Chilean Director Sebastian Leilo's DISOBEDIENCE Stars Rachel Weiz and Rachel McAdams

Chilean Director/screenwriter Sebastian Leilo won the Acad. Award for best foreign film with "A Fantastic Woman".  "Disobedience" and "A Fantastic Woman" are both remarkable films centering  upon homosexual love within a rigid & biased society vehemently opposed to same sex relationships.   DISOBEDIENCE is a thoughtful & tender love story about two Orthodox Jewish Women from the same sect in London.  Ronit (a luminescent Rachel Weisz) returns home to London from NYC to attend the funeral of her father, the revered Rabbi. She returns to find that her closest friends Esti (a marvelous Rachel McAdams) and David (a powerful performance by Alessandro Nivola) are now married to each other.  The film begins with the death of Ronit's father while sermonizing on the bima.  His final words spoke of God who created the angels who only obey, animals that only act on  instincts and men & women for whom God granted freedom of choice.  These wisdom & compassion of these words are echoed by David at the end of the film.  This is an immersive & sensitive look within a devout & respectful Orthodox community.   The sex scene late in the film between the two women is sensual & intense.  David is not a religious zealot or tyrant.  He was preparing to accept the position as head Rabbi in the synagogue when unexpectedly David gives a stirring speech declining the honor.  In doing so, he carries on a legacy of Jewish teachings valuing duty & personal freedom.  Freedom is only possible given the ability to choose how to live one's life.  Leilo's fine directing paints a glowing picture of empathy while maintaining one's own strong convictions.