Fill the Void Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.5

Fill the Void Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov June 26, 2014

Selected to represent Israel in the Best Foreign Language Film category of the 85th Academy Awards, Rama Burshtein's "Fill the Void" (2012) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Artificial Eye. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film, Q&A session with Rama Burshtein and Hadas Yaron, and an audio commentary with the Israeli director and and young actress. In Hebrew, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

Shira

Shira (Hadas Yaron, Out of Sight) is an 18-year-old Orthodox Hasidic Jew living in Tel Aviv who is expected to marry a man her age. Her mother, Rivka (Irit Sheleg), has already chosen one for her and it is only a matter of time before the marriage is properly arranged and approved. (There are very specific rules which Shira’s community follows). But on Purim -- a holiday which commemorates a time when the Jewish people in Persia were saved from extermination -- Shira’s older sister, Esther (Renana Haz), dies while giving birth and her family immediately postpones her wedding.

Not long after Esther’s death, Shira’s brother-in-law, Yochay (Yiftach Klein, Policeman), is sent a marriage proposal from Belgium. Determined to keep Yochay in Tel Aviv so that the family can help with the raising of his newly born son Mordecai, Rivka urges Shira to consider taking her sister’s place and create a family with her brother-in-law.

A great deal of attention is dedicated to the unique religious customs and rituals that essentially define how people in the Hasidic community live their lives, but Fill the Void is not a religious film. It is a love story, one in which the main protagonists are eventually presented with the type of dilemmas most people face when they decide to create a family.

First-time director Rama Burshtein, a member of the Hasidic community, carefully observes Shira’s journey without ever judging her decisions or the ones that are made for her. This is the key reason why the film works so well -- the viewer gets a good sense of the many responsibilities men and women have in the community as well as its structure. (The segments in which the Rabbi is consulted are particularly illuminating).

The manner in which Shira is observed also reveals a type of sensitivity that only a female director could have brought to the film. For example, after Shira’s important conversation with Yochay, the camera lingers on the image of her body slightly longer, making it clear that she is struggling with all sorts of different emotions that words cannot accurately describe. There is another equally moving dialog-free sequence at the end of the film, where the shaky camera captures Shira as she is nervously looking at her husband.

The film’s visual style is very unusual. Burshtein and cinematographer Asaf Sudri (Beaufort) shot it with Arri Alexa cameras and special short lenses that make many of the film’s close-ups look like they are glowing. During the indoor footage light is also captured in a variety of different ways, making the center of the image look slightly sharper and crisper.

Yitzhak Azulay’s atmospheric score opens up key parts of the film, but silence also has a very important role. This is especially true during the second half, where the important character transformations occur.

In 2012, Fill the Void won seven Ophir Awards, the Israeli equivalent of the American Oscars, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress (Hadas Yaron), and Best Cinematography.

Fill the Void Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Rama Burshtein's Fill the Void arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Artificial Eye.

Shot with Arri Alexa cameras and special short lenses, Fill the Void has a very unique look -- the majority of the close-ups look notably smooth and clear and frequently create the impression that they are glowing, while the outdoor footage is crisp and clean, boasting and excellent range of healthy and natural colors. During some of the indoor footage -- and specifically the celebrations -- light is also captured by the camera in ways that remind of Aleksandr Sokurov's work. Indeed, it seems like a special filter was used to restrict light around the edges of the frame and allow the center of the image to appear sharper. There are no technical anomalies to report in this review -- the encoding and compression are excellent. Lastly, there are no serious stability issues. All in all, this is a very impressive presentation that is guaranteed to please fans of Fill the Void as well as those who are planning to experience the film for the first time on Blu-ray. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).

Fill the Void Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: Hebrew DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Hebrew LPCM 2.0. For the record, Artificial Eye have provided optional English subtitles for the main feature. When turned, they appear inside the image frame.

The film has a very interesting sound design. Overall dynamic activity is modest at best and there is no impressive surround movement, but Yitzhak Azulay's score is very carefully used to create and sustain a certain atmosphere that makes the film simply fascinating to behold. The dialog is exceptionally crisp, clean, stable, and easy to follow. Also, there are no pops, cracks, audio dropouts, or digital distortions to report in this review.

Fill the Void Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original theatrical trailer for Fill the Void. In Hebrew, with imposed English subtitles. (2 min).

• Q&A with Rama Burshtein and Hadas Yaron - director Rama Burshtein explains how Fill the Void came to exist and how it was shot, and discusses its unique themes, the different reactions international audiences had after seeing the film, etc. Actress Hadas Yaron also discusses the character she plays in the film, Shira. (17 min).

• Commentary - director Rama Burshtein and Hadas Yaron spend a great deal of time discussing how key scenes from the film were shot, the conflicts and the dilemmas the main protagonists face, some of the unique Hasidic rituals, how the women in the film are portrayed, etc. The audio commentary is in English.

Fill the Void Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Deeply moving and beautifully shot, first-time director Rama Burshtein's Fill the Void is one of the most unusual films to reach my desk this year. It offers a fascinating look at a culture which remains 'foreign' to many people. The film arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Artificial Eye, one of the best British labels whose releases this year have been simply outstanding. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.