Jaweed Kaleema writes about a musical, Light for Greytowers, a film by an Orthodox Jewish group that is to be screened in Miami. Nothing outrageous so far, only that the so-called soul-stirring musical drama made by women and girls, for women and girls is really meant to be seen by women only.
The movie, which has an all-female, mostly Orthodox cast, was kicked out of the Jewish Film Festival in Jerusalem last fall when its producers asked that men be barred from screenings.
An Orthodox Jewish law called Kol Isha forbids men from listening to a woman sing. Rabbis disagree on whether it applies only to live performances, but Kol Nashama Performing Arts Conservatory, the Los Angeles group that produced the film, isn't taking chances. Gary Lund, Colony Theatre director, said he will comply with the group's request.
As you can see in their flyer for Miami, it is only for women. Robin Garbose, the director, needed rabbinical approval and a grant from the Jewish Community Foundation to make the movie. She thinks it will be well received by conservative Christian and Muslim mothers and daughters, who also "value modesty".
Compared to "The Color Purple," with its cast of strong black Southern women determined to live by their own rules, this musical sounds for me like another twisted patriarchal exclusion of women that celebrate their exclusion. The director explains:"The power of the woman's voice is incredible," Garbose said. "Only when the Messiah comes will the men get to hear the women sing. I would like that to happen today, so I can get a good distribution deal."
I can hear the men singing in this movie also, without even seeing it.
No comments:
Post a Comment