Arranged (film)

Arranged is a 2007 American independent film produced by Cicala Filmworks, directed by Diane Crespo and Stefan Schaefer, and starring Zoe Lister-Jones and Francis Benhamou. It tells the story of the friendship between an Orthodox Jewish woman (Rochel) and a Muslim woman (Nasira), both of whom are teachers in New York City.

Arranged
DVD cover
Directed byDiane Crespo
Stefan Schaefer
Written byStefan Schaefer
Yuta Silverman
Produced byDiane Crespo
Stefan Schaefer
StarringZoe Lister-Jones
Francis Benhamou
CinematographyDan Hersey
Edited byErin Greenwall
Music bySohrab Habibion
Michael Hampton
Distributed byCicala Filmworks
Release date
  • March 11, 2007 (2007-03-11)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguagesEnglish
Hebrew
Arabic

Plot

Rochel, an Orthodox Jew, and Nasira, a Muslim originally from Syria, are young women who are just beginning as teachers in New York's public school system. As Rochel is a teacher for the visually impaired, she meets Nasira, who teaches the fourth grade, as the aid for Eddie, one of Nasira's students. They bond while working together on Eddie's assignments, realizing that they share a lot in common. They also both fight against the stereotypes directed towards them, particularly from Principal Jacoby and Rochel's family.

Both Nasira and Rochel are going through the process of an arranged marriage. Nasira is initially introduced to an older man, a friend of her father’s, whom she rejects. Her parents then introduce her to a young man her own age whom she likes. The system is different for Rochel, however, who is introduced to young men through the local Shadchan. While Nasira's parents ultimately listened to her frustrations and interests, Rochel's Shadchan only introduces Rochel to young men who fit the Shadchan's set of expectations, while ignoring what Rochel wants. After a few disastrous introductions, Rochel announces that she is stopping the process. She then temporarily leaves home to discuss the matter with her cousin, who has left the Orthodox tradition.

Ultimately, through an accidental meeting with friends of her brother, including an Orthodox Jewish young man, it is Nasira who helps Rochel find someone she likes. The film ends with Nasira and Rochel both married, sitting in the park with their babies in their strollers, talking about their husbands and married life.

Cast

Release

Accolades

Arranged was the winner of Best Feature Film at the Brooklyn Film Festival and won the Audience Award at the Washington Jewish Film Festival.[1][2]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 64% of 14 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.3/10.[3]

Further reading

References
  1. "Arranged". Filmmovement.com. Retrieved 2021-08-14.
  2. "Arranged". Brooklyn Film Festival. Retrieved 2021-08-14.
  3. "Arranged". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved November 19, 2022.


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