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Adi Bar Yosef

Producers:

,

Rachel Elitzur

The Sterns

Lab Edition

2

2023

LOGLINE

Despite being an ultra-orthodox, unmarried young woman, Michal (19) has no intention of being passed from her father's control to her husband's authority. She dreams of becoming a successful adman at the company run by her father.

SYNOPSIS

Michal (19), a young girl, ultra-orthodox, unmarried, dreams of breaking free from societal norms to become an adman in her father's advertising agency. Despite her responsible nature and comedic flair, she shoulders the burden of running her home for her mother, pregnant for the ninth time, and an absent father engrossed in his ad campaigns.
To pursue her dream, Michal contemplates an arranged marriage, fearing the alternative of raising her own children. She privately arranges a match with Yanki, a Yeshiva student, leading to a ""dating-less"" deal. Meanwhile, she forms a tender connection with Naomi, the daughter of the agency's cleaning lady.
As Michal navigates potential husbands, her relationship with Naomi blossoms. This forbidden love threatens Michal's reputation, job, and family. Amidst the challenges, Michal rises as a brilliant copywriter, facing the clash between her orthodox upbringing and the feminist identity she develops.
Balancing her father and grandfather's perspectives, Michal confronts the patriarchal norms of the ultra-orthodox advertising world. Her journey transforms her into a strong, cunning professional, challenging societal norms.
In the pursuit of her dream, Michal faces a dilemma between traditional marriage and a passionate love story with Naomi. Each choice entails heartbreaking sacrifices. Ultimately, Michal emerges as a heroine who finds herself, makes her own choices, and takes decisions that are entirely her own, even if they come with pain.

WRITER'S STATEMENT

The Ultra-Orthodox world is highly conservative, making it challenging for women like me. As the eldest with seven siblings, I took on the responsibility of essentially raising them. Despite dreaming of becoming a filmmaker, such aspirations are forbidden in my community. The expected path involves finishing school, getting married, having numerous children, and only then, perhaps, dreaming of a career.
I followed the prescribed path dutifully, adhering to societal norms. However, I chose not to have children. Determined to pursue my passion for filmmaking, I made the unconventional decision to divorce my husband. This marked a bold step towards realizing my dreams in a world where such choices are often met with resistance.

PRODUCER'S STATEMENT

"The Sterns" gives us a glimpse to the Jewish Ultra- Orthodox world, which is usually kept behind closed doors. The creator, who is an up-and-coming Orthodox writer and director brilliantly manages to tackle the burning and unspoken issues of feminism within her closed community, through an area of a PR advertising company. These issues are universally relevant and appeal to a wide range of viewers.

LOOKING FOR

Looking for co-producing partners (both broadcasters and/or producers), Distributors and world sales agents

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