WHERE LIFE BEGINS

Every summer, the Zelniks, an ultra-Orthodox French family spend time on an estate in southern Italy to collect perfect citrons for Sukkot. Faith, family, and freedom are tested when a spark develops between Esther, the rabbi’s daughter, and divorced farmer Elio who both share a deep yearning for freedom and connection. NOTE: Screens Virtually Only: Streaming window is 48 hrs after hit "play" and expires Sun. March 26 at 11:59pm.

  • Stéphane Freiss
  • France, Italy
  • 101 minutes
  • G
  • ABOUT THE FILM

    [Virtual Only]

    Every summer, the Zelniks, an ultra-Orthodox French family, spend a short sojourn on a southern Italy farm on a sacred mission: to collect citrons perfect enough to be considered kosher for the holiday of Sukkot. Hosting the large family on his estate is Elio, an even-keeled, non-devout Catholic with a penetrating gaze who has been lost since his wife left him. In this sunny, bucolic setting, Elio meets the intense and quick-tempered Esther, the rabbi’s rebellious daughter who is trapped between affection for her family and the desire to emancipate herself from the constraints imposed by her religion and her imminent arranged marriage. “Leaving God is like a divorce,” Esther tells Elio. Can their unexpected bond give Esther the courage to forge a life of her own making and give Elio the inner peace he so desperately craves? Set in the idyllic Calabrian countryside, this intimate and elegantly rendered romantic drama about family, faith, and freedom explores the importance of connecting with someone who ignites the spark within you.

    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
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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.