Taglines: Love is an act of defiance.
From a screenplay by Sebastián Lelio and Rebecca Lenkiewicz, the film follows a woman as she returns to the community that shunned her decades earlier for an attraction to a childhood friend. Once back, their passions reignite as they explore the boundaries of faith and sexuality. Based on Naomi Alderman’s book, the film stars Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams and Alessandro Nivola.
Love and faith are placed in dramatic opposition in this new film from Gloria writer-director Sebastián Lelio — whose equally stirring A Fantastic Woman also screens at this year’s Festival. Loosely based on British author Naomi Alderman’s novel and co-scripted with playwright Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Lelio’s first film set outside of his native Chilé stars Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams as two passionate women caught on either side of the line that divides the devout from the secular.
Happily single and living a rich life as a photographer in New York, Ronit (Weisz) is very much the black sheep of her London-based Orthodox Jewish family. When her revered rabbi father dies, Ronit returns home to pay her respects and liquidate her inheritance. But surprises await, chief among them the news that Dovid (Alessandro Nivola) — the heir apparent to Ronit’s father and very much the son he never had — has married Ronit’s childhood friend Esti (McAdams).
While Dovid prepares to take over the hallowed place at the synagogue, Ronit and Esti become reacquainted. An old flame is reignited — one that could torch everything this family most cherishes. Paying equal respect to personal liberty and religious conviction, Disobedience is much more than a topical culture-war drama. It is a thoughtful, tender story about looking in, reaching out, discovering what you truly believe, and fighting for it.
Disobedience is a 2017 British-Irish-American drama film directed by Sebastián Lelio and written by Lelio and Rebecca Lenkiewicz. It is based on the novel of the same name by Naomi Alderman. The film stars Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, and Alessandro Nivola. It had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2017. It will be released in the United States on April 27, 2018, by Bleecker Street. The film released in the United Kingdom on August 24, 2018, by Curzon Artificial Eye.
Disobedience (2018)
Directed by: Sebastián Lelio
Starring: Rachel McAdams, Rachel Weisz, Alessandro Nivola, Anton Lesser, Cara Horgan, Nicholas Woodeson, Allan Corduner, Alexis Zegerman, Dominic Applewhite, Steve Furst, Sophia Brown
Screenplay by: Sebastián Lelio
Production Design by: Sarah Finlay
Cinematography by: Danny Cohen
Film Editing by: Nathan Nugent
Costume Design by: Odile Dicks-Mireaux
Art Direction by: Jimena Azula, Bobbie Cousins
Music by: Matthew Herbert
MPAA Rating: R for some strong sexuality.
Distributed by: Bleecker Street
Release Date: April 27, 2018 (United States), August 24, 2018 (United Kingdom)
Visits: 52
