Thou shalt not love
Genre: Drama
Judaism, Homosexuality, Cannes 2009, Jerusalem
Aaron Fleischmann introduces unagitated life right in the ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Jerusalem, which is designated by the butchery of his father, his family and the prayers in the community. This changes abruptly when one day the young student Ezri in his business and finally enters into his heart. It can not be, what must not: Aaron is between homosexuality and his faith torn. The district in which Aaron (Zohar Shtrauss) lives with his wife and four children, has his eyes everywhere. Social control in the ultra-Orthodox community is inexorable, and every misstep, every supposed sin is punished. Come here immediately rush the rabbis and Torah students in order to stifle any form of individual life in the bud. So far, Aaron was an acclaimed member of this series, but when the younger Ezri (Ran Danker) is looking for a job enters his butcher, comes from Aaron’s life apart. From the moment there is a shimmering tension between the two men, but she heroically (not give in yet). Aaron offers Ezri work and a bed in the business and soon discovers that the student has been excluded already from another town because of his homosexuality. The experience and the relentless moralist and the two men is the air we breathe is tightening. However, they are secretly a love relationship, and Aaron is increasingly drawn into the conflict, that this form of love is not with his faith and not to agree with his marriage. The pressure on the gay couple is getting bigger, until it comes to the brutal attack on Ezri … Haim Tabakman has with you shall not love a sensitive issue adopted, with whom he is in the ultra-Orthodox circles, no friends should do. The more important it is that he has made this bold step yet, because he addresses not only the taboo subject of homosexuality, but tells a side story that heterosexuals are just as by the exclusion of risk from the community if they do not behave Compliant. Here, the double standard that is probably part of every form of faith, clearly. On the one hand is preached to love one’s neighbor, on the other hand, anyone who deviates from the prescribed norms sanctioned. The conflict, which is Aaron is, of Tabakman worked out intensively and Zohar Strauss impressively, because for him, it means the relationship with Ezri not only a religious conflict, but he is attending, his destruction of hitherto functioning marriage, and he risks the exclusion from the community. Ezri, played by the not only beautiful but extremely brilliant singer, actor and model Ran Danker photo is in these relationships are much freer, because neither he is married, yet it can shock a community exclusion. Who is not one, can not be excluded. However, it is never up for discussion for both men to abandon their faith, but they try to combine love and faith with each other. This could also work if there were not people with their narrow-minded morality. In leaden snapshots, which in its calmness and detachment are sometimes hardly to be endured, are transported to inner conflict and the fears of the two men most painful again. Almost like in a Spartan-equipped theater, the emotion shown without much showmanship and addressed to the attention of the viewer to the two fantastic actor whose physical desire to sin condemned, but it is deeply human yet, and Aaron came to the conclusion is: ” I need it simple. I was dead – now I’m alive. ” Haim Tabakman hopes with you shall not love a controversy in the Jewish communities. He will get for sure. Whether the film is, however, contribute to the development of ultra-Orthodox communities, remains questionable. (Silvy Pommerenke)
Title: Thou shalt not love Original Title: Einaym Pkuhot Country of production: Germany, France, Israel Year of Production: 2009 Length: 90 (Min.) Distribution: Salzgeber