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Women of Valor

  • Israel
  • Documentary
  • 2021
  • 77 min.
  • Director(s): Anna Somershaf
  • Producer(s): Anna Somershaf, Tal Barda

Synopsis

In the Haredi community, a woman’s obligation is to marry and bear children, and serve as primary breadwinner while her husband studies religious texts. Haredi political parties in Israel forbid women to seek public office. Fed up with the status quo, Esty Shushan is fighting to change that. She co-founds a nonprofit calling for representation of Orthodox women in the Knesset, taking their case to the UN women’s rights committee and the Israeli Supreme Court. To prepare the next generation for leadership roles, her Nivcharot organization establishes a program to mentor young women and get the first female name on the ballot. But change comes with a cost, as Esty’s activism brings threats, suspicion and online harassment. Ostracized as a “fake Haredi,” she must reconcile deep-rooted frustration over ultra-Orthodox life with her efforts to bring the silent voices of women to the center of Israeli discourse.

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Credits

Director(s)

Anna Somershaf

Producer(s)

Anna Somershaf, Tal Barda

Script

Anna Somershaf, Tal Brog

Cinematography

Emmanuelle Mayer

Editor

Tal Brog

Original Language

Hebrew, English

Subtitles

Hebrew, English

Research

Anna Somershaf

Sound Design

Rotem Dror

Festival Highlights

  • WINNER

    Human Rights Award
    Women's Voices Now Film Festival
    2024
  • WINNER

    Best of Festival, Documentary Feature
    Richmond International Film Festival
    2023