Fill the Void (2012)

Fill the Void (Hebrew: למלא את החלל‎ - lemale et ha'ḥalal) is a 2012 Israeli drama film written and directed by Rama Burshtein. It focuses on life among the Haredi Jewish community in Tel Aviv, Israel. Hadas Yaron stars as Shira Mendelman, an 18-year-old girl who is pressured to marry her deceased older sister's husband following the death of her sister in childbirth.

The film required a lengthy production period, taking over a year for the casting to be completed and another year and three months for editing. Burshtein, who was doubtful as to how much of the process would be completed, took a step-by-step approach, focusing first on the writing, then on accumulating enough funding for the project, followed by the filming and editing. Burshtein became the first Orthodox Jewish woman to direct a film intended for wide distribution. The film premiered at the 69th Venice Film Festival on 1 September 2012 and was later released in the United States on May 24, 2013.

Fill the Void was well received by critics for its depiction of Orthodox Jews and their lifestyle. It won seven Israeli Academy Awards, and lead actress Hadas Yaron won Best Actress for her portrayal of Shira at the Venice Film Festival.



^ "Fill the Void". BBFC. Retrieved 25 February 2014.

^ "Fill the Void (PG)". Box Office.com. Retrieved July 19, 2013.

^ "Fill the Void (Lemale et ha'chalal)". Variety. Retrieved 2012-09-12.

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^ Fisher, Gabe (July 1, 2012). "Two Israeli films to get world premiere at Venice festival". Times of Israel. Retrieved July 5, 2013.

^ Anderman, Nirit (September 5, 2012). "Venice film critics wowed by ultra-Orthodox Jewish director's debut". Ha'aretz. Retrieved July 5, 2013.

^ "Fill the Void". The Hollywood Reporter. 2013. Retrieved July 4, 2013.

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Synopsis

Shira Mendelman, an 18-year-old Haredi girl living in Tel Aviv, is looking forward to an arranged marriage with a young man whom she likes. However, on Purim, her family suffers a tragedy when Shira's older sister Esther dies in childbirth. Shira's father subsequently delays the engagement so as not to have to deal with an empty house so soon after Esther's death. Esther's husband, Yochay, begins to regularly bring their son, Mordechai, to the Mendelman's house, where Shira cares for him.

Actors