Keep Not Silent

Keep Not Silent (2004) is a documentary film by Israeli director Ilil Alexander, about three lesbians in Jerusalem. It won the Israeli Academy Award for best documentary in 2004 as well as 8 international awards including two audience awards in Berlin and Italy.

Lesbianism is generally viewed as forbidden in Orthodox Judaism (see Homosexuality and Judaism). In Jerusalem, a number of Orthodox Jewish lesbians formed a group called OrthoDykes for mutual support and to learn the relevant issues in Jewish law. The film describes lives of three of them. One is Yudit, single and trying to have her same-sex marriage follow the Orthodox rules. Another is Miriam-Ester (pseudonym), who is married to a man and has ten children. She is suppressing her lesbian feelings in order to keep her marriage for religious reasons. Ruth, another married lesbian, keeps her marriage for the same reason, while her husband agrees to her seeing her lover regularly.

AWARDS:


 * INDIA: Mumbai Intl. Film Festival, Best First Feature Doc
 * CHINA: Guangzhou Intl Doc FF, Best Director
 * GERMANY: Berlin Int'l Jewish FF, Audience Award
 * TEL AVIV: Best First Feature Doc, DocAviv Int'l Doc FF
 * DENMARK: Copenhagen Int'l Gay & Lesbian Fest, Best Doc
 * ITALY: Torino Gay & Lesbian FF, Audience Award
 * ISRAEL: Int'l Women's Film Festival Israel, Best Film
 * U.S.A: Outfest LA Gay & Lesbian FF, Freedom Award
 * ISRAEL: The Open House, Jerusalem, First Award
 * The Israeli Academy Award for Best Documentary