A moving lesson in changing world views in three minutes
“What is more radical than shmita? What does it mean to let our land rest?” This question is posed by Felix Wilk, a queer climate activist and the main focus of Sadeh, a documentary short from north London filmmakers Jessica Benhamou and Sarah Kendal. Felix lives at Sadeh, the UK's only Jewish farm, and is exploring the ancient agricultural Jewish law of ‘shmita’. This is the rule that every seven years you let the land lie fallow, but Felix is looking at it in relation to the climate crisis, disability and our need for rest.
In just three minutes the viewer is transported to the farm down in the Kent countryside, led by Felix’s moving narration on a journey of hardship, hope and discovery of a new way of living. “When people think of British Jews, they often think of Orthodox Jews in Stamford Hill, or people living in the suburbs of London or northern cities,” says director Benhamou. “This short tells a different story, shining a light on an emerging Jewish community living on the first Jewish farm in Europe.”
Sadeh’s is a community comprising young Jewish artists, environmental activists, drag queens, trans and queer folk, and people with disabilities. “Each has felt disconnected to Judaism for their own reasons,” adds Benhamou, “and each has found a way to reconnect to their heritage and religion through their relationship with nature.”
The three-minute film was funded by the UK Jewish Film Festival’s inaugural Short Doc Fund and will premiere on Sunday 14 November at JW3 and online as part of a screening of all the Short Doc Fund films. Also on the bill is Frum Dogs of Hendon by Dan Jacobs; Underwater With Closed Eyes by Joe Bloom; Graphic by Hannah Collins; and Irene by Peter Speyer.
While each short will undoubtedly move the viewer in its own way, Sadeh is sure to set minds thinking on the bigger picture – the future – and what we’re doing to ensure it, but to also love our present.
By Danielle Goldstein
Sadeh screens as part of UK Jewish Film Short Doc Fund on Sunday 14 November. 8.30pm. £15. JW3, NW3 6ET. jw3.org.uk. To find out more about Sadeh the film, visit ukjewishfilm.eventive.org; for the farm, visit sadehfarm.co.uk.