Kadosh

Gitai's slow, simple and (presumably) controversial study of the suffering inflicted on women according to the laws of strict Hassidic Judaism makes for depressing but wholly compelling viewing. It focuses on the experiences of two sisters: one is married without kids, with a husband of ten years who is being advised by the local rabbi to dump her in favour a young woman who might bear a male heir; the other is forced into an unwelcome arranged marriage, even though she already loves another. The film never explicitly takes sides, but merely observes, in long, immaculately acted scenes, how women's happiness is of no consquence whatsoever in such an unthinkingly traditional patriarchal religion. Notwithstanding the quiet, contemplative tone, it will probably arouse anger in virtually every viewer.