JIFF: Neither Day nor Night

The Story

Australian Premiere

In Bnei Brak, Israel, labourer Shmuel and his French Sephardic family navigate living in the heart of an Ashkenazi community. Though the terrain is tricky, the family are adept at moulding themselves to fit in.

Shmuel’s son Rafael is a recent bar mitzvah and a prodigious Talmud student – clearly the most qualified and studious candidate in his class as they enter minor yeshiva exams. But young Rafael is heartbroken when a classmate lets slip that the lineage of his family will mean his exclusion from the most prestigious institutions in the academic community. Shmuel, fuelled by righteous indignation, decides to take matters into his own hands. When a tragic accident occurs, the fate of Shmuel’s family will be changed forever.

Blending faith, conscience and fate, this crime-thriller offers a deep dive into a specific community that highlights the Sephardic life. A precisely calculated exploration of the tightrope walk between insider and outsider.

Festivals and Awards
Official Selection - Jerusalem Film Festival, 2024

Rating

Unclassified 15+

Duration

90 min

Cast

Eli Menashe, Adam Hatuka Peled, Maayan Amrani, Shmuel Vilozny, Maya Cohen, Dorit Lev Ari

Director

Phinehas Veuillet