Reel Affirmations: The Nation's LGBT Film Festival 2008

Ha-Sodot

Naomi is a brilliant young woman who begs to be allowed to attend religious school in order to avoid a marriage. Michelle, rebellious and fun-loving, has been sent to the school by her French parents in the hope that she will become more devout, or at least stay out of serious trouble.

Unlikely friends, the pair soon bond, but another woman threatens to tear the friendship apart. Anouk, an ailing older woman with a dark and troubled past, is seeking redemption, but rejected by the religious community's powers that be. In an act of compassion, Michelle volunteers Naomi, whose scholarship and depth of knowledge are unassailable, to find kabbalistic texts that will cleanse Anouk's soul. Naomi is initially horrified by Michelle's commitment, but intellectual curiosity and her own burgeoning empathy spur her on. As the friends learn more about this enigmatic woman, they break more rules to assist her, finally accepting that they will risk their futures to free her from her past.

In the meantime, Naomi and Michelle embark on an adventure of their own - falling in love and finally deciding to act upon their feelings for each other. A loving and tender relationship ensues, but familial and religious pressure soon mounts on the girls and they must decide whether their feelings, or their families, will prevail.

French & Hebrew with English subtitles