Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem (Ronit Elkabetz, Shlomi Elkabetz, 2014): Isreal/France/Germany

Reviewed by Michelle Ciccati. Viewed at AFI Fest 2014, Hollywood
Viviane Amsalem is a warrior for feminism. This entire film takes place in a courtroom over a five year period. Sister and brother co-directors, Ronit and Shlomi Elkabetz, tell the story of the rabbinical courts and the process of divorce. The only way to divorce in this legal system is for the husband to present the wife with a “gett”, which is a divorce document. All of the power is in the husbands hands, with the wives fate literally depending on whether he will grant the divorce to her.

With some intense, emotionally packed close-ups and long, drawn out court scenes, this film will have you agonizing for her divorce and relate to the desperation of the situation. The only glimmer of hope is the one time she looks out the window to the outside world. . .

Ronit Elkabetz does an incredible job embodying this trapped woman. She is so believable that the audiences are pulling for her and feel her hope repeatedly shattered. This film does an incredible job shining a light on an archaic aspect of a “judicial” system in need of a revolution.