Nor by Day, Nor by Night

In Bnei Brak, Israel, Shmuel and his family navigate life as a French Sephardic family living in the heart of an Ashkenazi community. Though the terrain is tricky, the family is adept in its social choreography. His son Rafael is a recent bar mitzvah and a star Talmud student, and is clearly the most qualified and studious candidate in his class as they enter minor yeshiva exams. Rafael is heartbroken in coming to the realization that the lineage of his family will mean his exclusion from the most prestigious institutions in the academic community. Shmuel, fueled by righteous indignation, decides to take matters into his own hands and confronts the headmaster, Rabbi Shimon. When a tragic accident occurs, Shmuel is caught somewhere between helpful and hurtful. A deep dive into a specific community that highlights the Sephardic life, Nor by Day, Nor by Night is a precisely calculated exploration of the slippage between insider and outsider. — Ash Hoyle

United States Premiere