Talmudic Film: Seeing Yossi Cedar and Footnote at Alice Tully Hall

A. O. Scott in the Times is clever when he says about Yossi Cedar's film at the New York Film Festival, "The fantastic Israeli film “Footnote” will also show up in theaters, and if you see only one movie about Talmudic scholarship this year, make it this one. "

The gravitas and seriousness of the NYFF just added to the wonderful and bizarre experience that we had Monday night as we watched a brilliant film about Hebrew University Talmud professors, a father and son, and their relationship, explored through a drama about the award called the Israel Prize.

We will have more to say in due time about this rich and nuanced and funny and quirky film. Yes, it is quirky, just like the Talmud is quirky.

The great treat of the event was the appearance of Yossi Cedar on stage, before and after the screening. He was kind enough to answer questions. His work continues to define him as a major talent of international caliber in the film industry.

We left the theater after personally greeting the director and just walked around for an hour saying wow, what a bizarre and wonderful film. Who would ever imagine that a film could be made about Talmud professors, and then, that it would garner international recognition?