by By Trae DeLellis for Miami New Times
The film and its subject tackle numerous thorny issues in Sabbath Queen, from Israel and Palestine (Lau-Lavie is seen protesting against Israeli occupation) to the status and rights of women and queer individuals in the Orthodox and larger Jewish communities. At times, DuBowski’s prodding questions elicit heated responses from a frustrated Lau-Lavie. “Sabbath Queen is raw and human and fearless about complexity,” says the director.
That complexity is on display even now, two decades after the duo began filming. DuBowski says he views Lau-Lavie’s work and the film as a sort of time capsule of “the experience of 21st-century Jewish spirituality,” and what that entails is still up for spirited debate.
