In this beautifully crafted, achingly romantic, feature debut from veteran actor Stéphane Freiss, the where is a lush farm in Calabria, Italy. It’s a place where the owner, frustrated artist Elio (Riccardo Scamarcio, John Wick: Chapter 2) maintains the traditions of his father, cultivating special citrons in a kosher way so that they can be harvested by a group of ultra-Orthodox Jews from Aix-les- Bains, France for their Sukkot celebrations. At this year’s harvest, Elio’s life will be forever changed by his meeting with Esther (Lou de Laâge, The Innocents), the rabbi’s restless daughter, who is fighting a lonely battle against the constraints imposed by her religion. As they grow to know each other better, the two recognize that they are kindred souls, both bound by tradition and family, while longing for self-realization. “A powerful and sympathetic examination of the challenges and restrictions faced by the two main characters, with a wholly unexpected ending.”-- Dina Gold, Moment Magazine –Alissa Simon
Director Biography
Born in 1960 in Paris, Stéphane Freiss is one of France’s most acclaimed actors, who has appeared in international and Oscar-nominated films for the last four decades. In 2011 he directed his first short film, “It Is Miracul'house”. Where Life Begins (Tu choisiras la vie) (2022) is his debut feature as a director.