The dynastic heir of 38 generations of Orthodox rabbis, including the Chief Rabbis of Israel, Amichai Lau-Lavie is what you might call the black sheep of the family. Certainly his queer identity has led him down a different path than his forefathers: an activist with the Radical Faeries, he hit upon a provocative drag act alter ego — Rebbetzin Hadassah Gross — and cofounded a “God-optional” Jewish sect with Lab/Shul, to the dismay of his family. Yet Amichal’s journey, filmed across 21 years, has more twists in store…
This chipper and surprising documentary raises thorny questions about religion and identity.
May 13: Q&A with director Sandi Dubowski and Executive Producer Adrian Salpeter
May 11, 14 & 15: Q&A with Executive Producer Adrian Salpeter
This fast-paced, well-shot doc does place its finger on the quickening pulse of an ever-wider gap between liberalizing Western social values and the Orthodox sphere that believes they are antithetical to Judaism.
Dennis Harvey, Variety
Enthralling. It is one of the best films I’ve seen this year.
Hollywood Reporter
Sandi Dubowski
USA
2024
In English, Hebrew, and Yiddish with English subtitles
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Credits
Screenwriter
Francisco Bello, Sandi DuBowski, Jeremy Stulberg
Cinematography
Dan Gold, Wolfgang Held, Nadia Hallgren
Editor
Francisco Bello, Kyle Crichton, Philip Shane, Jeremy Stulberg
Original Music
Joel Goodman
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