Half the Kindgom

Half the Kindgom

Directed by Francine Zuckerman
The stories of seven remarkable Jewish women
Website
Official Website
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Overview

Genre
Religion, Human Interest, and Culture
Synopsis

“What is thy request? Even if it be half the kingdom you may have it”
The Scroll of Esther (5:3)

How much power do women have to change age-old religious and social structures? Will altering religious practices to allow fuller participation by women fundamentally change the fabric of the religion?

In this provocative documentary film, Half the Kingdom, seven remarkable Jewish women from Canada; the United States and Israel , strive to find common ground between religious and cultural tradition and contemporary feminist principles.

The quotation from ‘The Scroll of Esther’, one of the rare books in the Hebrew Scriptures to bear a woman’s name, symbolizes the quest of contemporary women for equality. Half the Kingdom addresses a basic issue faced by women in the majority of mainstreams religions. It concerns issues not only of feminism, but also of religious pluralism and civil rights. Whether Jewish or not, one will gain inspiration from the seven indomitable women portrayed in

Stage
finished
Running time
58 minutes

Credits

Production Details

Prod. Co.
Z films inc.
Country
Canada
Years of Production
1989
Locations
Canada, USA and Israel
Prod. Partners
National Film Board of Canada

Distribution Details

Release year
1989
Festivals
Official selection of the London International Film Festival Official selection of the Sydney International Film Festival Official selection of Films de Femmes, France
Awards
Nominated for Gemini Award Gemini Award Best Documentary and Best Direction of a Documentary; Winner of the Gold Apple Award at the National Educational Film and Video Festival Winner of the Red Ribbon; Award at the American Film and Video Festival
Distribution
National Center for Jewish Film
Broadcast (Prod.)
TVOntario
Broadcast (Acq.)
Channel 4, SBS, Finnish TV
Language
English

Photos

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