Eyes Wide Open

Haim Tabakman's first feature, an Israeli French German co production, screened in Un Certain Regard at Cannes. Shot in Mea Shearim, the ultra Orthodox quarter of Jerusalem, it follows Aaron, married with four children, who has taken over the family butcher shop after his father's death. He meets Ezri, a homeless nineteen year old yeshiva student, gives him both work and shelter, and their closeness turns romantic. Community pressure intensifies as leaflets denouncing Ezri circulate, Aaron's shop is stoned, and a modesty patrol, a volunteer body that genuinely exists, pays a visit. The film ends ambiguously, with Aaron submerging himself in a ritual bath, and the screenwriter has said this does not necessarily mean drowning. The director described the difficulty of making it plainly: people from the religious world helped them, but none wanted to be credited or thanked as consultants, because of the strong negative energy attached to the subject. Tabakman's stated intention was to break the silence, saying the film might become part of the Orthodox world's evolution. Ran Danker, who plays Ezri, was a well known young pop star in Israel, and his taking the role drew attention. Who it's for: Viewers drawn to quiet films about faith, desire and communal pressure. Who it's not for: Not for anyone expecting a passionate love story, since as one critic put it the film is sincere but oddly tame.