Little Jerusalem (film)
Encyclopedia
Little Jerusalem is a 2005 French
drama
film
directed by Karin Albou. Albou's film depicts how the conflict between the rational and the irrational drives the relationships within a Jewish family living in the outskirts of Paris
.
, is a Jewish philosophy
student who has put Kantian reasoning
above all emotions, including love. In the film, Laura's interaction with Djamel, an Muslim
coworker played by Hédi Tillette de Clermont-Tonerre, exposes how Laura struggles to live by her rationalist principles as she succumbs into her feelings for Djamel. However, as Laura admits to feeling affection for Djamel, she is upset when she learns that they cannot have a life on their own because Djamel cannot afford to confront his family. Western philosophy has also made Laura very skeptical of the teachings of the Torah
, undermining her relationships with her Orthodox Jewish
family. Her family consists of her mother, her sister Mathilde (Elsa Zylberstein
), her devout brother in-law Ariel (Bruno Todeschini
), and her young nieces and nephews.
Ariel and Mathilde's troubled marital relationship reinforces the film's theme of conflict. Mathilde (Elsa Zylberstein
) is a woman who strictly abides by the traditions of the Torah, and believes sexual pleasure is forbidden. Ariel does not want to ask his wife to do things in bed that only he enjoys, and has an extramarital affair, for he does not dare to encumber his wife's modesty. Mathilde, however, seeks advice from the woman at the mikvah
, or ritual bath, who corrects her and reassures her that Jewish law does not forbid pleasure in conjugal relations. As the film progresses, Mathilde gains more comfort, and the happiness in her marriage is reclaimed.
The passing of time is marked in the film by Jewish holidays, beginning with Rosh Hashanah
and more specifically Tashlikh
. Also shown are community celebrations of Simchat Torah
and Purim
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
drama
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
directed by Karin Albou. Albou's film depicts how the conflict between the rational and the irrational drives the relationships within a Jewish family living in the outskirts of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Plot
Laura, played by Fanny ValetteFanny Valette
Fanny Valette is a French actress, born July 4, 1986 in Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône, France.- Biography :Valette started her career in an episode of L'instit...
, is a Jewish philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
student who has put Kantian reasoning
Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher from Königsberg , researching, lecturing and writing on philosophy and anthropology at the end of the 18th Century Enlightenment....
above all emotions, including love. In the film, Laura's interaction with Djamel, an Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
coworker played by Hédi Tillette de Clermont-Tonerre, exposes how Laura struggles to live by her rationalist principles as she succumbs into her feelings for Djamel. However, as Laura admits to feeling affection for Djamel, she is upset when she learns that they cannot have a life on their own because Djamel cannot afford to confront his family. Western philosophy has also made Laura very skeptical of the teachings of the Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
, undermining her relationships with her Orthodox Jewish
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
family. Her family consists of her mother, her sister Mathilde (Elsa Zylberstein
Elsa Zylberstein
Elsa Zylberstein is a French film, TV, and stage actress. After studying drama, Zylberstein began her film career in 1989, and has appeared in about 50 films...
), her devout brother in-law Ariel (Bruno Todeschini
Bruno Todeschini
Bruno Todeschini is a Swiss actor.Todeschini studied at L'école supérieure d'art dramatique in Genève and after graduating in 1986, he joined the Théàtre des Amandiers in Nanterre, directed by Patrice Chéreau....
), and her young nieces and nephews.
Ariel and Mathilde's troubled marital relationship reinforces the film's theme of conflict. Mathilde (Elsa Zylberstein
Elsa Zylberstein
Elsa Zylberstein is a French film, TV, and stage actress. After studying drama, Zylberstein began her film career in 1989, and has appeared in about 50 films...
) is a woman who strictly abides by the traditions of the Torah, and believes sexual pleasure is forbidden. Ariel does not want to ask his wife to do things in bed that only he enjoys, and has an extramarital affair, for he does not dare to encumber his wife's modesty. Mathilde, however, seeks advice from the woman at the mikvah
Mikvah
Mikveh is a bath used for the purpose of ritual immersion in Judaism...
, or ritual bath, who corrects her and reassures her that Jewish law does not forbid pleasure in conjugal relations. As the film progresses, Mathilde gains more comfort, and the happiness in her marriage is reclaimed.
The passing of time is marked in the film by Jewish holidays, beginning with Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah , , is the Jewish New Year. It is the first of the High Holy Days or Yamim Nora'im which occur in the autumn...
and more specifically Tashlikh
Tashlikh
Tashlikh is a long-standing Jewish practice usually performed on the afternoon of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, however it can be said up until Hoshana Rabbah...
. Also shown are community celebrations of Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah or Simḥath Torah is a celebration marking the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle...
and Purim
Purim
Purim is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire from destruction in the wake of a plot by Haman, a story recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther .Purim is celebrated annually according to the Hebrew calendar on the 14th...
.
Cast
- Fanny ValetteFanny ValetteFanny Valette is a French actress, born July 4, 1986 in Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône, France.- Biography :Valette started her career in an episode of L'instit...
as Laura - Elsa ZylbersteinElsa ZylbersteinElsa Zylberstein is a French film, TV, and stage actress. After studying drama, Zylberstein began her film career in 1989, and has appeared in about 50 films...
as Mathilde, Laura's sister - Bruno TodeschiniBruno TodeschiniBruno Todeschini is a Swiss actor.Todeschini studied at L'école supérieure d'art dramatique in Genève and after graduating in 1986, he joined the Théàtre des Amandiers in Nanterre, directed by Patrice Chéreau....
as Ariel, Mathilde's husband - Hédi Tillette de Clermont-Tonerre as Djamel
- Sonia Tahar as the mother of Laura and Mathilde
- Michaël Cohen as Eric, student friend of Laura
- Aurore ClémentAurore ClémentAurore Clément is a French actress. She has performed in a number of motion pictures in both the French language and the English language as well as in television films and miniseries.-Early life:...
as the woman at the mikva - François Marthouret as the philosophy professor
- Saïda Bekkouche as Djamel's aunt
- Salah Teskouk as Djamel's uncle