Barren
Synopsis
Married for four years, Faigi (Mili Eshet), a young Haredi married woman, has still not gotten pregnant. She wishes her husband, Naftali (Yoav Rotman) would agree to fertility treatment, but he prefers to believe their desire for a child will be answered through prayer. After enduring, against her will, a shocking and humiliating "treatment" for infertility, she finds herself shunned by Naftali, mistrusted by her in-laws, and questioning her role in the only culture she has ever known. Beautifully photographed and acted, this haunting film offers a deep and multifaceted look into an an insular community that reveals little to the outside world.
Credits
Director(s)
Mordechai Vardi
Producer(s)
Haggai Arad, Aharon Peer, Elad Peleg
Script
Mordechai Vardi
Cinematography
Uri Ackerman
Cast
Mili Eshet, Yoav Rotman ,Ilanit Ben Yaakov, Nevo Kimchi, Gil Frank
Original Language
Hebrew
Subtitles
English, French
Festival Highlights
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WINNER
Next Wave AwardMiami Jewish Film Festival2023 -
WINNER
Best Feature Film AwardFestival du Cinéma Israélien de Paris2023
Festival du Cinéma Israélien de Paris , France , 2023
Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival , USA , 2023
San Francisco Jewish Film Festival , USA , 2023
Tampa Bay Jewish Film Festival , USA , 2023
Charlotte Jewish Film Festival , USA , 2023
San Diego Jewish Film Festival , USA , 2023
Atlanta Jewish Film Festival , USA , 2023
Wesleyan University- With Filmmaker , USA , 2023
Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival , USA , 2023
Louisville Jewish Film Festival , USA , 2023
Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival , USA , 2023
Miami Jewish Film Festival , USA , 2023
New York Jewish Film Festival , USA , 2023
International Film Festival of India , India , Official Selection , 2022
Australia Jewish Film Festival , Australia , 2022
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival , Estonia , 2022
Jerusalem International Film Festival , Israel , Israeli Competition , 2022
Reviews
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Vardi's tendency to put marginalized characters in front of the camera gets a sensitive and beautiful expression this time as well.
Netanel Shlomovich, Haaretz