Will civil war engulf the Jews of Israel? Igaal Niddam, an Israeli film maker, devotes his film BROTHERS to this question. Told from the viewpoint of two estranged siblings, Daniel, a secular farmer on a kibbutz, and Aharon, an Orthodox Rabbi from New York, this film is a perceptive analysis of two political trends dividing contemporary Israeli society. Rabbi Aharon, an attorney, views Judaism as the foundation of the State of Israel, and comes to the country to defend the right of Orthodox Yeshiva students to be exempt from military service. Daniel, a liberal kibbutznik, believes Israel should be a liberal and secular society. He opposes his brother’s attempt to legitimize the State of Israel on solely theological grounds. BROTHERS dramatizes the conflict between the secular and religious, and portrays Israel as a political example of a split personality; the struggle between the ultra Orthodox and the state.
Winning international acclaim, the film was an official selection at three 2009 European Film Festivals and won awards for best actor and actress at the Biarritz Film Festival.
Please note the films shown at the GPJFF are not rated. Parental discretion advised.
