By COLlive reporter
When Daniel Finkelman received a call from Josh Weinstein about his vision to make a feature film about the Chassidic Jewish community, Finkelman did not expect the project to take off like it did.
In January 2017, the film “Menashe” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where it attracted the attention of Hollywood director Chris Columbus who signed on as an executive producer. Soon after, the film was picked up by prestigious distribution company A24.
A Lubavitcher living in Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, Finkelman is known to the Jewish world for his music videos and documentaries from his boutique production company Sparks Next, spanning from “Unity for Justice” for Sholom Rubashkin, to Lipa Schmeltzer’s “Hang Up The Phone,” to Gad Elbaz’s viral hits “Hashem Melech” and “L’chaim.”
“Most films that deal with the Chassidic community are negative,” Finkelman tells COLlive.com, noting that in the worst-case scenarios, Ultra-Orthodox Jews are portrayed as money launderers and scammers, and in the best-case scenarios, they are portrayed as dissatisfied with religion and leaving the fold.
For “Menashe,” actors that are Chassidic in their own life were used, lending a sense of realism that is refreshing in a Hollywood production.
It tells the story of widowed supermarket clerk (played by Menashe Lustig) who attempts to organize a yahrzeit meal for his late wife and gain custody of his son, Rieven (Ruben Nidorski). As expected, he faces challenges, from both his Rabbi (Meyer Schwartz), and his brother-in-law, Eizik (Yoel Weisshaus).
Finkelman added, of Menashe’s struggles to make a living and conform to the expectations of the community, “You would expect a guy like that to say, ‘You know what, I’m sick of all this, I’m shaving my beard and I’m leaving,’ but no, he actually chooses to stay.”
Finkelman was surprised by the success of the film, and especially by the number of non-Jewish people inspired by it. “People really related to the story, because it’s such a human story, about a father and his love for his son – something that everyone can relate to,” he said.
The film’s dialogue is entirely Yiddish. Weinstein emphasized the importance of the language not only for authenticity, but also for binding together the cast, for whom Yiddish comes naturally, although acting is relatively new.
“It was challenging, too, to shoot in Yiddish,” Finkelman added. “The director doesn’t speak Yiddish, and I personally speak only a little Yiddish, so we had translators on set who figured out all the nuances.”
VIDEO: Menashe – trailer
The production faced other challenges as well. Naturally, it was difficult to find Chassidic actors willing to appear on the big screen. The ones they found lacked experience.
During filming, which took place mostly in the Crown Heights neighborhood, some actors would “direct the director,” a filmmaking no-no, but also added valuable contributions due to their “insider knowledge” of the community.
Finding the lead was a matter of serendipity. Finkelman became acquainted with Lustig through his work with Lustig’s brother-in-law and Finkelman’s frequent collaborator, Lipa Schmeltzer.
Menashe is gaining rave reviews from film critics across the country, such as the New York Times calling it “funny and tender” and a “subtly powerful work of human drama” by The Atlantic.
“This film is so unique because it just shows the beauty of the culture, and just a slice of life of an average Chassidic man trying to survive the mundane, while keeping the faith rather than leaving it,” says Finkelman.
The film is currently playing at the Angelika Theatre and Lincoln Center in Manhattan, at BAM in Brooklyn, Kew Gardens, Upstate NY, New Jersey, Chicago, Baltimore, and Miami. It has also been sold for international distribution in Europe, South America, Australia, New Zealand, China, and Thailand.
For most Jews, today, Yiddish is missing. The Rebbe spoke in Yiddish, and I am sure he knew how Yiddish touches people “Words from the heart, enter the heart.”
Menashe bridges the gap between Yiddish and Yiddishkeit and perhaps it can help more people to come to Torah and Mitzvot, in a special way. Harry in Rochester
Have to say I completely agree with number 14. These things always end one way- with people criticizing yiddishkeit and like he said people with lots of baggage using it as springboard to publicize everything wrong with the frum community as they experienced it or for people who have absolutely no background or knowledge of what it means to be a frum jew passing judgement on a community they never even interacted with. Usually just leads to chillul Hashem
There is nothing Jewish about this film…its actors are Jewish. It’s simply a slice of life.
As Chassidim we think twice about the things we do – asking ourselves, is this adding to my Yiras Shomayim or not ?
i’m ambivelent about exposure to yiddishkeit that isn’t directly connected to hafatzas hayahadus. even when it’s positive many troubled souls who justify their own anti frum behavior and treat yiddishkeit as their whipping boy will start bombarding the media with their hyped negative comments, often organized by those intent on destroying yiddishkeit. i’m not sure creating for them the possibility of touching even a few yiddishe neshumas is worth the positive reviews…
would love to see it, but i dont go to movies, would love a viewing in ch…..
I got a better idea why not watch a full inspiring farbrengen with the Rebbe??? Surely if taken to heart would make for spiritually uplifting, Ready for Yomim Noraim.
NS
I would love to see this one. My Yiddish isn’t great, can I buy it online with English subtitles?
The main star of this film in fact suffered the loss of his wife early on in life so there must have been a lot of real emotion in this film
That’s a great idea!
sounds like Zushe…beautiful and chassidic
I imagine yes, but wondering…
Does anyone know if the music composer was jewish?
Will it eventually be available for consumers to purchase?
It would help many of us non theater goers to see it, if it were to be shown at JCM with separated men’s and women’s viewings, as has been done wth some other really worthy films. (Such as Manis Friedman’s “The Lost Key”, and others)
I don’t go to theaters, yet I made an exception for this one. Really true to life and professionally made. If you can make it to a viewing with a q&a with Menashe, go – it’s worth it. I think it’s making a real kiddush Hashem by showing chassidim as real, multi-dimensional people.
Actually majority of it is played in Wb (Williamsburg) & Bp (Boro park) Menashe is from Skver (aka New Square) the official village of the Skver Chassidim who originate from Romania / Hungary
How can we watch this film if we don’t go to theatres? Is there any other showings?
BS”D I cannot agree with Mr Finkelsteins assertion that
one with struggels would be expected to pack it in, unfortunately there are many (most) Chas v Sholem with struggles and I do not see them shaving their beards and leaving as he puts it, there would be no Frum
world if those with struggles (Hashem should remove them all) just gave in and gave up Chas v Sholem