For years, Alegría kept her Jewish heritage and past at arm’s length. Until her niece’s Orthodox wedding brings her back home to Melilla, an autonomous city of Spain where Jewish, Christian, and Muslim cultures converge. Religious and family conflicts boil over during the chaotic wedding preparations, while Alegria grows closer to the women around her, all the time missing her daughter who has emigrated to Israel. A whimsical, uplifting debut inspired by writer/director Violeta Salama’s life growing up in Melilla with a Sephardic Jewish father, Alegría is a film about trust, compassion, and the ties that bind us.
Followed by a conversation with Director Violeta Salama, joining by Zoom*.
*Watch recorded talkbacks for some virtual screenings on the BostonJewish Film Youtube channel following the festival.