The Women's Balcony

A mishap at a Jerusalem synagogue causes a major rift in a devout community, in <strong>THE WOMEN'S BALCONY</strong>, a rousing, comical feminist narrative about speaking truth to patriarchal power.

What begins as a joyous celebration turns into disaster, when a women's balcony at an Orthodox synagogue collapses during a bar mitzvah party, injuring a number of people and leaving the senior rabbi in a state of shock. Stepping in to assume authority in the face of crisis, the young and charismatic Rabbi David (Avraham Aviv Alush) first appears as a savior. His fundamentalist ways soon divide the close-knit Sephardic congregation along gender lines, as the self-righteous interloper insists that the accident is a divine warning against female nonconformity. A battle of the sexes ensues, threatening to tear apart families and friends, including husband-and-wife congregational stalwarts Zion and Ettie (Igal Naor and Eveline Hagoel, who lead a fine ensemble cast).

Infused with genuine characters and big-hearted humor, first-time filmmaker Emil Ben-Shimon and screenwriter Shlomit Nechama fashion a compassionate portrait of modern Orthodoxy, where unity and love are rekindled by a rebellious and progressive spirit. Nominated for five Israeli Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actor and Actress (Avraham Aviv Alush and Orna Banai).