The powerful, eye-opening and moving drama “Menashe” that’s set in a New York Hasidic community is scheduled to open in movie theaters across Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties on Aug. 18.
Shot in secret entirely within the Hasidic community depicted in the film, and one of the few movies to be performed in Yiddish in nearly 70 years, “Menashe” ─ distributed by A24 ─ is based largely on the real life of Menashe Lustig, a kind but hapless grocery store clerk trying to maintain custody of his son Rieven after his wife, Lea, dies. Both Menashe and his son live in a tradition-bound Hasidic culture that requires a mother present in every home, so Rieven is supposed to be adopted by his strict, married uncle. However, Menashe’s rabbi decides to grant him one week to spend with his son before his wife’s memorial. This opportunity provides an emotional father-son bonding and offers Menashe a final chance to prove to his skeptical community that he can be a capable parent.
A fascinating aspect of the film is that the main character is played by the real life subject he is based on rather than an actor.
“If I made the film in English, or I did it with actors who couldn’t speak Yiddish, it would’ve been laughable, so I knew the only way to make this movie possible was to do it with Yiddish speakers and to really work with non-actors living in that world,” said Joshua Weinstein, the director and a writer and a producer for the film.
Weinstein continued, “Menashe is one of the best actors I’ve seen on screen and he is so incredible and nuance and committed to his work. It was a pleasure and a joy to work with him.”
Alex Lipschultz, a writer and producer for the film, echoed Weinsten’s praise of Lustig’s performance.
“It was always fascinating to watch Menashe on set and, even as an untrained actor, see him tap into deep wells of emotion while he was thinking of each scene just because it was, in one sense or another, drawn from his own life. I’ve worked with a number of big Hollywood movie stars and Oscar winners and such, but I don’t think I’ve ever been as impressed with anybody’s performance as I was with Menashe Lustig’s.”
The Miami Jewish Film Festival recently hosted a members’ screening of the film in Aventura.
Rabbi Eliezer Wolf of Beit David Highland Lakes Shul in Aventura made a presentation at the Miami Jewish Film Festival’s screening and was very honored to do so.
In an interview, Wolf noted that to someone not familiar with the Hasidic community, the film presents scenes and themes which “might feel very foreign or troubling, though at the same time also displays generic dynamics shared by all Jews and humans.”
“Challenges of child-rearing, single-parenting, family discord and financial stress are equal in all communities. No community has the perfect answer to any of these, and each deal with it as best as they can, in accordance with their values and worldview.”
Weinstein noted that the film is one man’s story.
“He’s a man dealing with grief and he doesn’t always do the right thing, but at the same point, he is a loving, caring father and that means something,” Weinstein said. “I think that while we don’t always agree with some of their actions, the people in his community are just looking out for what’s best for his son. For me, there are no villains in this movie. Everyone is trying to do the right thing with different opinions.”
At press time, South Florida theaters scheduled to open the film include: AMC Aventura; Miami Beach Cinematheque; AMC Sunset Place 24 in South Miami; Miami-Dade College Tower Theater in Miami; Classic Gateway Theatre in Fort Lauderdale; Movies of Lake Worth; Movies of Delray; Living Room Theaters in Boca Raton and Regal Shadowood 16 in Boca Raton.
Contact these theaters or check local listings for show times or updates regarding possible changes.