La Petite Jérusalem (2005) Directed by Karin Albou
Drama
aka: Little Jerusalem
Film Review
Karin Albou's first full length film is this sombre cinema vérité portrait
of a pair of Jewish sisters living in Paris in the 1990s. Whilst the film should
be commended on its striking sense of realism - achieved largely through moody handheld
camerawork in some gloomy real locations - Albou concentrates a little too much on style,
to the detriment of the narrative. There's not a great deal by way of plot to sustain
a full length film and what there is is hardly likely to win an award for originality.
Fortunately, Albou has a first rate cast who are capable of delivering some intense and
thoughtful performances that draw both our attention and our sympathy.
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Film Synopsis
Laura, 18, lives with her sister Mathilde in a housing estate in a Jewish immigrant part
of Paris. A philosophy student, Laura is torn by conflicting feelings, unable to
reconcile her desire for freedom with the dictates of her religion. Meanwhile her
elder sister, Mathilde, has problems of her own, and fears that her marriage may be failing.
In the 1940s, the shadowy, skewed visual style of 1920s German expressionism was taken up by directors of American thrillers and psychological dramas, creating that distinctive film noir look.