Less Than Kosher

Viv only reluctantly attends service – and comes across there as quite the outsider in her band shirt, bleary-eyed and listless. Yet as soon as she starts singing, everyone immediately takes notice: she has “rûaḥ” – a special energy, divine breath. And before she can say “no”, the woman with tattoos and a fondness for ham who, furthermore, barely speaks a word Hebrew, is enlisted by the rabbi to sing at religious ceremonies. She blossoms when she sings as life – and the film itself – evolves into a musical.

At top speed, Viv ends up in a new chapter of life, the instability of which proves as exhilarating as it is frightening. Having had the way to social media stardom paved for her by her younger sister, she becomes involved with the rabbi's son and, at the many brit milah and shiva ceremonies, gradually discovers that her vocals are more than just a string of notes. Especially in those moments when Viv performs traditional songs the action can be said, in many respects, to transcend the metaphysical.

Text: Rainer Mende
English: Peter Rickerby