Documentary follows Hassidic couple on cruise
An ultra-Orthodox couple belonging to the Hassidic Gur
dynasty is packing for a two-week cruise in the Mediterranean. She complains he
is squishing her wig; he chides her for taking too many hangers. The shtreimel
fur hat, still carefully wrapped ahead of a romantic stroll in Venice, is
proudly displayed on its new owner's head. All this takes place in front of a
filmmaker who is, in any way, an "ultimate stranger."
That is the opening scene of the fascinating British
documentary "Kosher Cruise," which aired on Israel's Yes Doco channel
for the first time last week. As the film unfolds, that intimate scene will
signify the beginning of an in-depth look into the relationship of an
ultra-Orthodox couple – Gaby and Tikwah Lock, who have been married for 40
years.
Frame by frame, British director Paddy Wivell manages
what so many filmmakers, including Israeli ones, have failed to do: portraying
the image of ultra-Orthodox Jews in a profound and authentic manner, one that viewers
can understand and even identify with. The film provides a sensitive and
courageous insight into the lives of a middle-aged Hassidic couple.
Wivell is obviously fascinated with the ultra-Orthodox
lifestyle. The esteemed BBC director has continuously chosen to document
religious Jews in the UK, most specifically focusing on their relationships.
In his previous documentary, "Wonderland: A Hassidic
Guide to Love, Marriage and Finding a Bride," Wivell infiltrated the
reserved Hassidic Jewish community of Stamford Hill, where he followed young
couples that were about to get married. "Kosher Cruise" follows a
Hassidic couple from London going on their first vacation.
Wivell is apparently aware of his immense cinematic
accomplishment with "Kosher Cruise." The filmmaker met Gaby and
Tikwah, the film's protagonists, while filming "Wonderland," and what
began as a professional relationship blossomed into a friendship – so much so
that it was in fact the couple's idea to make "Kosher Cruise."
Wivell admits that most ultra-religious Jews he
encountered while filming were very communicative, hoping to promote a better
understanding of their way of life. Gaby Lock is one such person; or as Wivell
says, Gaby is not afraid to challenge himself and "think outside the
box."
According to filmmaker, meeting the Locks has enriched
his life, which is evident in the film. What could have been a banal
documentary of a romantic cruise turns into an intricate interpretation of
religion, marriage and social encounters.
In a way, the film is not really about a kosher cruise,
but about Gaby and Tikwah's relationship. The cruise forced the Locks to
reexamine their marriage. The film even joins them on a couples therapy
session. Wivell's journey into the complexities of married life shows that the
Locks' problems are probably the same as those of secular couples all over the
world.
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