Valley of Strength (Gei Oni) by Dan Wolman (Israel, 2010, 102 min.). Veteran director Dan Wolman (My Michael) offers a rare yet authentic depiction of late 19th-century Palestine as a romantic drama based upon the novel by Shulamit Lapid. Following a pogrom that left the remainder of their family dead, 17-year-old Fania arrives at the port of Jaffa from Russia with her baby daughter, her elderly uncle, and her shell-shocked brother. Having no choice, Fania marries Yechiel, a local widower with two young children whose wife died of malaria. The new family sets out for a small settlement near Safed, where Yechiel and other settlers attempt to cultivate the barren lands they bought from local Arabs. Fania is burdened by a harrowing secret; until she can share it with Yechiel, their marriage is one in name only. In Hebrew, Yiddish, Arabic, Russian, Turkish, and Romanian with English subtitles.

Co-presented by The Boston Jewish Film Festival. Boston Jewish Film Festival members receive the MFA member price.

The Boston Jewish Film Festival, November 2-13, 2011

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