By Sheryl Rowling
SAN DIEGO — Adapted from Savyon Liebrecht’s short story, Apples from the Desert is a spiritual coming of age journey. Rivkah, the only child of Orthodox Jewish parents, lives in Jerusalem under the iron fist of her controlling, traditional father while her mother cowers in abdication.
No option for college, Rivkah is stuck in a dead-end job under the restriction of returning home directly at the end of each day. Restless and dealing with stifled creativity, Rivkah is drawn into the secular world when she encounters a casual folk dancing gathering. The expressive freedom she feels in dancing is counterbalanced by the tightening grip of her father. As this confinement grows in more extreme ways, Rivkah runs away to join her secular dance partner in a kibbutz.
Well acted, perfectly paced, with wonderful depth of characters, “Apples from the Desert” draws the audience into the complex emotions and inner conflicts of Rivkah as well as those of both her mother and father. Will Rivkah choose to stay in the kibbutz or return to the home of her Orthodox community? Can her father move past the traditions of arranged marriage and paternal authority or stand steadfast with his Orthodox principals? Is it possible for Rivkah’s mother to make her own decisions or will she continue to be obedient to her husband? More than just a story, this film explores the concepts of personal growth at any age.
Aside from occasional fuzzy camera focusing, this understated drama is a gem!
Apples from the Desert will be screened on Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 1:30 p.m. at the Reading Cinemas 14, 4665 Clairemont Drive, San Diego. The guest speaker is Rabbi Martin S. Lawson, spiritual leader emeritus of Temple Emanu-El. The film, without commentary, will be re-screened at 9:45 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 14, at the same theatre.
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Rowling is a freelance writer who specializes in coverage of such topics as personal finance and the arts. Your comment may be posted in the space provided below or sent to sheryl.rowling@sdjewishworld.com
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