''Say Amen'' (

2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...

) is a personal

documentary film A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...

by David Deri, an

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...

Jew Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly inte ...

, who reveals his

homosexuality Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or Human sexual activity, sexual behavior between people of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexu ...

to his parents and siblings. The documentary is named one of the best five documentaries of the year 2005 by Israeli Film Academy and appeared in many film festivals, including HOTDOCS-Toronto, the

Leeds International Film Festival The Leeds International Film Festival (LIFF) is an annual film festival hosted in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is the largest film festival in England outside of London. Founded in 1987, it is held in November in various venues throughou ...

, the

Cork Film Festival Cork International Film Festival (CIFF), also known the Cork Film Festival (), is a film festival held annually in Cork City, Ireland. It was established in 1956 as part of An Tóstal, and is Ireland's oldest and largest film festival. It is typ ...

, and

Inside Out Film and Video Festival The Inside Out Film and Video Festival (formerly, Inside Out Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival), also known as the Inside Out LGBT or LGBTQ Film Festival, is an annual Canadian film festival, which presents a program of LGBT-related film. Th ...

Summary

David is the youngest of ten siblings in a close-knit Moroccan- Israeli family. While the other nine have all extended the family tree by marrying and having children, David, at twenty-nine, still hasn't brought home a girlfriend, which inspires his family's constant nagging. The confessional film follows David as he takes small steps, gathering courage, and hoping to receive acceptance from his family. Throughout the film the importance of marriage is made clear. In one scene David's mother is shown lighting candles as she prays for her children in a hushed tone: "save them from bombing accidents; let them all marry and have children." Set in

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...

, ''Say Amen'' explores the varying ideologies regarding homosexuality that are present in

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

today. Many religions interpret that the book of Leviticus from the

Bible The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...

as describing homosexuality as an "abomination" that is punishable by death, although this has been debated for quite some time. Today there is a growing sympathy within Judaism towards homosexuals, spurred by some people's beliefs that homosexuality is not a chosen act of sin. Despite these progressive attitudes, Orthodox Judaism generally prohibits homosexual conduct and views it with condescension and disgust. David is brave enough to share his struggles, but, for the most part, he's still too shy to step out from behind the camera. His family is irritated by his constant filming, but it works to the documentary's advantage. By turning the lens away from himself, David completely avoids self-indulgent emotionality, maintaining a sense of objectivity. This technique also allows the viewer to see the world through his eyes. The frustrated looks, the sad sighs, and the lectures are all addressed to the camera, making it easy for the viewer to imagine how David must feel. ''Say Amen'' impresses the importance of family. In between their serious conversations, the documentary captures ordinary moments the Deri family spends together. The entire Dari extended family gathers to celebrate a grandchild's birthday, David dances with his mother in the kitchen, and little kids climb all over the couch where their mother is sitting and yawning. The comfort is apparent, making David's isolating secret all the more painful.

References

External links

Leeds International Film Festival

Inside Out Film Festival
* {{Films about Orthodox and Hasidic Jews 2000s Hebrew-language films Israeli LGBTQ-related films Documentary films about LGBTQ and Judaism Israeli documentary films LGBTQ and Orthodox Judaism 2005 films 2005 documentary films Films set in Tel Aviv Films about Orthodox and Hasidic Jews 2005 LGBTQ-related films

Summary

See also

Documentaries featuring Orthodox Jews and LGBT themes

References

External links