This film is currently unavailable
Britain's Jews
Jewish people offer their opinions on assimilation, identity and traditional religious observance in 1960s Britain
Director: Peter Robinson
Overview
Accents, fashion and hair styles were clearly only beginning to relax in 1965, Britain’s Jews reveals how some sections of the community were receptive to the increasingly liberal attitudes sweeping through British culture in the 1960s. An impressive breadth of interviewees reveals a striking range of opinions on observance and identity. The film features an extended segment with Rabbi Dr Louis Jacobs, whose rejection by the United Synagogue in 1964 led to the birth of the Masorti movement.
Made for the respected ITV current affairs strand This Week, this documentary by prominent reporters Godfrey Hodgson and James Cameron captures the variety and nuance of attitudes found in religious communities. Breaking with the rigidity of traditional Jewish observance, the interviewees enjoy the freedom to practice modern Judaism confidently. The openness and honesty of interviewees - students, a mixed-faith couple, the then-editor of the Jewish Chronicle, and synagogue members - as they explain their personal views are a credit to the makers of this sensitive and intimate documentary portrait of Britain’s Jews.
Related
The Small World of Sammy Lee The Small World of Sammy Lee
Drama 1963 107 mins Director: Ken Hughes
Seedy Soho strip-club compere Sammy (Anthony Newley) races to escape the heavies who hunt him in this gritty, engrossing 1960s London thriller.
Orthodox Orthodox
Drama 2016 94 mins Director: David Leon
Stephen Graham is the orthodox Jew tempted into a life of violence by his corrupt associate (Michael Smiley), in this riveting and complex crime drama.
The Bespoke Overcoat The Bespoke Overcoat
Fantasy 1955 38 mins Director: Jack Clayton
A clerk in a cold warehouse wants one of the warm sheepskin coats stacked around him.
Simon Magus Simon Magus
Drama 2000 115 mins Director: Ben Hopkins
Noah Taylor (Game of Thrones) stars as an outcast accused of sorcery by his fellow 19th-century villagers, in Ben Hopkins' rich and haunting allegory.
Suzie Gold Suzie Gold
Romance 2004 90 mins Director: Ric Cantor
Girl meets goy: a Jewish princess must decide between a Jew and a gentile in this light-hearted romantic comedy
The Wandering Jew The Wandering Jew
Fantasy 1934 102 mins Director: Maurice Elvey
After spitting on Christ on the way to crucifixion, a Jewish man is cursed with immortality
Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus
Documentary 2023 103 mins Director: Neo Sora
This moving tribute to the late composer and musician speaks volumes about his enormous talent, pioneering work and dedication to his craft.
Our Mothers Our Mothers
Drama 2019 77 mins Director: César Díaz
As Guatemala confronts its violent past, a forensic anthropologist is tasked with identifying the dead, in this affecting Cannes prize-winning drama.
Red Herring Red Herring
Documentary 2023 94 mins Director: Kitson Vincent
Following his terminal diagnosis, young filmmaker Kit Vincent sets out to document an intimate and darkly humorous journey in this BIFA nominated documentary.
Robot Dreams Robot Dreams
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 103 mins Director: Pablo Berger
Spanish director Pablo Berger delivers a rich and emotionally engaging dialogue-free animation about friendship, set in a bustling 1980s New York City.
Stephen Stephen
Drama-documentary 2023 78 mins Director: Melanie Manchot
Artist Melanie Manchot’s debut feature is a visually striking film-within-a-film, exploring mental health and addiction.
Red Island Red Island
Drama 2023 117 mins Director: Robin Campillo
French writer-director Robin Campillo offers a searching exploration of memory and politics, in this boldly conceived story of boyhood in 1970s Madagascar.