response to the film has been phenomenal across every realm
of Israeli society.
"In Israel, it was very significant," Dar said, "because
there is a huge tension between the sides – very, very strong
social and political tension between the Orthodox and the secular.
It's very rough. This film did something very interesting and positive."
He believes secular Jews were "surprised to see that they can
identify very easily with people from this world. For Israeli seculars,
this was a shock. Normally, the Israelis are very polarized, they're
kind of used to hating [those unlike themselves]. It tells a story
that is universal – it's not just for religious people; it's
about going through an inner test.
"There are two possible points of view on the movie. There's
one which is very religious and believing in miracles and the other
one is more psychological, which examines the mind of the believer
and not necessarily saying that what he sees is reality."
Dar marvelled also at the reaction of the religious community.
"I remember one of the first sneak previews that I attended,"
he said. "There were only 20 people in the theatre, all of
them religious, from different sects. The movie started. Everybody
was laughing at the right places and then, after 15 minutes, when
Moshe says to his wife, 'We need a miracle,' and she replies, 'We'll
see miracles,' suddenly I heard one of the viewers say, loudly and
completely seriously, 'amen.' And then more people began repeating,
'amen, amen, amen.'
"The moment reminded me of the famous story from the beginning
of cinema when the Meliès brothers projected film of a train
entering a station and people ran from the theatre because they
thought the train would come bursting through the screen. I understood
that many religious people had never seen a film before and for
them movie-going is perhaps a more naïve and emotional experience."
Ushpizin will be screened at a fund-raiser for Pacific Torah
Institute on Sunday, Jan. 22, 11 a.m. at the Park Theatre. The film
opens at Fifth Avenue Cinemas on Feb. 3.
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