Unspoken

A very interesting Jewish coming of age film, that I was not expecting. In fact, I knew nothing about what this film is and I was pleasantly surprised how delicately the subject of coming out of a young modern Orthodox Jewish has been handled. The film also touches on what happens when the memory of a beloved elder, now deceased, is tarnished and betrayed. You can count on your hand on how few films are made on coming-of-age gay stories within strict religious communities. It’s a difficult topic, such young, vulnerable people dealing with discovering their identity and how it could destroy their relationship with their family.

Noam, a young orthodox jewish teenage enjoyed a very close bond with his grandfather and was often told how he and his 'opa' are very much alike. After the shiva when Noam and his mother are clearing out his things, Noam discovers a small keepsake box housing a picture of his grandfather, Heinrich, sitting closely alongside another man,  before the war.  He also finds a love letter and a ring, that seems to have been written to him by another man. Noam begins to question if his opa, a Holocaust survivor who instilled in him a love of Broadway musicals, was secretly gay. When his mother refuses to answer anything and in fact asks him to stop, Noam begins to investigate on his own with classmate Jonah, as part of a school project on Holocaust survivors. Jonah is his classmate, on whom Noam has a crush and with whom he is reluctantly falling in love but he is forced to date his best girlfriend. Noam likes that Jonah openly talks about why we don't talk about gay survivors enough as much as we do about Jewish holocaust. Eventually what they both end up finding about his grandfather is not what Noam expected, but in the process he gets the comfort of accepting to himself that he is gay (after he realizes Jonah is not gay post a kiss). The film has a very poignant coming-of-age ending too hinting that Jonah will eventually find his ground, his people and love of his life.

Unspoken is a very engaging film that finds fresh angles from which to tell both a Holocaust story and a “coming out” story. The film explores the somewhat hidden history of LGBTQ+ people in the Holocaust, while also telling a personal story about Jewish identity and coming to terms with your own sexuality. The director does a wonderful job of capturing the intense awkwardness and anxiety of being a queer kid in a traditional community. It’s so convincing that it’s almost painful to watch at times, as he portrays that overt sensitivity, jumping at any mention of homosexuality for fear that it might relate back to him. Using a portrait of how students learn about the Holocaust, the film unfolds as a bit of a mystery that becomes more complex as it goes along. The actor playing Noam portrays the pressure of having to keep his own identity a secret, while developing feelings for Jonah. He is simply superb and brilliant in the film giving a standout performance. He manages to instill a hint of sweetness, there’s a warmth below the complex issues, which adds to its very young feel. Jonah adds charm to his part is the guy who unknowingly helps Noam in his coming out journey. So are all the other characters. I have to admit that I was very very surprised, in a good way, by this brilliantly understated and deceptively simple film. It encompasses a lot of relatable and relevant issues and does a great job to add weight to its story without becoming heavy. An excellent coming of age film, with strong performances from the young lead, and some interesting twists in the story that allow it to deliver an emotional impact. Highly recommend. (8.5/10)