A touching portrayal of the delicate battles fought between love, faith and family

Twenty-six year old Isaac Cherem grew up in Mexico’s tight-knit Jewish Syrian community and his tender and engaging debut film, Leona, throws a spotlight on this little-known world.

Ariela (Naian González Norvind) is a pretty 20-something in Mexico City who would seem to have it all: a loving family who are wealthy enough to support her as she tries to make a living by painting huge, expressive murals across the city, and a tight circle of friends based in the Jewish community in which she lives. But when she falls in love with the charming, non-Jewish Ivan (Christian Vazquez) the carefree tone of the film dramatically changes.

Her family fiercely disapproves of the relationship and a painful battle of wills ensues. The family cling resolutely to preserving their traditions – even if it means cutting Ariela off from her home and ostracising her from the community. As she struggles to negotiate her way through this heartbreaking dilemma she begins to uncover her own resolve, embodied in her Hebrew name Leona, meaning lioness in Spanish.

The script, which was co-written by the main actor Norvind, shows a delicate sensibility and understanding of the emotions of a young woman as she begins to navigate the world on her terms. It also hints at the shallowness of the wealthy lifestyles of Ariela’s contemporaries, which pale besides her growing integrity and courage. As this gentle, intimate film illustrates, the ties that bind us to our communities can be both sustaining and destructive.

By Rebecca Taylor

Leona (dir Isaac Cherem) is screening as part of the UK Jewish Film Festival, visiting Nottingham (24 Nov), Exeter (11 Dec) and Oxford (11 Dec). See JR listings for info or visit http://ukjewishfilm.org.