Menashe

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Synopsis

Menashe is a gentle but bumbling grocery store worker, recently widowed and living in the Orthodox Jewish community of Borough Park, New York. Tradition dictates that children must be looked after by two parents, meaning Menashe’s son Rieven must live with his Uncle Eizen and his family until Menashe finds another wife. Reluctant to meet someone else but resolute in taking care of his son, Menashe convinces the Rabbi (and a judgmental Eizen) to have Rieven the week leading up to his wife’s memorial service. Determined to prove he can look after Rieven on his own, Menashe muddles through but struggles to balance work with his parental duties. This unique film offers a gentle study of a father-son relationship and the loss of a parent while also providing a rare insight into the everyday life of an Orthodox Jewish community.