Israeli filmmaker Anat Zuria examines the “Tharat Hamishpaha” (family purity), the ancient laws and rituals which shape women’s lives and sexuality within Jewish Orthodoxy, giving a subtle voice to female rebellion within the religious world. Zuria presents her own experiences adhering to Orthodox practices, as well as those of her friends Natalie, Katie and Shira. At the heart of their stories is the “nidda” - a ten to twelve day period restricting women from touching or engaging in sexual intimacy with their husbands, which culminates with a trip to the “mikve” (cleansing baths). Their openness in front of the camera breaks a profound taboo of silence rooted in 2000-year-old laws, as they speak of the rigidity and confines of Orthodox rituals. Beautifully incorporating lyrical and meditative images with interviews, “Purity” presents the hidden struggle of religious women to maintain their cultural traditions and individual needs within the framework of strict religious law. The topic has barely ever been documented on film.
