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

Reviewed by Lia Durham. Viewed at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2015.

In Isreal there is no civil divorce. If a woman wants to get a divorce she must asks her husband for one. If he refuses than she must go to court and state her case in front of three rabbis and they must think her reasons are justified for her request. The is the case in Gett:The Trial of Viviane Amsalem directed by Ronit Elkabetz & Shlomi Elkabetz.

The films starts with blood red titles with the credits in black. This is such a striking image that the entire theater has an eerie red glow. At the same time this darkly sad orchestra music is playing portraying an intense ominous feeling before we see the first scene. The entire film is set in a court house lite by bright fluorescent lights. Viviane is requesting a divorce but her husband has not shown up to the proceedings. Before the rabbis summon him they want her to go back and live with him for six months even though they have been separated already for three years. She complies and comes back still wanting a divorce her husband doesn’t show so they tell her to come back in two months, then three, then 5. This goes on and on throughout the film it builds a level of frustration with the audience not with the film but with the injustice towards this woman. The husband finally shows and the film is the proceedings of the court. We see different characters of their lives come in and testify sometimes bringing a brief breath of comedic relief for us the audience and for Viviane.

For the most part Viviane is quiet and civil the times she does speak up and stick up for herself the rabbis tell her to know her place. She is strong and resilient and you can tell early on in the film that she will not leave until she gets what she wants no matter how long it takes.

The beginning of the film is slow and some people might find it boring but I urge you to stick with it because it really builds. It’s a film everyone should see if only to appreciate the fact that to get divorce in this country all you have to do is state irreconcilable differences.