Amos Gitai's KADOSH takes viewers inside the Mea Sherim quarter of Jerusalem, an enclave of the ultra-Orthodox almost never seen on the screen. Here, for ten years, the pious Rivka (Yael Abecassis, "Live and Become") has devoted herself to her husband Meir (Yoram Hattab), but their marriage remains childless. Presumed barren, she is rejected by her community, which prizes children above all else. The story that follows relates the harrowing fate of Rivka, and also here beloved sister Malka (Meital Barda), in love with a young man who has fled the community to lead a secular life.
A huge box office hit in Europe, acclaimed at film festivals in Cannes, Toronto, New Delhi and Tokyo, KADOSH is both a powerful drama and an impassioned feminist polemic. As religious fundamentalism achieves new political significance in many countries around the world, the questions at the heart of Amos Gitai's compelling drama resonate far beyond the borders of Israel.
"Luminous... The best Israeli film ever!" - Richard Corliss, Time
"A moving portrait of people trying to find an equilibrium between remaining true to themselves and their heritage." - Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle
Directed by Amos Gitai
Israel, 1999
Drama, Israeli Culture
Hebrew (with English subtitles)
116 minutes
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