PLOT
A girl named Marianna, born in Germany with Jewish-Russian heritage, proudly presents her Jewish family tree at elementary school against her parents' rules, declaring herself as a Jew. When she gets home, she tries to smuggle the poster about her Jewish family in unnoticed.
On that day, a young journalist/blogger named Eva is visiting. The poster accidentally ends up in Eva's hands, but she keeps the girl's secret safe. However, shortly after, Marianna's mother discovers what Marianna has done. The parents are distressed and perturbed by these circumstances, fearing anti-Semitic attacks.
To meet Esther is Annas debut feature film, in which she draws viewers' attention to the fear of anti-Semitism that is still present and dominant in many families today.
Who is Esther? Esther is not a plot character, but metaphorically, she is embodied by both Eva and Marianna. The film makes a reference to Queen Esther, a strong female figure from Jewish history who saved her people from annihilation by revealing her Jewish heritage. Esther is Marianna, but also Eva. Each of them finds the courage and strength within themselves, embodying the character of Esther.
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The film "To Meet Esther” removes taboos of the Jewish identity and the fear of antisemitism, which is part of today's reality. Many people are not aware of the problem, because it is discussed either in closed communities or among family relatives. The concealment of the Jewish identity has received little media presence in Europe.
The film gives the audience the opportunity to become aware of the situation in many Jewish families and their problems. From an artistic point of view, the film has an indispensable cultural and social value for our multicultural society that we live in today.
The film explores the problem of Jewish identity of Jews, whose right to religion and Jewish culture was suppressed for many years in Europe and especially in the Soviet Union. The fear of anti-Semitism was transmitted with the milk of the mother to the new generations, and so children today
are often faced with the problem of their identity. Many live a double life and hide their Jewish identity even today in our seemingly democratic society.
This issue, as well as the personal experience of the filmmaker, who experienced her double life as a child in Ukraine, formed th
basis of the film. The story of young, courageous Marianna and Eva, who was inspired by her, will help raise awareness. It serves for
development of an open dialogue about the fear of antisemitism that was missed for hundreds of years.
