You might look at the above image and think, "Oh no somebody's gone ahead and remade Holy Rollers." Fortunately, that's not the case. The Yiddish indie Menashe was a surprise hit at this year's Sundance, with A24 quickly picking it up to be their first foreign-language acquisition. And just based on this quiet, simple, utterly naturalistic trailer it's easy to see why. An audience is likely to find this one even in the heat of this summer's blockbusters.
Directed by documentarian Joshua Z. Weinstein and told almost entirely in Yiddish, the film is set in Brooklyn's orthodox Jewish community where a widower attempts to connect with his son, while constantly struggling with the demands of his faith and their strict community. The film was shot in secret in the neighborhood and looks to be faithful to the culture it represents.
Menashe opens on July 28th.
