“The Nun’s Kaddish” by Luís Ismael

The Nun’s Kaddish is a short film that depicts an example of religious kindness. The film represents a positive example of the encounter between two different cultures and religions after centuries of intolerance and violence suffered by the Jews. The scene takes place in a cemetery, where we see a Jew putting stones on the grave. Two nuns invite the man to recite the Kaddish rite and the man, who at first hesitates because he should be recited by ten men, reads the text of the ritual from the book he brought with him. One of the two nuns asks to read the ritual too. The two women are moved by a great sense of devotion for people who have been interested in the fate of the soul of the deceased. One of the two sisters recites the ritual, raising the spirituality of the two faiths towards a higher feeling of universal brotherhood.

The Nun’s Kaddish is very well done despite the fact that it is clear that it could not benefit from a big film production. It is the good example, even for other film-makers, of an independent cinema that paints universal feelings with great sensitivity and accuracy.