GEULA/ REDEMPTION
Israel, 2018, 100 minutes, Colour.
Moshe Folkenflick, Emily Granin.
Directed by Yosse Madmoni, Boaz Yehonatan Yaacov.
Winner of the Ecumenical Award at the Film Festival at Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic) 2018. The citation, written by a jury of Catholics and Protestants, reads:
Geula is about a man who goes through the process of redemption and reconciliation while trying to save his ill daughter. The jury awards the film “for overcoming all kinds of narrow-mindedness to discover the healing beauty of openness and hope; for showing that God and humanity cannot be confined just to a set of rules and that one has to have a courage to be; and for its artistic quality where cinematography serves the story adding another dimension to the experience of the struggle it tells.�
A review. This is a very human and humane film. While it would have an impact for Israeli audiences, it has a universal appeal.
Menachem is a religious man, observing kosher regulations, food, reverently touching lintels, avoiding touch with women…. Working in a supermarket, tending his six-year-old daughter, Geula, who has what could be a terminal illness. Menachem is a widower. He is serious, with a look of sadness, but is immensely cheered by the vitality, despite her illness, of his daughter.
We discover that he had been lead singer in a band 15 years earlier with the influence of rock ‘n’ roll. However, he had given up the music, becoming religious (not specifically Orthodox nor Hasidic) and wanted to study but this did not work out. Realising that the medical procedures for Geula were becoming more costly, he has the idea to revive the band, going to visit each of the three former members, some enthusiasm from two but hesitation from one who is now is a successful businessman, restaurateur. However, Menachem is persuasive.
He also comes alive as he sings. The music has traditional tones but often draws on scriptural texts. The group play at weddings, are successful, and bookings come in. Audiences will be moved by the liveliness of the music, impressed by the wedding guests and their total involvement in the music and their intensity – but only the men, a partition separating the women at the wedding celebration, their being able to look in through a gap in the partition.
Geula is able to continue her treatment because of the income, remaining cheerful despite the procedures. One of the members of the band suggests that they do an audition to play in a club, finally persuasive – but his fiancee comes with an appeal to Menachem that he give up the idea, she hoping to become pregnant and build a family.
Menachem’s religious behaviour includes a great deal of God-language, continually thanking God for whatever happens, good or bad, trusting in a Providence. It contrasts with the more secular attitudes of some of his colleagues and the band. His religious outlook means that Menachem is a man of authenticity and integrity, guiding him and his decisions.
There are many attractive scenes of father and daughter, concern and care, love, hope.
1. A human and humane story? The Israeli setting? Universal impact?
2. Israel, homes, streets, the supermarket, the wedding celebrations, the clubs, hospitals?
3. The musical score, the range of songs, the human lyrics, the religious lyrics and scriptural references? Their insertion throughout the film?
4. The title, the focus on Guela? The alternate title of redemption and the focus on Menachem?
5. Guela, her age, her mother’s death, her own illness, inherited? Her relationship with her father, going to the hospital, the treatments? The audience seeing the taking off her wig? The procedures and the cost? At home, lively, love for her father, his telling the stories, the babysitter and the care? The meeting Goolie, the lollipop gift, having to postpone until after the treatment, her father losing it? Her health not improving, further treatments? Her turns, with the neighbours, the mother of the babysitter and her severity? Her insistence with her father? Avi and his visit, hope, seeing the lollipop on the ground, cleaning it and taking it home?
6. Menachem’s story, audience first impressions, a serious man, his concern about his daughter and illness, his continued devotion? Working at the supermarket, the labels, Guela and her labelling? The need for finance for the procedures? The babysitter, the CD, her admiration for the songs?
7. Menachem and his past, 15 years, the band, his becoming religious, wanting to study, not able? Avi and his girlfriend? Marrying her? His severity, her being seen in flashbacks, Avi telling Menachem that she wanted a divorce?
8. The nature of Menachem’s religion? The film not focusing on the Orthodox or the Hasidic men? But “religious� in the Jewish tradition, kosher, food, touching lintels, not
opening packages, checking food, not touching women? Guela and her explanation about prayers to Early?
9. The significance of God language, ideas, Providence? Menachem and his religious integrity – and comparisons with secular attitudes?
10. The band, its past success, and him going to visit Avi, Daniel, Girly, the idea of reuniting? His discussions with each of his friends, meeting their women? His success in persuading the reluctant Daniel who had contributed money for the procedures? Getting the violinist, the bookings, the division of the cash?
11. The exhilaration of playing at the weddings, the music and lyrics, the verve, the Orthodox men and their enthusiasm, separated from the women, the women observing? The further bookings?
12. Dating, the role of the matchmaker, the interrogation, the details and forms, photos and Menachem looking so serious? The dates, the woman who was not interested in Hasidic men, her friend, the women’s expectations?
13. The babysitter, with Guela, admiring Menachem, her severe mother?
14. Daniel’s partner, with the gift of money, her plea to stop the weddings, her wanting to have a child, her age?
15. Daniel, getting the club owner, the audition, Daniel paying all the costs? Menachem being slow, but persuaded? The impact of the visit of Daniel’s fiancee? His being upset, his integrity, wanting the truth about the arrangement?
16. Goolie and his woman, visiting the house, staying the night, Guela and the prayers, the lollipop? Avi representing secular Israel, drugs? Daniel and his success, owning the restaurant?
17. The final treatment, Avi and his visit to the hospital, telling Menachem the truth about his wife? Menachem and his acceptance, going home, the lollipop, a future?
