San Diego Jewish Film Festival preview: 'Brothers'

By Yvonne Greenberg

LA JOLLA, California–The film Brothers won last year’s Audience Choice Award in two European countries, and best actress and actor in another overseas location. 

Now the film in Hebrew and Spanish with English subtitles will be shown at the 20th Annual San Diego Jewish Film Festival (sponsored by the Mizel Family Foundation) at the AMC La Jolla  on Thursday, February 11, at 7:30 PM and at UltraStar La Costa on Saturday, February 13, at 7:30 PM

 
The movie explores the disagreements between the secular and orthodox Jews in Israel today through its two main characters, Dan and Aharon. Igaal Niddam, the Israeli filmmaker, has this conflict develop when two brothers meet after 25 years of separation that involved no contact whatsoever. They are shocked by their totally different lifestyles and viewpoints, and their relationship is cold and distant.
 
Dan, a macho type, is a shepherd in a secular kibbutz living a peaceful, content life in Israel with his beautiful wife and his two young children.  
 
Aharon is an Orthodox rabbi and New York attorney who has come to Israel to defend the right of Orthodox yeshiva students to be exempt from military service.
 
From their very first meeting, there is absolutely no understanding of each other’s lifestyles, attitudes, or viewpoints.  The brother’s relationship  mirrors the  lack of understanding between secular and orthodox Jews on a variety of issues in modern Israeli society.
 
The script delves deeper into the psychological makeup of the principals when they have face-to-face talks. However, trying to change the laws dealing with military service in Israel cause havoc, even an unexpected murder.

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Click here for the schedule of film festival shows and ticket information.