A Price Above Rubies

Sonia, a young woman in Brooklyn, has just given birth to her first child. She is married in an arranged union to Mendel, a devout Hasidic Jew who is repressed and absorbed in his studies. His strictness and condemnation of her sexuality create emotional distance from the start.

Sonia becomes distressed and experiences a panic attack. In a moment of desperation she attempts to kiss her sister-in-law, Rachel. Rachel urges her to talk to the Rebbe, but Sonia cannot articulate what troubles her, only describing it as a fire burning inside.

Sonia meets with the Rebbe to speak about her distress but struggles to express it clearly. She uses the metaphor of fire to describe the burning force inside her. The exchange marks a turning point in her search for guidance.

Sonia begins a relationship with Sender, who pulls her into his jewellery business. He offers a release for Sonia's sexuality but lacks morals, seducing her in a blunt, self-centered way. This relationship marks the start of a new, dangerous form of freedom.

Sonia's brother appears as a child to judge her actions. In Chinatown she buys a non-kosher egg roll, and an elderly beggar-woman witnesses the brother and offers candy. Later, Sonia tracks down the maker of a ring she had discovered after commenting on another woman's earrings.

Ramon, a Puerto Rican artist and jewellery designer, is the ring maker Sonia seeks in the jewellery quarter; he works as a salesperson and keeps his artistry secret from others. Sonia introduces him to a potential buyer, but their encounter escalates when he pushes for a nude-model sculpture, prompting a confrontation in his flat that makes her run away.

The marriage breaks down irrevocably. Sonia is locked out of her apartment and discovers that her son has been given to Rachel. She learns she may live in a tiny apartment owned by Sender and kept for 'business purposes', effectively making her his mistress, and she hands back the keys and leaves.

With no friends answering her calls, Sonia becomes homeless. She meets a beggar-woman on the street who leads her to an empty studio and provides food. The woman invokes an old legend that her brother spoke of, meant to bolster Sonia's resolve.

Sonia goes to Ramon's place and he lets her stay. She admits she has destroyed every good thing she had, while Ramon removes her jewellery and remarks that her necklace is 'a chain'. The pair end up kissing as their frayed boundaries blur.

Sonia dreams of her brother returning from the lake, and wakes to a crucifix on the wall. She visits the Rebbe's widow, who explains that Sonia's fire talk woke a flame in the Rebbe, leading him to say 'I love you' for the first time in 20 years and possibly triggering his heart attack. The widow also helps Sonia reclaim property from Sender's safe.

With Ramon's ring back in her possession, Sonia returns it to him but confesses she doesn't want to stay, feeling she doesn't belong. Ramon offers her time to think about what she wants.

Mendel returns and Sonia asks after their son, then asks if he misses her as well. He apologizes for forgetting her birthday and gives her a ruby as a token of regret, inviting her to visit their son.

Mendel leaves; Sonia says 'God bless you,' signaling a moment of human connection and cautious acceptance of a new, uncertain future.