The Secrets

 By Nate Feldman

The Secrets is a 2007 Israeli film by director Avi Nesher.  It tells the story of Naomi, a young woman from an ultra-orthodox Jewish family in Jerusalem who delays her eventual wedding to one of her father's students to move to the town of Safed in Northern Israel to study biblical law at a seminary for women.  

Naomi is uniquely well-versed in Jewish law and has far more knowledge than her peers.  Her roommates are three other women, one of whom is Michelle, a girl who lived the previous several years in France and has a great disdain for the other students and the program in general.  

Naomi and Michelle are assigned to help Anouk, a local French woman in town who allegedly was in prison for many years for a murder.  Initially the two girls are there just to assist her with basic needs, but she requests that they help her atone for sins in her life as she is dying.  

Naomi is reluctant to assist the woman, not only because she is frightened a bit by her, but also because she realizes eventually that she is not even Jewish.  However, Michelle encourages her to help and Naomi agrees.  

Slowly but surely, Naomi and Michelle take it upon themselves to help the woman gain repentance for her past sins.  Meanwhile, the two girls begin to fall in love with another and become romantically involved.  This happens while Michelle also has feelings for Yanki, a local Clarinetist who performs Klezmer music.  

The Secrets is an engrossing, multi-layered film that deals with many themes, including charting ones own path, and doing what one feels is right, regardless of the consequences.