DIVORCE DENIED

FOCUS: WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: In Israel, no Jewish divorce is complete without the man literally giving the woman back her freedom. The film follows several such “chained” women and their religious lawyer, Batya, as they embark on a struggle against the rabbinical courts. NOTE: Screens Virtually Only: Streaming window is 48 hrs after hit "play" and expires Sun. March 26 at 11:59pm. Join the Zoom Panel Conversation on Wed. March 22 @7:00 PM(register below).

  • David Ofek, Mia Webb
  • Israel
  • 59 minutes
  • PG-13
  • FOCUS: WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

    [Virtual Only]

    Join the Zoom Conversation (Wed. March 22, 7pm): Israeli human rights lawyer Dr. Smadar Ben-Natan, Rabbi Moshe Kletenik, moderated by Prof. Mika Ahuvia, Chair UW Stroum Center for Jewish Studies. Register here>>.

    In Israel, marriage and divorce are not the province of civil courts but of the religious courts. According to Jewish law, only a husband can grant a divorce (called a “get") to his wife. Even in cases where couples have been separated for several years, religious courts can only pressure the husband but cannot compel him to agree to a divorce. Batya Kahana Dror is an Orthodox woman who advocates for wives denied a divorce. We follow her as she navigates the cases of three clients, Sarah, Noa, and Oshrat. Ofek and Webb’s intimate, fly-on-the-wall documentary movingly recounts the protagonists’ multi-year struggles to terminate their marriages, even from husbands who cannot consent or live abroad beyond the reach of court sanctions. Kahana Dror comes across as hugely sympathetic and resourceful in her attempts to help her clients in the face of an unfair and, at times, even corrupt system.

    Additional Things to Know
    • Read our Festival FAQ Page for frequently asked questions about attending in-person, streaming access links, or using the EleventTV app on your SmartTV, troubleshooting, and how to join Zooms online.
    • Attending in-person? Advance purchase and ticket package redemption is highly recommended. Before coming to the theater, review our Venue Policies and the SJCC Welcome Back Page for up-to-date policies, protocols, and information.
    • Watching virtually? Advance ticket purchasers will receive a Virtual Access Email one (1) hour before the film streaming window opens. If you purchase when a film is already streaming, your Virtual Access Email link is live. Once you hit "play," you have 48 hours to finish the film. All films expire on Sun. March 26, 11:59pm. There is no grace period. Plan accordingly.
    • Tickets may be purchased up to two (2) hours before the festival ends.
    • Theater admission requires one (1) tickets per person. Virtual: one (1) ticket/viewing per household/device.


    Box Office + Venue Policies
    • ALL SALES FINAL: NO REFUNDS, CREDITS OR EXCHANGES
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    • Ticket purchasers must choose in-person or virtual tickets before checking out. For only $5, you can make any film hybrid. Select "add on" and enjoy hybrid flexibility.
    • Buying a Full Pass or Ticket Package supports SJFF, gets you hybrid access, and more films to watch at a discount!
    • Purchasing tickets for others? They will need the Virtual Access's voucher code to watch.
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    • Need Help? Email boxoffice@sjcc.org


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About Seattle Jewish Film Festival

Seattle Jewish Film Festival (SJFF) is one of the largest and longest-running film festivals in the Pacific Northwest and one of the leading Jewish film festivals in the country. A cornerstone program of the Stroum Jewish Community Center (SJCC) and its Arts + Ideas Program, each spring SJFF brings people together from across Washington State—and virtually around the globe—to celebrate and showcase the vibrancy and diversity of Jewish and Israeli life through cinema. Year-round, SJFF and SJCC Arts + Ideas present a season of performing and visual arts, author and chef talks—in-person, livestreamed, and virtually—to build connections, unlock perspectives, engage the community, and uplift the human spirit. Follow us on Facebook / Twitter (@seattlejff) and Instagram (@sjcc.arts).  

Tickets and more information at SeattleJFF.org + sjcc.org/arts.