Ha-Sodot (“The Secrets”) review

I have wanted to see Ha-Sodot for a very long time, and while it proved to be far tamer than expected it is still a fairly good film. The combination of Safet, frum young women in medrasha, and lots of lesbian tension is surely a winning combination. The movie questions the patriarchal world order from the perspective of faith – the characters do not step outside their own ontology, but rather seek to live it more fully and with greater joy.  This movie is as much of an exploration of  kabalistic spirituality, as lesbian love.  While the patriarchy remains intact – it the end of the movie it is more flexible more knowing and somehow more fragile. I walk away from this movie with a joyful feeling that the patriarchy is cracking under our feet.