6.7/10
3,612
22 user 124 critic

Lemale et ha'halal (2012)

Trailer
2:09 | Trailer
When the older sister of Shira, an 18-year-old Hasidic Israeli, dies suddenly in childbirth, Shira must decide if she can and should marry her widowed brother-in-law, which also generates tensions within her extended family.

Director:

Rama Burshtein

Writer:

Rama Burshtein
13 wins & 16 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview:
Hadas Yaron ... Shira
Yiftach Klein ... Yochay
Irit Sheleg ... Rivka
Chayim Sharir Chayim Sharir ... Aharon (as Chaim Sharir)
Razia Israeli Razia Israeli ... Aunt Hanna (as Razia Israely)
Hila Feldman ... Frieda
Renana Raz ... Esther
Yael Tal ... Shifi
Michael Weigel ... Shtreicher (as Michael David Weigl)
Ido Samuel ... Yossi
Neta Moran ... Bilha
Melech Thal Melech Thal ... Rabbi
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Storyline

A devout 18-year-old Israeli is pressured to marry the husband of her late sister. Declaring her independence is not an option in Tel Aviv's ultra-Orthodox Hasidic community, where religious law, tradition and the rabbi's word are absolute. Written by Sundance Film Festival

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

Certificate:

PG | See all certifications »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Rama Burshtein spent a year editing the movie. See more »

Connections

Featured in Film '72: Episode dated 11 December 2013 (2013) See more »

Soundtracks

Im Eshkachech Yerushalayim
(uncredited)
See more »

User Reviews

 
'Tradition!'
10 October 2013 | by gradyharpSee all my reviews

One reason to view FILL THE VOID, written and directed by Rama Burshtein, is the opportunity to view the clothing, the mannerisms, the singing (endless), and the other unique characteristics of Israel's ultra-Orthodox Hasidic community. For those who have never witness this spectrum of Judaism it is an eye-opening experience: religious law, tradition and the rabbi's word are absolute. Marriages are arranged and a woman's outside options are limited, as marriage is a central and crucial moment in their lives. Matches are arranged, decisions about whom to marry are critically important, but apparently the woman always has the right to turn down a prospective suitor. Of importance to note, Rama Burshtein comes form this community and her understanding of all the permutations is obvious.

Shira (Hadas Yaron), a devout 18-year-old Israeli, has come of age and is considering marriage, having met her first serious suitor Yossi (Ido Samuel). Shira's eldest sister Esther (Renana Raz) suddenly dies in childbirth leaving her grieving husband Yochay (the very handsome and talented Yiftach Klein) with a son and no mother to care for the infant. Despite his grief (and the grief of Shira's parents - Irit Sheleg and Chayim Sharir) Yochay decides he must marry. Shira's other sister Frieda (Hila Feldman) declares that Esther had informed her that should anything happen to Esther, Frieda should marry Yochay. Shira's mother, afraid that Yochay will take the offer from a Belgium woman to marry and thus move away with her grandson from Tel Aviv, encourages Shira to marry Yochay. Shira is conflicted, gains support from her armless unmarried aunt Hanna (Razia Israeli) who knows that in this community a woman MUST be married, and after much discussion among the Rabbi (Melech Thal) and the family and Yochay and Shira, a conversation between the couple seals their fate.

The acting is excellent, the cinematography often times seems flooded with light and slightly out of focus as if taken through layers of wedding veils (!), the costumes are amazing even they are the usual dress mode of this Hassidic community, and the attention to detail of such moments as Purim and Shabbat are immaculate. The seemingly endless amount of singing by the men does grow a bit wearisome and covers dialogue at times, but this is a fresh and fascinating view of love, traditions, and laws and the still viable personal choices in this colorful community. In Hebrew with English subtitles.

Grady Harp


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Details

Country:

Israel

Language:

Hebrew

Release Date:

18 October 2012 (Israel) See more »

Also Known As:

Le coeur a ses raisons See more »

Filming Locations:

Tel Aviv, Israel

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Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$59,164, 26 May 2013

Gross USA:

$1,775,316

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,197,615
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
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