Arranged (film)
| Arranged | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover | |
| Directed by |
Diane Crespo Stefan Schaefer |
| Produced by |
Diane Crespo Stefan Schaefer |
| Written by |
Stefan Schaefer Yuta Silverman |
| Starring |
Zoe Lister-Jones Francis Benhamou |
| Music by |
Sohrab Habibion Michael Hampton |
| Cinematography | Dan Hersey |
| Edited by | Erin Greenwall |
| Distributed by | Cicala Filmworks |
Release date |
|
Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language |
English Hebrew Arabic |
Arranged is a 2007 American independent film produced by Cicala Filmworks. The film was written by Stefan Schaefer and is based in part on the story of Rochel Meshenberg, an Orthodox Jewish woman from Borough Park, Brooklyn and her friendship with a young Muslim woman. Schaefer co-directed and produced the film with his long-time collaborator Diane Crespo.
Plot
The film centers on two young women — one an Orthodox Jew, the other a devout Muslim — who meet and become friends as first-year teachers at a public school in Brooklyn. Over the course of the year they learn that they share much in common, not least of which is that they are both going through arranged marriages.
Cast
The cast includes Zoe Lister-Jones, Francis Benhamou, Marcia Jean Kurtz, John Rothman, Mimi Lieber and Daniel London. Writer Gary Shteyngart performs a cameo and is credited.
Festivals and distribution
The film premiered at the 2007 South by Southwest Film Festival, won top prizes at The Berkshire International Film Festival, The Brooklyn International Film Festival, The Washington Jewish Film Festival, The Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival, and The Skip City International D-Cinema Film Festival in Japan. The film is distributed in North America by New York-based Film Movement. Internationally, the film is sold by Visit Films, and has been distributed in more than 40 countries.