Anna Winger, an American writer, producer and showrunner who has spent more than 20 years, and her entire TV career, in Berlin, specializes in stories that combine a very specific European, usually German, history filtered through very American sensibilities.
Deutschland ’83, and its sequels Deutschland ’86 and Deutschland ’89, which aired on Amazon Prime stateside, told the story of the decline of East Germany and the fall of the Berlin Wall from the perspective of an East German spy, but told in the style of a slick Hollywood thriller.
Similarly, her Emmy-winning Netflix limited series Unorthodox, the story of a woman who flees her life in an ultra-Orthodox community in Brooklyn to find liberation in modern-day Berlin — based on Deborah Feldman’s best-selling memoir — borrows heavily from genre conventions to package a spiritual character study in the guise of more mainstream entertainment.
That combination of European history and U.S. entertainment is also part of Transatlantic,...
Deutschland ’83, and its sequels Deutschland ’86 and Deutschland ’89, which aired on Amazon Prime stateside, told the story of the decline of East Germany and the fall of the Berlin Wall from the perspective of an East German spy, but told in the style of a slick Hollywood thriller.
Similarly, her Emmy-winning Netflix limited series Unorthodox, the story of a woman who flees her life in an ultra-Orthodox community in Brooklyn to find liberation in modern-day Berlin — based on Deborah Feldman’s best-selling memoir — borrows heavily from genre conventions to package a spiritual character study in the guise of more mainstream entertainment.
That combination of European history and U.S. entertainment is also part of Transatlantic,...
- 4/5/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Israeli director Rama Burshtein-Shai focuses on an unlikely attraction in her eight-episode series “Fire Dance,” now debuting at TV festival Series Mania in Lille, France. Faigie (Mia Ivryn) is just 18 when she starts paying closer attention to Nathan, thirtysomething married son of their ultra-Orthodox community’s leader. Produced by Yes TV, Firma Productions and Kuma Studios, it has Yes Studios handling international sales.
“I don’t think it’s a story about impossible love. It’s a story about how you deal with passion,” Burshtein-Shai tells Variety. “You can get burnt or you can shut it all down, so what will you do?”
Arguing she is “all about hope” in her work, Burshtein-Shai doesn’t shy away from despair in “Fire Dance,” opening with Faigie’s suicide attempt. When Nathan helps her, it marks the beginning of their bond.
“Everything changes in that moment. She allows herself to count on him,...
“I don’t think it’s a story about impossible love. It’s a story about how you deal with passion,” Burshtein-Shai tells Variety. “You can get burnt or you can shut it all down, so what will you do?”
Arguing she is “all about hope” in her work, Burshtein-Shai doesn’t shy away from despair in “Fire Dance,” opening with Faigie’s suicide attempt. When Nathan helps her, it marks the beginning of their bond.
“Everything changes in that moment. She allows herself to count on him,...
- 3/20/2022
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
“The Good Lord Bird” and “Unorthodox” are two of the latest Peabody Award winners, announced Tuesday.
This year the 81st annual Peabody Awards are being virtually presented over the course of four days. The first batch of eight were announced Monday, June 21, with another seven following suit the following day.
Showtime’s limited series adaptation of James McBride’s novel of the same name, “The Good Lord Bird,” and Netflix’s four-part limited series inspired by Deborah Feldman’s memoir of the same name, “Unorthodox,” are the two latest award recipients from the entertainment category.
Other newly crowned winners are MTV Documentary Films’ “76 Days” (in the documentary category), The Washington Post’s “Post Reports: The Life of George Floyd” (in the podcast/radio category) and, in news, PBS/GBH’s “Whose Vote Counts,” Showtime’s “Losing Ground” installment of “Vice on Showtime” and ITV’s “Muslim in Trump’s...
This year the 81st annual Peabody Awards are being virtually presented over the course of four days. The first batch of eight were announced Monday, June 21, with another seven following suit the following day.
Showtime’s limited series adaptation of James McBride’s novel of the same name, “The Good Lord Bird,” and Netflix’s four-part limited series inspired by Deborah Feldman’s memoir of the same name, “Unorthodox,” are the two latest award recipients from the entertainment category.
Other newly crowned winners are MTV Documentary Films’ “76 Days” (in the documentary category), The Washington Post’s “Post Reports: The Life of George Floyd” (in the podcast/radio category) and, in news, PBS/GBH’s “Whose Vote Counts,” Showtime’s “Losing Ground” installment of “Vice on Showtime” and ITV’s “Muslim in Trump’s...
- 6/22/2021
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
Top prizes at the USC Scripter event Saturday went to screenwriter Chloé Zhao and author Jessica Bruder for “Nomadland” as well as scripter Scott Frank and novelist Walter Tevis for Netflix’s “The Queen’s Gambit.”
As in past years, the award goes to both the scriptwriter(s) as well as the writer(s) of the original material.
Searchlight Pictures’ “Nomadland” is based on the nonfiction book “Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century.” Zhao thanked Bruder, the cast and crew of the film and Searchlight, concluding, “I feel so lucky to be able to tell stories for a living.” Bruder added that she had been reporting in 2014 for a magazine article that turned into the book and “It has been one hell of a ride.”
The “Queen’s Gambit” duo won for the episode “Openings.” Frank thanked Tevis for “the gift of that novel … This novel was beautiful and my mission was to protect it.
As in past years, the award goes to both the scriptwriter(s) as well as the writer(s) of the original material.
Searchlight Pictures’ “Nomadland” is based on the nonfiction book “Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century.” Zhao thanked Bruder, the cast and crew of the film and Searchlight, concluding, “I feel so lucky to be able to tell stories for a living.” Bruder added that she had been reporting in 2014 for a magazine article that turned into the book and “It has been one hell of a ride.”
The “Queen’s Gambit” duo won for the episode “Openings.” Frank thanked Tevis for “the gift of that novel … This novel was beautiful and my mission was to protect it.
- 3/14/2021
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
The USC Libraries has announced this year’s finalists for the 33rd annual USC Libraries Scripter Award, which recognizes the most accomplished film and episodic series adaptations. The 2021 Scripter selection committee chose the finalists from a wide selection of 87 films and 65 episodic series adaptations.
The finalist writers for film adaptation are:
Mike Makowsky for “Bad Education” based on the New York magazine article “The Bad Superintendent” by Robert Kolker Jon Raymond and Kelly Reichardt for “First Cow” based on the novel “The Half-Life” by Jon Raymond Screenwriter Ruben Santiago-Hudson and playwright August Wilson for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” Chloé Zhao for “Nomadland” based on the nonfiction book “Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century” by Jessica Bruder Screenwriter and playwright Kemp Powers for “One Night in Miami”
The finalist writers for episodic series are:
Mark Richard and Ethan Hawke, for the episode “Meet the Lord,” from “The Good Lord Bird,...
The finalist writers for film adaptation are:
Mike Makowsky for “Bad Education” based on the New York magazine article “The Bad Superintendent” by Robert Kolker Jon Raymond and Kelly Reichardt for “First Cow” based on the novel “The Half-Life” by Jon Raymond Screenwriter Ruben Santiago-Hudson and playwright August Wilson for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” Chloé Zhao for “Nomadland” based on the nonfiction book “Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century” by Jessica Bruder Screenwriter and playwright Kemp Powers for “One Night in Miami”
The finalist writers for episodic series are:
Mark Richard and Ethan Hawke, for the episode “Meet the Lord,” from “The Good Lord Bird,...
- 1/26/2021
- by Antonio Ferme
- Variety Film + TV
The USC Libraries has revealed the finalists for the 33rd annual USC Libraries Scripter Award, which honors the year’s best film and television adaptations, as well as the works on which they are based. This group of academics, industry professionals, and critics (for which I vote) is often predictive of the Adapted Screenplay Oscar race.
Last year’s Scripter winners were Oscar and Emmy nominees Greta Gerwig (“Little Women”) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge (“Fleabag”). The year before was atypical, as the Scripter Award went to “Leave No Trace” screenwriters Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini (and author Peter Rock), who were not nominated for the Oscar.
Past winners of both the Scripter and the Oscar include “Call Me by Your Name,” “Moonlight,” “The Big Short,” and “The Imitation Game.” In fact, before 2019, eight Scripter Award winners went on to win Oscars. This year, streaming giant Netflix dominated, with three nominees, including “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,...
Last year’s Scripter winners were Oscar and Emmy nominees Greta Gerwig (“Little Women”) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge (“Fleabag”). The year before was atypical, as the Scripter Award went to “Leave No Trace” screenwriters Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini (and author Peter Rock), who were not nominated for the Oscar.
Past winners of both the Scripter and the Oscar include “Call Me by Your Name,” “Moonlight,” “The Big Short,” and “The Imitation Game.” In fact, before 2019, eight Scripter Award winners went on to win Oscars. This year, streaming giant Netflix dominated, with three nominees, including “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,...
- 1/26/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
“Nomadland,” “One Night in Miami,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “First Cow” and “Bad Education” have been nominated for the 2021 USC Libraries Scripter Awards, which are given out every year to a literary adaptation and the source material from which it is taken.
The nomination for “Ma Rainey,” for example, goes to both screenwriter Ruben Santiago-Hudson and to the late playwright August Wilson, from whose work the film was drawn.
In the television category, the nominees were episodes of “The Good Lord Bird,” “Normal People,” “The Plot Against America,” “The Queen’s Gambit” and “Unorthodox.”
The finalists were chosen by a jury from 87 film and 65 episodic series adaptations. “The Father,” “News of the World” and “I’m Thinking of Ending Things” are among the films in the running for the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar that were not chosen by the Scripter jury.
Since 2000, about two-thirds of the Scripter nominees have gone on to receive Oscar nominations,...
The nomination for “Ma Rainey,” for example, goes to both screenwriter Ruben Santiago-Hudson and to the late playwright August Wilson, from whose work the film was drawn.
In the television category, the nominees were episodes of “The Good Lord Bird,” “Normal People,” “The Plot Against America,” “The Queen’s Gambit” and “Unorthodox.”
The finalists were chosen by a jury from 87 film and 65 episodic series adaptations. “The Father,” “News of the World” and “I’m Thinking of Ending Things” are among the films in the running for the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar that were not chosen by the Scripter jury.
Since 2000, about two-thirds of the Scripter nominees have gone on to receive Oscar nominations,...
- 1/26/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Nominations were unveiled Tuesday for the 33rd annual USC Libraries Scripter Award, which honors the writers of the year’s most accomplished film and episodic TV series adaptations as well as the works on which they are based.
Winners will be announced Saturday, March 13 online, with the annual in-person awards ceremony not possible because of the pandemic.
The film nominees this year are Mike Makowsky for HBO Films’ Bad Education, Jon Raymond and Kelly Reichardt for A24’s First Cow, Ruben Santiago-Hudson for Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Chloé Zhao for Searchlight’s Nomadland and Kemp Powers for his own adaptation of Amazon’s One Night In Miami.
Last year, Greta Gerwig won the Scripter for her adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, leading to Grewig’s eventual Oscar nomination in the Adapted Screenplay category.
On the TV side, this year’s nominees are Mark Richard...
Winners will be announced Saturday, March 13 online, with the annual in-person awards ceremony not possible because of the pandemic.
The film nominees this year are Mike Makowsky for HBO Films’ Bad Education, Jon Raymond and Kelly Reichardt for A24’s First Cow, Ruben Santiago-Hudson for Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Chloé Zhao for Searchlight’s Nomadland and Kemp Powers for his own adaptation of Amazon’s One Night In Miami.
Last year, Greta Gerwig won the Scripter for her adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, leading to Grewig’s eventual Oscar nomination in the Adapted Screenplay category.
On the TV side, this year’s nominees are Mark Richard...
- 1/26/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Anna Winger’s “Unorthodox,” based on Deborah Feldman’s 2012 memoir about a young woman leaving the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in New York to start life anew in Berlin, was not intrinsically designed to be an international darling.
The mandate of Netflix’s German television group, says co-ceo and chief content officer Ted Sarandos, is simply to “make great TV” for the subscription streaming service’s German audience. But one function of Netflix over the years has been broadening the American palate for television and movies, offering non-u.S. programming from international creators to acclaim from both casual viewers and critics alike.
“If you think about the history of German television, which is probably the most subsidized and also probably, outside of the U.S., maybe the biggest economic model for television in the world — can you name another show from Germany that [people are] talking about, or that’s been nominated for eight Emmys this year?...
The mandate of Netflix’s German television group, says co-ceo and chief content officer Ted Sarandos, is simply to “make great TV” for the subscription streaming service’s German audience. But one function of Netflix over the years has been broadening the American palate for television and movies, offering non-u.S. programming from international creators to acclaim from both casual viewers and critics alike.
“If you think about the history of German television, which is probably the most subsidized and also probably, outside of the U.S., maybe the biggest economic model for television in the world — can you name another show from Germany that [people are] talking about, or that’s been nominated for eight Emmys this year?...
- 10/9/2020
- by Elaine Low
- Variety Film + TV
Komplizen’s Janine Jackowski and Constantin’s Katharina Hiersemenzel were
Leading German producers Janine Jackowski of Komplizen Film and Katharina Hiersemenzel, the senior vice president of public policy of Constantin Film, challenged Wolf Osthaus, Netflix director of public policy for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, of a perceived imbalance between the streaming services and independent producers at an industry panel at Filmfest Hamburg.
The producers said the signing of the production service agreement meant that the copyright and any revenues for a project stayed in the hands of the streamer, and the production company’s function amounted to little more than...
Leading German producers Janine Jackowski of Komplizen Film and Katharina Hiersemenzel, the senior vice president of public policy of Constantin Film, challenged Wolf Osthaus, Netflix director of public policy for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, of a perceived imbalance between the streaming services and independent producers at an industry panel at Filmfest Hamburg.
The producers said the signing of the production service agreement meant that the copyright and any revenues for a project stayed in the hands of the streamer, and the production company’s function amounted to little more than...
- 10/5/2020
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
Antonio Gambale and Justine Seymour.
Costume designer Justine Seymour was strolling with a friend to have dinner at a Berlin restaurant when her phone pinged with numerous congratulatory messages: She had just scored her first Emmy nomination, for Outstanding Contemporary Costumes for Netflix’s Unorthodox.
Composer Antonio Gambale was working in Paris but deliberately took an afternoon nap and turned off his phone when he knew the nominations were to be announced as he had no expectations.
When he checked his phone to see the time, he was inundated with messages and phone calls: He earned two noms, Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score) and Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music for the same Netflix series.
“More than any personal feeling of wow, what made me most happy was realising how much of a reach the show had and how many people loved it,...
Costume designer Justine Seymour was strolling with a friend to have dinner at a Berlin restaurant when her phone pinged with numerous congratulatory messages: She had just scored her first Emmy nomination, for Outstanding Contemporary Costumes for Netflix’s Unorthodox.
Composer Antonio Gambale was working in Paris but deliberately took an afternoon nap and turned off his phone when he knew the nominations were to be announced as he had no expectations.
When he checked his phone to see the time, he was inundated with messages and phone calls: He earned two noms, Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score) and Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music for the same Netflix series.
“More than any personal feeling of wow, what made me most happy was realising how much of a reach the show had and how many people loved it,...
- 9/2/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
A version of this story about Shira Haas first appeared in the Emmy Hot List issue of TheWrap’s Emmy magazine.
Shira Haas is one of the discoveries of this year’s Emmy season. The petite 25-year-old Israeli was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for “Unorthodox,” a Netflix limited series loosely based on the Deborah Feldman memoir about a young woman who runs away from her husband and family in the ultra-Orthodox Hasidic community in New York. To play the role, Haas had to learn to speak Yiddish and shave her head, among other challenges. She spoke to Sharon Waxman from her home in Tel Aviv, Israel.
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You’ve played an ultra-Orthodox character before — Ruchami on the Israeli series “Shtisel,” and now Esty in “Unorthodox.” How much did you know about the Hasidic community before taking on these characters?...
Shira Haas is one of the discoveries of this year’s Emmy season. The petite 25-year-old Israeli was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for “Unorthodox,” a Netflix limited series loosely based on the Deborah Feldman memoir about a young woman who runs away from her husband and family in the ultra-Orthodox Hasidic community in New York. To play the role, Haas had to learn to speak Yiddish and shave her head, among other challenges. She spoke to Sharon Waxman from her home in Tel Aviv, Israel.
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You’ve played an ultra-Orthodox character before — Ruchami on the Israeli series “Shtisel,” and now Esty in “Unorthodox.” How much did you know about the Hasidic community before taking on these characters?...
- 8/21/2020
- by Sharon Waxman
- The Wrap
From the outset, Antonio Gambale’s unsettling score for Netflix’s limited series, “Unorthodox” gets under our skin with its twisted strings and synthesizers. And that’s how it should be, introducing us to the riveting story of Esty (Shira Haas), the young woman who escapes from the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to Berlin in search a new life. For the Italian-Australian composer, who is Emmy-nominated for both his score and main title theme, it’s a breakout work and quite a departure from his high-octane synth contributions to “The Grand Master” and “Taken.”
Gambale had to rethink his aesthetic for the sensitive, predominantly Yiddish-language drama from showrunner Anna Winger and director Maria Schrader, inspired by Deborah Feldman’s 2012 memoir, “Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots.” “You’re almost in documentary territory with the responsibility you have toward the music,” he said. “You have to be careful not to be melodramatic.
Gambale had to rethink his aesthetic for the sensitive, predominantly Yiddish-language drama from showrunner Anna Winger and director Maria Schrader, inspired by Deborah Feldman’s 2012 memoir, “Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots.” “You’re almost in documentary territory with the responsibility you have toward the music,” he said. “You have to be careful not to be melodramatic.
- 8/18/2020
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
One of the best examples of how Hollywood is moving toward being a place for more inclusive storytelling might be this year’s limited series Emmy race. All five of the nominees in that category tell stories about female characters; most specifically concentrating on depictions of women who have traditionally been marginalized both on and off screen.
“Unbelievable” showrunner Susannah Grant sums it up by saying that “it’s great to see stories of people who have historically been voiceless getting such a big platform.”
Grant’s Netflix series — which is inspired by reporters Ken Armstrong and T. Christian Miller’s Pulitzer-winning news story — stars Merritt Wever and supporting limited series/TV movie actress nominee Toni Collette as police detectives tasked with solving a serial rape case several years after a survivor’s (Kaitlyn Dever) accusations were not taken seriously.
“So many people in our culture have been used to...
“Unbelievable” showrunner Susannah Grant sums it up by saying that “it’s great to see stories of people who have historically been voiceless getting such a big platform.”
Grant’s Netflix series — which is inspired by reporters Ken Armstrong and T. Christian Miller’s Pulitzer-winning news story — stars Merritt Wever and supporting limited series/TV movie actress nominee Toni Collette as police detectives tasked with solving a serial rape case several years after a survivor’s (Kaitlyn Dever) accusations were not taken seriously.
“So many people in our culture have been used to...
- 8/18/2020
- by Whitney Friedlander
- Variety Film + TV
At Sarajevo CineLink talk, German producer Henning Kamm spoke about the making of the hit Netflix show.
A producer on hit Netflix drama Unorthodox has revealed the intense hands-on process of the streaming giant, during a Sarajevo CineLink masterclass.
Watch the full session below.
The drama series marked the first Netflix project for Henning Kamm, producer at Berlin-based Real Film, which has become a word-of-mouth sensation and secured eight Emmy nominations.
But it also marked a learning process for Kamm, who outlined just how involved the streaming giant was throughout the production.
“If you work for a broadcaster and you do commissioned work,...
A producer on hit Netflix drama Unorthodox has revealed the intense hands-on process of the streaming giant, during a Sarajevo CineLink masterclass.
Watch the full session below.
The drama series marked the first Netflix project for Henning Kamm, producer at Berlin-based Real Film, which has become a word-of-mouth sensation and secured eight Emmy nominations.
But it also marked a learning process for Kamm, who outlined just how involved the streaming giant was throughout the production.
“If you work for a broadcaster and you do commissioned work,...
- 8/17/2020
- by 1100142¦Wendy Mitchell¦39¦
- ScreenDaily
Despite many more high-profile, starry productions, one of Netflix’s most talked-about shows this year was arguably its most low-key. Inspired by Deborah Feldman’s bestselling memoir of the same name, the four-part Unorthodox tells the story of Esther “Esty” Shapiro (played by newcomer Shira Haas), a 19-year-old Hasidic Jewish woman living in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Esty struggles to conform to her community’s expectations, even consenting to an arranged marriage, but eventually she finds the courage to escape. Moving to Berlin, Etsy starts over, but it isn’t long before her past life catches up with her…
Joined by breakout star Haas from Tel Aviv and showrunner/writer Anna Winger from Berlin, the panel discussion for Deadline’s Contenders Television: The Nominees began by playing a clip in which Haas’ character sings a powerful song in Hebrew.
“It might have been this scene that I was most nervous and excited about,...
Joined by breakout star Haas from Tel Aviv and showrunner/writer Anna Winger from Berlin, the panel discussion for Deadline’s Contenders Television: The Nominees began by playing a clip in which Haas’ character sings a powerful song in Hebrew.
“It might have been this scene that I was most nervous and excited about,...
- 8/16/2020
- by Antonia Blyth
- Deadline Film + TV
The creators of the Emmy-nominated limited series “Unorthodox” knew from the beginning that executing a show based on Deborah Feldman’s memoir would be no small feat.
Bringing the story of how Feldman fled her Hasidic community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, for Berlin took copious amounts of research from actor Shira Haas, who plays Esty Shapiro; showrunner and writer Anna Winger; director Maria Schrader; costume designer Justine Seymour; and casting director Esther Kling.
Luckily, Winger was already close to Feldman, who pushed her to turn the book into a show in the first place.
“Our kids go to school together here in Berlin, where I live, and so I read the book and I loved it and we became friends,” Winger told Variety editor Jenelle Riley during a Variety Streaming Room event. “At one point she actually said to me, ‘You should make a TV show of my book.’ And the...
Bringing the story of how Feldman fled her Hasidic community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, for Berlin took copious amounts of research from actor Shira Haas, who plays Esty Shapiro; showrunner and writer Anna Winger; director Maria Schrader; costume designer Justine Seymour; and casting director Esther Kling.
Luckily, Winger was already close to Feldman, who pushed her to turn the book into a show in the first place.
“Our kids go to school together here in Berlin, where I live, and so I read the book and I loved it and we became friends,” Winger told Variety editor Jenelle Riley during a Variety Streaming Room event. “At one point she actually said to me, ‘You should make a TV show of my book.’ And the...
- 8/13/2020
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
There is triumph in “Unorthodox,” but there is also tragedy. The triumph comes from Esther Shapiro (Shira Haas), aka “Esty,” the young woman who escapes her Hasidic life in Williamsburg to find a new secular beginning in Berlin. The tragedy is that the family she leaves behind never makes an attempt to understand her.
Usually, these things go both ways. Watching the show led me to contemplate my own family connections to Orthodox Judaism, and whether I had ever made a legitimate attempt to address the disconnection I have with my closest relative at the center of that world. He’s my brother, and “Unorthodox” gave me a welcome excuse to discuss issues we had set aside years ago.
“Unorthodox,” an eight-time Emmy nominee, doesn’t make a compelling case for religious Judaism, but it wrestles with what it means to feel to connected to that routine. That much felt familiar.
Usually, these things go both ways. Watching the show led me to contemplate my own family connections to Orthodox Judaism, and whether I had ever made a legitimate attempt to address the disconnection I have with my closest relative at the center of that world. He’s my brother, and “Unorthodox” gave me a welcome excuse to discuss issues we had set aside years ago.
“Unorthodox,” an eight-time Emmy nominee, doesn’t make a compelling case for religious Judaism, but it wrestles with what it means to feel to connected to that routine. That much felt familiar.
- 8/11/2020
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
For the 2020 Power of Young Hollywood Issue, Variety profiled three young stars making an impact in the entertainment industry. For more, click here.
Long before Shira Haas drew universal acclaim and an Emmy nomination this year for her portrayal of the daring Esty Shapiro in Netflix’s “Unorthodox,” she co-starred in the Israeli drama “Shtisel,” about a sprawling Orthodox family in Jerusalem. As Ruchami Weiss, the oldest daughter in a family of six kids, Haas plays the character as steadfast and kind, with an undercurrent of anger that can ripen into rebelliousness. In December 2018, Netflix started streaming the two seasons of “Shtisel” that ran on Israeli television in 2013 and 2015-16, making the show an international phenomenon. As a consequence of that popularity, “Shtisel” began filming its long-delayed third season this summer.
“To be Ruchami again is amazing,” Haas says during a recent conversation from her home in Tel Aviv. “I...
Long before Shira Haas drew universal acclaim and an Emmy nomination this year for her portrayal of the daring Esty Shapiro in Netflix’s “Unorthodox,” she co-starred in the Israeli drama “Shtisel,” about a sprawling Orthodox family in Jerusalem. As Ruchami Weiss, the oldest daughter in a family of six kids, Haas plays the character as steadfast and kind, with an undercurrent of anger that can ripen into rebelliousness. In December 2018, Netflix started streaming the two seasons of “Shtisel” that ran on Israeli television in 2013 and 2015-16, making the show an international phenomenon. As a consequence of that popularity, “Shtisel” began filming its long-delayed third season this summer.
“To be Ruchami again is amazing,” Haas says during a recent conversation from her home in Tel Aviv. “I...
- 8/5/2020
- by Kate Aurthur
- Variety Film + TV
At 25, Shira Haas would be the youngest Best Movie/Limited Actress winner at the Emmys in 50 years, since a 23-year-old Patty Duke prevailed for the 1970 movie “My Sweet Charlie.” 1958 and 1978 are the only other years that the award has gone to actresses in their 20s: 27-year-old Polly Bergen for “Playhouse 90” and 29-year-old Meryl Streep for “Holocaust” respectively. Haas broke through with her performance in “Unorthodox,” which was her American television debut. The four-episode miniseries from Netflix follows Haas’s character Esty Shapiro as she runs off to a new life in Berlin, leaving behind her family and ultra-Orthodox Jewish upbringing in New York.
SEEour interview with nominated writer Anna Winger.
Speaking to Gold Derby this spring (watch the exclusive interview above), Haas says about her journey, “It’s so hard to leave a place, especially when it’s the only thing she knows. Those are the only people that she also loves.
SEEour interview with nominated writer Anna Winger.
Speaking to Gold Derby this spring (watch the exclusive interview above), Haas says about her journey, “It’s so hard to leave a place, especially when it’s the only thing she knows. Those are the only people that she also loves.
- 8/4/2020
- by Riley Chow
- Gold Derby
Shira Haas has catapulted herself into the zeitgeist with her moving performance as Esther “Esty” Shapiro on Netflix’s “Unorthodox.”
The series sees Esty married off to a man whom she barely knows (played by Haas’ real-life friend Amit Rahav) and forced to shave her head as Satmar tradition dictates. Haas recalled shooting that emotional haircut scene on the very first day on set, describing it as “one heck of a beginning” during an interview for an upcoming episode of the Variety and iHeart podcast “The Big Ticket.”
“You see 20 seconds of this scene in the episode, but it took eight minutes nonstop, two cameras, one take, that’s it,” Haas told host Marc Malkin. “I just had the rollercoaster of emotions and, of course, it was also real.”
Variety caught up with Haas from her home in Tel Aviv to talk about her unconventional path into acting, how close...
The series sees Esty married off to a man whom she barely knows (played by Haas’ real-life friend Amit Rahav) and forced to shave her head as Satmar tradition dictates. Haas recalled shooting that emotional haircut scene on the very first day on set, describing it as “one heck of a beginning” during an interview for an upcoming episode of the Variety and iHeart podcast “The Big Ticket.”
“You see 20 seconds of this scene in the episode, but it took eight minutes nonstop, two cameras, one take, that’s it,” Haas told host Marc Malkin. “I just had the rollercoaster of emotions and, of course, it was also real.”
Variety caught up with Haas from her home in Tel Aviv to talk about her unconventional path into acting, how close...
- 7/2/2020
- by Will Thorne
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Aaron Altaras, star of Netflix’s critically acclaimed limited series Unorthodox, has signed with Brillstein Entertainment Partners for U.S. representation.
Altaras portrays Robert, the handsome romantic interest of the heroine, Esty, played by Israeli actress Shira Haas. Esty’s journey follows her out of the Satmar ultra-Orthodox sect in Williamsburg, N.Y. and into her newfound freedom in Berlin, where she meets Robert. The series is inspired by Deborah Feldman’s bestselling memoir of a young Jewish woman’s escape from a religious sect.
German-born Altaras also earned praise for his starring roles in the feature films Mario and The Invisibles. He is currently shooting the series Wild Republic and is poised to make his next big leap to U.S. films & television.
Altaras is also repped by Waring & Mckenna in the UK and Lastrada-doells Agency in Berlin.
Altaras portrays Robert, the handsome romantic interest of the heroine, Esty, played by Israeli actress Shira Haas. Esty’s journey follows her out of the Satmar ultra-Orthodox sect in Williamsburg, N.Y. and into her newfound freedom in Berlin, where she meets Robert. The series is inspired by Deborah Feldman’s bestselling memoir of a young Jewish woman’s escape from a religious sect.
German-born Altaras also earned praise for his starring roles in the feature films Mario and The Invisibles. He is currently shooting the series Wild Republic and is poised to make his next big leap to U.S. films & television.
Altaras is also repped by Waring & Mckenna in the UK and Lastrada-doells Agency in Berlin.
- 6/30/2020
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
“Because we had to cancel all the events we were going to do and the festivals, we were so worried about how we were going to get it out there, says Anna Winger about “Unorthodox.” In her exclusive interview with Gold Derby (watch the video above), she adds, ” It was a really amazing, unexpected thrill that so many people watched it.” She discusses adapting the 2012 memoir “Unorthodox” by Deborah Feldman as a four-episode Netflix limited series starring Shira Haas.
The Berlin-based showrunner attributes some of the breakout success and ensuing conversation to the “Making Unorthodox” special that is also on Netflix. She explains, “In the old days of DVDs, that was always such a pleasure to watch the ‘making of’ something after you had no more to watch. There was this sense of getting to find out a little more of the people who made it, so it’s a...
The Berlin-based showrunner attributes some of the breakout success and ensuing conversation to the “Making Unorthodox” special that is also on Netflix. She explains, “In the old days of DVDs, that was always such a pleasure to watch the ‘making of’ something after you had no more to watch. There was this sense of getting to find out a little more of the people who made it, so it’s a...
- 6/30/2020
- by Riley Chow
- Gold Derby
It’s no secret that awards voters swoon for a dramatic physical transformation (Christian Bale’s entire career in a nutshell), but what about a linguistic one? Anyone can starve or gorge themselves, but what’s truly impressive is not only learning lines in a language you don’t speak, but putting in the time to understand what you’re actually saying. That’s what Shira Haas did for her tour de force in “Unorthodox,” the exquisitely crafted Netflix limited series about a Hasidic girl who leaves her community behind for the freeing climes of Berlin. The 25-year-old Israeli actress is undoubtedly the driving force of the series, and she’s so consuming that the show’s meticulous authenticity would have been entirely moot were it not for her riveting portrayal. It’s one of the most thrilling breakout performances of the year.
Haas plays a young woman named Esther “Esty” Shapiro,...
Haas plays a young woman named Esther “Esty” Shapiro,...
- 6/19/2020
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
It’s no secret that awards voters swoon for a dramatic physical transformation (Christian Bale’s entire career in a nutshell), but what about a linguistic one? Anyone can starve or gorge themselves, but what’s truly impressive is not only learning lines in a language you don’t speak, but putting in the time to understand what you’re actually saying. That’s what Shira Haas did for her tour de force in “Unorthodox,” the exquisitely crafted Netflix limited series about a Hasidic girl who leaves her community behind for the freeing climes of Berlin. The 25-year-old Israeli actress is undoubtedly the driving force of the series, and she’s so consuming that the show’s meticulous authenticity would have been entirely moot were it not for her riveting portrayal. It’s one of the most thrilling breakout performances of the year.
Haas plays a young woman named Esther “Esty” Shapiro,...
Haas plays a young woman named Esther “Esty” Shapiro,...
- 6/19/2020
- by Jude Dry
- Thompson on Hollywood
Amit Rahav will never forget seeing himself for the first time in full wardrobe and hair and makeup as Yanky, the Hasidic Jew he plays in the Netflix miniseries “Unorthodox.”
“It was wild because I’m very secular and it is quite the opposite of my daily life and style,” Rahav says on this week’s episode of the Variety and iHeart podcast “The Big Ticket.” “Once I put on the clothes and the payot [the sidelocks that Hasidic men grow], I suddenly felt right. In some way, I got to know the character much better.”
Based on Deborah Feldman’s 2012 memoir of the same name, “Unorthodox” stars Shira Haas as Esty, Yanky’s new young wife, who flees her religious community in Brooklyn for a secular life in Berlin. “I read it very quickly because it’s so good,” says Rahav, 24. “It was very important for me to know [Feldman’s] point of view and where she comes from.
“It was wild because I’m very secular and it is quite the opposite of my daily life and style,” Rahav says on this week’s episode of the Variety and iHeart podcast “The Big Ticket.” “Once I put on the clothes and the payot [the sidelocks that Hasidic men grow], I suddenly felt right. In some way, I got to know the character much better.”
Based on Deborah Feldman’s 2012 memoir of the same name, “Unorthodox” stars Shira Haas as Esty, Yanky’s new young wife, who flees her religious community in Brooklyn for a secular life in Berlin. “I read it very quickly because it’s so good,” says Rahav, 24. “It was very important for me to know [Feldman’s] point of view and where she comes from.
- 5/14/2020
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
“I did not dream of being an actress,” Shira Haas reveals in an exclusive interview about her breakthrough performance in “Unorthodox” (watch the video above). She continues, “I was very, very shy as a child, believe it or not.” Speaking to Gold Derby from Tel Aviv, Haas explains that although she “always loved theater” and “always loved movies,” it was leading the 2014 Israeli film “Princess” that finally convinced her of her career path. “I remember suddenly understanding how you can say so much with saying nothing at all,” she recounts about her feature debut before comparing her own journey to that of her character in “Unorthodox,” who escapes an oppressed life and finds a passion in music. “Like Esty, I found myself suddenly through art,” she laughs.
“This character and this story really made me question a lot about what freedom is and the value of freedom,” Haas says about playing Esty Shapiro.
“This character and this story really made me question a lot about what freedom is and the value of freedom,” Haas says about playing Esty Shapiro.
- 5/13/2020
- by Riley Chow
- Gold Derby
With readers turning to their home viewing options more than ever, this daily feature provides one new movie each day worth checking out on a major streaming platform.
In 2014, documentarians Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady stumbled upon a small article about the New York City-based organization Footsteps, which assists those looking to leave an ultra-Orthodox religion (including both Hasidic and Haredi groups in the Jewish faith). The filmmakers are well known for their ability to earn the trust of cloistered communities (from the Christian extremists of “Jesus Camp” to the tight-knit creative denizens of “Detropia”), and they had long been intrigued by the ultra-Orthodox community that makes up dense pockets of NYC, but had never found a way to crack its insular world. Then they found a program that assists people already looking to leave.
The result of that discovery was “One of Us,” a documentary that focused on a trio of Hasidic Jews,...
In 2014, documentarians Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady stumbled upon a small article about the New York City-based organization Footsteps, which assists those looking to leave an ultra-Orthodox religion (including both Hasidic and Haredi groups in the Jewish faith). The filmmakers are well known for their ability to earn the trust of cloistered communities (from the Christian extremists of “Jesus Camp” to the tight-knit creative denizens of “Detropia”), and they had long been intrigued by the ultra-Orthodox community that makes up dense pockets of NYC, but had never found a way to crack its insular world. Then they found a program that assists people already looking to leave.
The result of that discovery was “One of Us,” a documentary that focused on a trio of Hasidic Jews,...
- 4/28/2020
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Jeff Wilbusch has signed with Echo Lake Entertainment for mangement, Variety has learned exclusively.
Wilbusch most recently appeared in the Netflix limited series “Unorthodox,” inspired by the Deborah Feldman memoir of the same name. It tells the story of a young Jewish woman named Esty who runs away from her arranged marriage and ultra-Orthodox community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and moves to Berlin.
Willbusch played Moishe Lefkovitch, the boorish gambling addict cousin of Esty’s husband who travels to Berlin with him to find her. He previously starred opposite Michael Shannon, Alexander Skarsgård and Florence Pugh in the BBC/AMC miniseries “The Little Drummer Girl.” His other credits include the Hulu miniseries “Bad Banks.”
Wilbusch is repped by Peter McGrath at Echo Lake.
Wilbusch most recently appeared in the Netflix limited series “Unorthodox,” inspired by the Deborah Feldman memoir of the same name. It tells the story of a young Jewish woman named Esty who runs away from her arranged marriage and ultra-Orthodox community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and moves to Berlin.
Willbusch played Moishe Lefkovitch, the boorish gambling addict cousin of Esty’s husband who travels to Berlin with him to find her. He previously starred opposite Michael Shannon, Alexander Skarsgård and Florence Pugh in the BBC/AMC miniseries “The Little Drummer Girl.” His other credits include the Hulu miniseries “Bad Banks.”
Wilbusch is repped by Peter McGrath at Echo Lake.
- 4/24/2020
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Onscreen, “Unorthodox” star Shira Haas breaks free of her restrictive upbringing to start a new life as an artist. Offscreen, she’s simply a breakout — as one the year’s most exciting rising stars.
The 24-year-old actress, who lives in Tel Aviv, portrays Esther “Esty” Shapiro on the Netflix limited series. She’s playing a story based on real life: As directed by Maria Schrader, with a largely female creative team and crew, “Unorthodox” is adapted from Deborah Feldman’s 2012 best-selling memoir “Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots.”
But within a version of Feldman’s story, Haas finds something entirely new. Her work brings to mind the naivety of Carey Mulligan in “An Education” and the harder edges of Jennifer Garner from “Alias.”
On a recent afternoon, Haas spoke on a Zoom call with Jessica Chastain, her co-star in the 2017 war drama “The Zookeeper’s Wife,” about the role,...
The 24-year-old actress, who lives in Tel Aviv, portrays Esther “Esty” Shapiro on the Netflix limited series. She’s playing a story based on real life: As directed by Maria Schrader, with a largely female creative team and crew, “Unorthodox” is adapted from Deborah Feldman’s 2012 best-selling memoir “Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots.”
But within a version of Feldman’s story, Haas finds something entirely new. Her work brings to mind the naivety of Carey Mulligan in “An Education” and the harder edges of Jennifer Garner from “Alias.”
On a recent afternoon, Haas spoke on a Zoom call with Jessica Chastain, her co-star in the 2017 war drama “The Zookeeper’s Wife,” about the role,...
- 4/21/2020
- by Ramin Setoodeh
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Amit Rahav, star of Netflix’s critically praised miniseries Unorthodox, has signed with Lighthouse Management & Media for representation.
Rahav portrays Yanky Shapiro in the four-part series, inspired by Deborah Feldman’s bestselling memoir Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection Of My Hasidic Roots, the story of a young Jewish woman’s escape from a religious sect. It follows Esty, played by Shira Haas, who leaves an arranged marriage in New York and sets out on her own to Berlin. Rahav’s Yanky Shapiro is Esty’s troubled husband.
More from DeadlineNetflix Sets Cast & Director For Original Series 'Unorthodox' From 'Deutschland 83/86' Creator, Shoot Underway In BerlinDisney Channel's Skai Jackson Inks With Lighthouse; Donna Murphy To IndustryAleen Keshishian Leaves Brillstein Entertainment Partners To Form Lighthouse Management
Rahav’s other previous credits include the role of Aaron on USA Network’s drama series Dig.
The in-demand actor, who is also...
Rahav portrays Yanky Shapiro in the four-part series, inspired by Deborah Feldman’s bestselling memoir Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection Of My Hasidic Roots, the story of a young Jewish woman’s escape from a religious sect. It follows Esty, played by Shira Haas, who leaves an arranged marriage in New York and sets out on her own to Berlin. Rahav’s Yanky Shapiro is Esty’s troubled husband.
More from DeadlineNetflix Sets Cast & Director For Original Series 'Unorthodox' From 'Deutschland 83/86' Creator, Shoot Underway In BerlinDisney Channel's Skai Jackson Inks With Lighthouse; Donna Murphy To IndustryAleen Keshishian Leaves Brillstein Entertainment Partners To Form Lighthouse Management
Rahav’s other previous credits include the role of Aaron on USA Network’s drama series Dig.
The in-demand actor, who is also...
- 4/17/2020
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
With just four episodes, Unorthodox has captured a worldwide audience. The Netflix series starring Shira Haas as Esty Shapiro, a young woman who flees her arranged marriage and the Hasidic community she's called home for her short 19-year-old life, has gathered buzz since its March 26 debut. And despite the acclaim and attention—and more source material to draw from—there aren't plans for more Unorthodox. Writer and producer Anna Winger told Metro there are no plans to revisit Etsy Shapiro's story or to adapt from Deborah Feldman's further books. Unorthodox was based on Feldman's memoir Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of my Hasidic Roots. "We're not doing a sequel to this...
- 4/15/2020
- E! Online
Imagine delivering a career-defining performance in a language you don’t even speak. That was the challenge presented to Shira Haas, the Israeli actress whose galvanizing turn propels “Unorthodox,” a four-part Netflix limited series about a young woman who leaves her Hasidic community behind.
As the courageous lead character Esty, who abandons everything she knows in her search for self-actualization, Haas cycles through many different phases of her character’s journey, from childhood to marriage to her new life in Berlin. She embodies these transformations in Yiddish and English — neither one is her native Hebrew tongue — with poise, nuance, and specificity, delivering a tour de force that makes “Unorthodox” entirely gripping from start to finish.
More from IndieWireLarry David Says He Couldn't Get Past the First Episode of 'Tiger King'Streaming Wars: Quibi Faces Its Ultimate Test, 'Big Little Lies' Starts a Trend, and 'Tiger King' Roars
Based on the eponymous memoir by Deborah Feldman,...
As the courageous lead character Esty, who abandons everything she knows in her search for self-actualization, Haas cycles through many different phases of her character’s journey, from childhood to marriage to her new life in Berlin. She embodies these transformations in Yiddish and English — neither one is her native Hebrew tongue — with poise, nuance, and specificity, delivering a tour de force that makes “Unorthodox” entirely gripping from start to finish.
More from IndieWireLarry David Says He Couldn't Get Past the First Episode of 'Tiger King'Streaming Wars: Quibi Faces Its Ultimate Test, 'Big Little Lies' Starts a Trend, and 'Tiger King' Roars
Based on the eponymous memoir by Deborah Feldman,...
- 4/4/2020
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Right now on Rotten Tomatoes, Netflix sensation “Tiger King” is perched on top of the list of most-viewed TV shows. That is followed by the streaming outlet’s third season of the crime-clan drama”Ozark.” But coming in at No. 3 is the four-part miniseries “Unorthodox,” a coming-of-age story also on Netflix with thriller elements and starring a cast of mostly unknowns set in a community of Satmar Hasidic Jews in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn.
Based on Deborah Feldman‘s New York Times bestselling memoir of the same name, it shines a light on an insular millieu where marriages are arranged, men run the world and women are expected to give birth to as many babies as possible to help repopulate the community. #MeToo doesn’t even describe how gender and sex is depicted in this culture.
SEE13 best Netflix crime documentaries including ‘Tiger King,’ ‘Making a Murderer’ …
At the...
Based on Deborah Feldman‘s New York Times bestselling memoir of the same name, it shines a light on an insular millieu where marriages are arranged, men run the world and women are expected to give birth to as many babies as possible to help repopulate the community. #MeToo doesn’t even describe how gender and sex is depicted in this culture.
SEE13 best Netflix crime documentaries including ‘Tiger King,’ ‘Making a Murderer’ …
At the...
- 4/2/2020
- by Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
For Berlin-based American writer-producer Anna Winger, creating the Netflix series “Unorthodox” offered a unique opportunity to tell a Jewish story in Germany.
The show, which premiered March 26 on Netflix, is inspired by Deborah Feldman’s 2012 memoir, “Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots,” and follows a young woman who leaves her husband and her insular ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Satmar community in Williamsburg, New York, for a new life in Berlin.
Winger, whose credits include the hit Amazon series franchise “Deutschland 83″ and its two follow-ups, “Deutschland 86” and “Deutschland 89,” co-created with husband Jörg Winger, produced “Unorthodox” via her Berlin-based Studio Airlift shingle.
The series stars Israeli actress Shira Haas as Esty, who leaves an unhappy arranged marriage and travels to Berlin, home to her estranged mother and where she hopes to study music. As she begins to navigate her new life, her husband, portrayed by fellow Israeli actor Amit Rahav,...
The show, which premiered March 26 on Netflix, is inspired by Deborah Feldman’s 2012 memoir, “Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots,” and follows a young woman who leaves her husband and her insular ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Satmar community in Williamsburg, New York, for a new life in Berlin.
Winger, whose credits include the hit Amazon series franchise “Deutschland 83″ and its two follow-ups, “Deutschland 86” and “Deutschland 89,” co-created with husband Jörg Winger, produced “Unorthodox” via her Berlin-based Studio Airlift shingle.
The series stars Israeli actress Shira Haas as Esty, who leaves an unhappy arranged marriage and travels to Berlin, home to her estranged mother and where she hopes to study music. As she begins to navigate her new life, her husband, portrayed by fellow Israeli actor Amit Rahav,...
- 4/1/2020
- by Ed Meza
- Variety Film + TV
Image Source: Getty / Christophe Gateau
Have you ever had the fleeting thought of leaving everything behind? That's what Deborah Feldman (above) did, and now, the true story of how she cut ties with the Hasidic community will be the basis for Unorthodox, one of Netflix's latest offerings. In her early 20s, Feldman moved away from her conservative Hasidic home in New York with her son. Years down the road, she eventually made her way to Europe, just like the protagonist in the series. She later published her bestselling memoir Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots, which would inspire the new adaptation starring Shira Haas (The Zookeeper's Wife). Feldman's life, undoubtedly, has been full of twists and turns - here's how her journey unfolded.
What Feldman's Hasidic Upbringing Looked Like
Feldman was born in 1986 in Williamsburg as a part of the Satmar Hasidic community, a sect of ultra-Orthodox...
Have you ever had the fleeting thought of leaving everything behind? That's what Deborah Feldman (above) did, and now, the true story of how she cut ties with the Hasidic community will be the basis for Unorthodox, one of Netflix's latest offerings. In her early 20s, Feldman moved away from her conservative Hasidic home in New York with her son. Years down the road, she eventually made her way to Europe, just like the protagonist in the series. She later published her bestselling memoir Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots, which would inspire the new adaptation starring Shira Haas (The Zookeeper's Wife). Feldman's life, undoubtedly, has been full of twists and turns - here's how her journey unfolded.
What Feldman's Hasidic Upbringing Looked Like
Feldman was born in 1986 in Williamsburg as a part of the Satmar Hasidic community, a sect of ultra-Orthodox...
- 3/30/2020
- by Stacey Nguyen
- Popsugar.com
Maria Schrader tells the compelling story of a young woman in a Hasidic community fighting for her liberation. Among the plethora of European shows centring on powerful female protagonists released on Netflix in March, Unorthodox stands out by telling the compelling story of Esty (Shira Haas), a 19-year-old from a Hasidic community in Brooklyn who is running away from her husband and finding her own place in the world. In spite of some pacing issues, the miniseries directed by Maria Schrader is an excellent story of emancipation, and it may very well take on new meaning in the context of the coronavirus lockdown. The show is based on the memoir Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots by Deborah Feldman, but could easily be considered a work of fiction, as the screenplay written by Anna Winger re-calibrates and re-arranges various elements in the author’s biography, which makes the protagonist’s.
Deborah Feldman’s 2012 memoir “Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots” charts a familiar path of resistance. Raised in the Hasidic Satmar sect of Williamsburg, Feldman escaped an arranged marriage at the age of 19, while pregnant with her first child, and resettled in Germany. While the particular circumstances surrounding Feldman’s flight hold unique power, Feldman’s story belongs to an emerging tradition of tales surrounding the oppressive nature of ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities, and the people who struggle with the impulse to move on. However, the four-part miniseries adapted from Feldman’s book, also called “Unorthodox,” gives this dilemma a fresh spin.
On one level, “Unorthodox” works within the same expanded universe of religious rebellion explored in recent cinema, from the lesbian drama “Disobedience” to the bittersweet Williamsburg-set father-son drama “Menashe” — which, like “Unorthodox,” largely unfolds in Yiddish. However, director Maria Schrader and creator Anna Winger (“Deutchland 83”) has transformed...
On one level, “Unorthodox” works within the same expanded universe of religious rebellion explored in recent cinema, from the lesbian drama “Disobedience” to the bittersweet Williamsburg-set father-son drama “Menashe” — which, like “Unorthodox,” largely unfolds in Yiddish. However, director Maria Schrader and creator Anna Winger (“Deutchland 83”) has transformed...
- 3/26/2020
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
It is time to have a serious discussion about the impact Ultra-Orthodox communities have on women.
At least, that's the message Netflix tries to send on Unorthodox, based on Deborah Feldman's autobiography, Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots.
The four-part mini-series documents Esther "Esty" Shapiro as she escapes from Williamsburg, New York, to Berlin, Germany, in search of a better life.
A life with opportunity, personal growth, and most importantly, freedom.
But the most striking aspect of the entire show is how she goes about pursuing that freedom. Esty's passion for music drives her to pursue her liberty.
She's desperate to get into the special scholarship program at Berlin's Conservatory of Music, a program meant for "talented students from extraordinary circumstances."
Her circumstances are quite extraordinary, of course. She's nineteen years old, but she seems more like thirty, with the suffocating life she's led.
Now she has...
At least, that's the message Netflix tries to send on Unorthodox, based on Deborah Feldman's autobiography, Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots.
The four-part mini-series documents Esther "Esty" Shapiro as she escapes from Williamsburg, New York, to Berlin, Germany, in search of a better life.
A life with opportunity, personal growth, and most importantly, freedom.
But the most striking aspect of the entire show is how she goes about pursuing that freedom. Esty's passion for music drives her to pursue her liberty.
She's desperate to get into the special scholarship program at Berlin's Conservatory of Music, a program meant for "talented students from extraordinary circumstances."
Her circumstances are quite extraordinary, of course. She's nineteen years old, but she seems more like thirty, with the suffocating life she's led.
Now she has...
- 3/25/2020
- by Sarah Novack
- TVfanatic
In today’s TV news roundup, Showtime released a trailer for “Penny Dreadful: City of Angels,” and WWE Hall of Famer Steve “Stone Cold” Austin will appear live on “Raw” on the USA Network.
Casting
Steve “Stone Cold” Austin will appear live on “Raw” March 16 on the USA Network. The WWE Hall of Famer is helping the WWE Universe celebrate #316Day, a reference to his memorable catchphrase “Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your a–!” Additionally, WWE Network will stream a marathon of Austin’s programming, including an all-new episode of “Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions,” featuring an in-depth interview with WWE Hall of Famer Bret “Hitman” Hart, where the two will discuss their historic rivalry.
First Looks
Netflix released the trailer of “Unorthodox,” a new limited series. The four-episode series follows the story of a young woman, Esther “Esty” (Shira Haas), from Williamsburg, Brooklyn who breaks away from...
Casting
Steve “Stone Cold” Austin will appear live on “Raw” March 16 on the USA Network. The WWE Hall of Famer is helping the WWE Universe celebrate #316Day, a reference to his memorable catchphrase “Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your a–!” Additionally, WWE Network will stream a marathon of Austin’s programming, including an all-new episode of “Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions,” featuring an in-depth interview with WWE Hall of Famer Bret “Hitman” Hart, where the two will discuss their historic rivalry.
First Looks
Netflix released the trailer of “Unorthodox,” a new limited series. The four-episode series follows the story of a young woman, Esther “Esty” (Shira Haas), from Williamsburg, Brooklyn who breaks away from...
- 3/6/2020
- by Klaritza Rico
- Variety Film + TV
The streaming sector may be growing ever more crowded as increasing numbers of providers embrace the video-on-demand model of content distribution, but industry pioneer Netflix continues to dominate in terms of original content and more than double the subscribers of its nearest competitor, Disney+. And in March of 2020, those 62 million subscribers have a lot of compelling movies and series to look forward to, both original and imported.
In terms of weekly series, Crash Landing On You, the second-highest-rated Korean drama in cable television history after Sky Castle, and Chinese romcom Find Yourself both begin airing new episodes on Sundays in March, while the South Korean series Itaewon Class, the first project from distribution company Showbox, premieres new episodes on Fridays.
The first of the month, meanwhile, marks the first big release of material, including:
The first season of the Japanese anime based on a Takahiro manga, Akame ga Kill! The...
In terms of weekly series, Crash Landing On You, the second-highest-rated Korean drama in cable television history after Sky Castle, and Chinese romcom Find Yourself both begin airing new episodes on Sundays in March, while the South Korean series Itaewon Class, the first project from distribution company Showbox, premieres new episodes on Fridays.
The first of the month, meanwhile, marks the first big release of material, including:
The first season of the Japanese anime based on a Takahiro manga, Akame ga Kill! The...
- 2/18/2020
- by Anthony Fuchs
- We Got This Covered
It’s not all that unusual for people to disappear. Men run away from their marriages. Women from small towns bolt, fed up with kinder, küche and kirche. Not long ago Deborah Feldman ran away from her Hasidic Jewish family which she considered to be stifling, disappearing into Greenwich Village, washing her laundry in her memoir […]
The post The Song of Names Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post The Song of Names Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 12/20/2019
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
As much as we have confronted rape culture and the patriarchal control of female bodies, there is still an area that has too often remained untouchable in the conversation: the specific roles religious and cultural norms have played in the persecution, abuse and suppression of women’s sexuality. That is where director Barbara Miller squares her uncompromising new film, “#Female Pleasure.”
Miller somewhat wobblily opens the documentary with images of objectified women in recognizable male-designer commercials and ads, highlighting how mainstream culture has long normalized the problem. But then, she takes audiences across the world to illuminate the condemnation of female sexuality as the international pandemic that it is. This is where “#Female Pleasure” soars.
The filmmaker presents the stories of five different but equally courageous women in various countries: Deborah Feldman from Brooklyn, Vitika Yadav in India, Rokudenashiko in Japan, Leyla Hussein in the Somali Muslim diaspora, and Doris Wagner in Europe,...
Miller somewhat wobblily opens the documentary with images of objectified women in recognizable male-designer commercials and ads, highlighting how mainstream culture has long normalized the problem. But then, she takes audiences across the world to illuminate the condemnation of female sexuality as the international pandemic that it is. This is where “#Female Pleasure” soars.
The filmmaker presents the stories of five different but equally courageous women in various countries: Deborah Feldman from Brooklyn, Vitika Yadav in India, Rokudenashiko in Japan, Leyla Hussein in the Somali Muslim diaspora, and Doris Wagner in Europe,...
- 10/16/2019
- by Candice Frederick
- The Wrap
#Female Pleasure Reviewed for Shockya.com & BigAppleReviews.net linked from Rotten Tomatoes by: Harvey Karten Director: Barbara Miller Screenwriter: Barbara Miller Cast: Deborah Feldman, Leyla Hussein, Rokudenashiko, Doris Wagner, Yithika Yadav Screened at: Critics’ link, NYC, 9/23/19 Opens: October 18, 2019 During the Age of Aquarius in America, Joan Baez would sing “Hard is the fortune […]
The post #Female Pleasure Review: You will be attentive to the sharp visuals appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post #Female Pleasure Review: You will be attentive to the sharp visuals appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 10/13/2019
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
Netflix has announced the start of production on its Yiddish- and English-language German series “Unorthodox,” which is shooting in Berlin. The streaming giant is partnering with “Deutschland 83” creator Anna Winger on the original four-part miniseries which will be directed by “Deutschland 83” and “Deutschland 86” star Maria Schrader.
Based on a novel by Deborah Feldman, “Unorthodox” tells the story of a young ultra-Orthodox Jewish woman in New York (Shira Haas) who flees her arranged marriage and religious community to start a new life in Berlin. It was adapted for television by Winger and Alexa Karolinski. Winger serves as executive producer. The project was first revealed by Variety in February.
“‘Unorthodox’ explores female emancipation, identity and sexuality through the prism of a unique young woman’s experience,” said Schrader. The German actress is making her first move into TV directing with the show, having previously stepped behind the camera for three features,...
Based on a novel by Deborah Feldman, “Unorthodox” tells the story of a young ultra-Orthodox Jewish woman in New York (Shira Haas) who flees her arranged marriage and religious community to start a new life in Berlin. It was adapted for television by Winger and Alexa Karolinski. Winger serves as executive producer. The project was first revealed by Variety in February.
“‘Unorthodox’ explores female emancipation, identity and sexuality through the prism of a unique young woman’s experience,” said Schrader. The German actress is making her first move into TV directing with the show, having previously stepped behind the camera for three features,...
- 5/21/2019
- by Robert Mitchell
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Production is underway in Berlin on Netflix Original mini-series Unorthodox, which will star Shira Haas (The Zookeeper’s Wife) and be directed by actor-filmmaker Maria Schrader (Deutschland 83).
The Yiddish and English-language four-part mini-series, executive produced by Deutschland 83/86 creator Anna Winger, will see Haas star as a young woman who leaves an arranged marriage in New York and sets out on her own to Berlin. The story is inspired by Deborah Feldman’s bestselling memoir of a young Jewish woman’s escape from a religious sect. Also starring are Jeff Wilbusch (Little Drummer Girl) and Amit Rahav (Dig).
Feldman’s novel has been adapted for screen by Winger and Alexa Karolinski (Oma & Bella). Eli Rosen of the New Yiddish Repertory Theater in New York is translating. The series is produced by Anna Winger’s Studio Airlift, Henning Kamm at Real Film Berlin. It marks the first project out of...
The Yiddish and English-language four-part mini-series, executive produced by Deutschland 83/86 creator Anna Winger, will see Haas star as a young woman who leaves an arranged marriage in New York and sets out on her own to Berlin. The story is inspired by Deborah Feldman’s bestselling memoir of a young Jewish woman’s escape from a religious sect. Also starring are Jeff Wilbusch (Little Drummer Girl) and Amit Rahav (Dig).
Feldman’s novel has been adapted for screen by Winger and Alexa Karolinski (Oma & Bella). Eli Rosen of the New Yiddish Repertory Theater in New York is translating. The series is produced by Anna Winger’s Studio Airlift, Henning Kamm at Real Film Berlin. It marks the first project out of...
- 5/21/2019
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix is set to unveil three new genre-spanning original series in Berlin on Wednesday.
The U.S. streaming giant’s latest slate includes showrunner-director Christian Ditter’s fast-paced German thriller “Biohackers” and Norwegian horror series “Bloodride,” from writer-director Kjetil Indregard (“Maniac”).
Netflix will also officially announce “Unorthodox” from “Deutschland 83” showrunner Anna Winger, which Variety reported Tuesday.
Produced by Uli Putz and Jakob Claussen of Munich-based Claussen+Putz Filmproduktion, “Biohackers” follows medical student Mia, who discovers the use of highly advanced bio-hacking technology in her university town. When a groundbreaking discovery falls into the wrong hands, she has to decide which side she is on and how far she is willing to go to find out the truth.
“Bloodride,” produced by Oslo-based Monster Scripted, is described as a tongue-in-cheek horror anthology series, with six stories set in their own realistic yet strange universes. Atle Knudsen and Geir Henning Hopland will also direct along with Indregard.
The U.S. streaming giant’s latest slate includes showrunner-director Christian Ditter’s fast-paced German thriller “Biohackers” and Norwegian horror series “Bloodride,” from writer-director Kjetil Indregard (“Maniac”).
Netflix will also officially announce “Unorthodox” from “Deutschland 83” showrunner Anna Winger, which Variety reported Tuesday.
Produced by Uli Putz and Jakob Claussen of Munich-based Claussen+Putz Filmproduktion, “Biohackers” follows medical student Mia, who discovers the use of highly advanced bio-hacking technology in her university town. When a groundbreaking discovery falls into the wrong hands, she has to decide which side she is on and how far she is willing to go to find out the truth.
“Bloodride,” produced by Oslo-based Monster Scripted, is described as a tongue-in-cheek horror anthology series, with six stories set in their own realistic yet strange universes. Atle Knudsen and Geir Henning Hopland will also direct along with Indregard.
- 2/13/2019
- by Ed Meza
- Variety Film + TV
Berlin — Netflix is set to unveil three new genre-spanning original series in Berlin on Wednesday.
The U.S. streaming giant’s latest slate includes showrunner-director Christian Ditter’s fast-paced German thriller “Biohackers” and Norwegian horror series “Bloodride,” from writer-director Kjetil Indregard (“Maniac”).
Netflix will also officially announce “Unorthodox,” from “Deutschland 83” showrunner Anna Winger, which Variety reported about on Tuesday. [ Please link: https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/netflix-deutschland-83-anna-winger-series-unorthodox-1203135684/ ]
Produced by Uli Putz and Jakob Claussen of Munich-based Claussen+Putz Filmproduktion, “Biohackers” follows medical student Mia who discovers the use of highly advanced biohacking technology in her university town. When a groundbreaking discovery falls into the wrong hands, she has to decide which side she is on and how far she is willing to go to find out the truth.
“Bloodride,” produced by Oslo-based Monster Scripted, is described as a tongue-in-cheek horror anthology series, with six unique stories set in their own realistic, yet strange universes. Atle Knudsen and Geir Henning Hopland...
The U.S. streaming giant’s latest slate includes showrunner-director Christian Ditter’s fast-paced German thriller “Biohackers” and Norwegian horror series “Bloodride,” from writer-director Kjetil Indregard (“Maniac”).
Netflix will also officially announce “Unorthodox,” from “Deutschland 83” showrunner Anna Winger, which Variety reported about on Tuesday. [ Please link: https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/netflix-deutschland-83-anna-winger-series-unorthodox-1203135684/ ]
Produced by Uli Putz and Jakob Claussen of Munich-based Claussen+Putz Filmproduktion, “Biohackers” follows medical student Mia who discovers the use of highly advanced biohacking technology in her university town. When a groundbreaking discovery falls into the wrong hands, she has to decide which side she is on and how far she is willing to go to find out the truth.
“Bloodride,” produced by Oslo-based Monster Scripted, is described as a tongue-in-cheek horror anthology series, with six unique stories set in their own realistic, yet strange universes. Atle Knudsen and Geir Henning Hopland...
- 2/12/2019
- by Ed Meza
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix is partnering with “Deutschland 83” creator Anna Winger on a new miniseries that tells the story of a young ultra-Orthodox Jewish woman who flees her arranged marriage and religious community to start a new life abroad.
“Unorthodox” is the first project out of the gate for Winger’s newly launched production company, Studio Airlift. The shingle, which is based in Berlin, has at least two other projects in different stages of development. Winger is also preparing for filming later this year of “Deutschland 89,” the final tranche of the Cold War spy tale that began with “Deutschland 83” and continued with last year’s “Deutschland 86.” The series is produced by Ufa Fiction and distributed by Fremantle.
“Unorthodox“ is loosely based on the semi-autobiographical novel by Deborah Feldman. The series follows a young woman brought up in an ultra-Orthodox community in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg district who strikes out for Berlin,...
“Unorthodox” is the first project out of the gate for Winger’s newly launched production company, Studio Airlift. The shingle, which is based in Berlin, has at least two other projects in different stages of development. Winger is also preparing for filming later this year of “Deutschland 89,” the final tranche of the Cold War spy tale that began with “Deutschland 83” and continued with last year’s “Deutschland 86.” The series is produced by Ufa Fiction and distributed by Fremantle.
“Unorthodox“ is loosely based on the semi-autobiographical novel by Deborah Feldman. The series follows a young woman brought up in an ultra-Orthodox community in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg district who strikes out for Berlin,...
- 2/12/2019
- by Henry Chu
- Variety Film + TV
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