The Awakening of Motti Wolkenbruch

The AWAKENING OF MOTTI WOLKENBRUCH tells a familiar story of a child trying to break from family, cultural, and religious expectations to marry within the group. In this case, the setting is an Orthodox Jewish community in Switzerland. College student Motti (Joel Basman) is the Wolkenbruch's youngest son -- his older siblings are all married. He's stubbornly turning down every "shidduch" (arranged match) the family sets up with nice Jewish girls from nice Jewish families. To his mother's outrage, he insists on feeling a "spark" with the woman he's expected to marry. He worries that in his early twenties, when Orthodox Jews dictate their children marry and start families, that his life will be over before it begins. Then he falls hard for the beautiful Laura (Noemie Schmidt), a "shiksa" (non-Jewish girl) in his economics class. Improbably, she sets out, almost as a lark, to show him her non-Orthodox world, starting with the dance bar she waitresses in, and including drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and having sex outside of marriage. In a panic, Motti's parents send him to Israel to find a girl there, but instead he's seduced by a free-spirited Israeli girl. When his parents find out, he's shipped home, an act that sends him into the arms of Laura. Motti is kicked out of the house, putting a strain on the relationship with Laura. Whether Motti will separate from his family or stay within the fold is left undetermined.