Full Title = Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem
Searing Part 3 of a trilogy in which a woman from a large Moroccan-Israeli family must literally beg a Rabbinical Court to grant her a divorce–called a gett–from an over-bearing, oppressive, unyielding husband.
Brutal indictment of the Israeli government, which still allows Rabbis to wield so much patriarchal power in the 21st Century. (JLH: 4.5/5)
Written by, directed by & starring Ronit Elkabetz (in collaboration with her brother Shlomi Elkabetz). Click HERE for our FF2 Haiku. Not yet seen by Rich.
NOTE: I received a review copy of Gett in connection with two screenings of Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem at the 2014 Chicago International Film Festival on 10/13/14 and 10/14/14.
A full review of Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem will posted when the film is released in American theatres in 2015.
Note that Gett received the 2014 Ophir Award for Best Picture from the Israel Film Academy in September 2014, meaning it will be Israel’s candidate for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar in 2015. Click HERE to read my thoughts on the 2014 Ophir Awards.
Click HERE for more on Part One of this Trilogy = To Take a Wife
Click HERE for more on Part Two of this Trilogy = Shivah
Top Photo: “Viviane” (Ronit Elkabetz) appears in court day after day but is rarely allowed to speak.
Bottom Photo: The Rabbinical Court consists of three [male] judges = 1st Deputy (Rami Danon), Main Judge (Eli Gorstein) and 2nd Deputy (Roberto Pollack).
Photo Credits: Amit Berlowitz/Courtesy of Music Box Films
Q: Does Gett pass the Bechdel Test? 
This is a tough one, but I am going to say yes…
Although all of the Rabbinal Court Judges are male, both of the attorneys are male, most of the witnesses are male, and Viviane’s husband is male (d’uh), three women are also called as witnesses and two–Viviane’s sister-in-law (Keren Mor) and Viviane’s neighbor (Evelin Hagoel) are particularly memorable.
While it is clear that in context neither of them is allowed to speak directly to Viviane–since the Rabbinical Court requires them to speak only to the Judges–it is equally clear–from their facial expressions and body language–that they are speaking directly to her.
I am reminded of the wonderful book Midnight Assassin: A Murder in America’s Heartland which tells the true story behind Susan Glaspell’s essential drama A Jury of Her Peers. According to the authors–Patricia Bryan & Thomas Wolf–two women accompanied Margaret Hossack to court and sat by her side every day, even though they were not allowed to either testify or serve as members of the actual jury.
As I said, this is a judgment call, so I am making it: Yes, in my mind Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem definitely passes the Bechdel Test.
