Where Life Begins

Southeast US Premiere

In this beautifully rendered and sensitive love story set in Italy during the holiday of Sukkot, an ultra-orthodox Jewish family from France comes to a sunny, idyllic farm in Calabria for a brief stay every year to carry out a sacred mission: harvesting etrogs (citrons) perfect enough to be considered kosher. Hosting the large family on his estate is Elio (Riccardo Scamarcio, also at MJFF with The Shadow of the Day), an even-keeled, non-devout Catholic who is at loose ends since his wife left him. In this bucolic setting, Elio meets quick-tempered Esther, the rebellious rabbi’s daughter, who is trapped between affection for her family and the desire to emancipate herself from Orthodox life. At age 26, she is under much family pressure to marry. Through their time together, Esther discovers her own path, and Elio finds the inner peace he has long sought.