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Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem (2015) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem (2015) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2015 · 115 min · Hebrew
JustWatch #28,385 2
Directed by
Ronit Elkabetz, Shlomi Elkabetz

In Israel, where religious authorities dictate marriage and divorce proceedings, Viviane Amsalem seeks to end her marriage. For years, she has struggled to obtain a dissolution from her husband, Elisha, who refuses to grant her a divorce. As the case progresses, the judges are confronted with the complexities and absurdities of the legal system. The situation escalates, revealing a tragic struggle for freedom and highlighting the profound personal toll of religious law.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (2)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (2)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem
  8. 8 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem (2015)

Where can you watch Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video, Brew and Chai Flicks: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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2 main characters · contains spoilers

Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem (2015), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Viviane Amsalem (Ronit Elkabetz)

    Viviane is a determined woman who seeks freedom after two decades of a troubled marriage. Her relentless pursuit of a divorce embodies her fight against oppressive traditions and expectations. Through her character, the film delves into themes of resilience and personal identity.

    • 👩‍🎤 Strong
    • 💪 Resilient
    • 🎭 Determined
  • Elisha Amsalem (Simon Abkarian)

    Elisha is portrayed as a complex antagonist who oscillates between wanting to reconcile and exhibiting controlling behavior. His character reveals the internal conflicts of a spouse unwilling to let go, juxtaposed against Viviane’s quest for independence. His actions highlight themes of power dynamics in relationships.

    • 👨‍💼 Controlling
    • 😠 Vengeful
    • 🧔 Traditional

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 21:24

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Setting

Where and When Does Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem Take Place?

The setting of Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem (2015): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

Contemporary

The events occur in contemporary times, reflecting modern societal issues regarding marriage, personal freedom, and religious law. This time period exposes the struggles many face when trying to navigate their personal desires within rigid traditional structures.

Location

Religious Court

The movie primarily takes place in a religious court, where the traditions and laws of marriage are fervently upheld. This setting represents the challenges faced by individuals seeking independence within a patriarchal religious framework. The courtroom is a battleground for both personal and communal beliefs regarding marriage and divorce.

  • ⚖️ Court
  • 🕍 Religion

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 21:24

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2 major themes

Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem (2015) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Divorce

    The theme of divorce is central to the film, highlighting the emotional and legal battles surrounding the end of a marriage. Viviane's struggle for independence is poignantly depicted against a backdrop of judicial constraints and social expectations. The film deeply explores the implications of divorce on personal identity and freedom.

  • Justice

    Justice plays a crucial role as Viviane fights within the religious legal system to assert her right to choose her own destiny. The courtroom scenes illustrate the complexities of seeking justice in a context that often favors tradition over individual needs. Viviane's journey portrays the tension between personal desire and societal norms.

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 21:24

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Character & theme questions

Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem (2015): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where does the story take place?

The entire film unfolds within a religious court in Israel, where marriage and divorce proceedings are governed by religious authorities. This courtroom setting serves as the battleground where Viviane Amsalem fights for her freedom, representing both personal and communal beliefs about marriage, divorce, and gender roles within this patriarchal religious framework.

  • religious court
  • Israel
  • courtroom
  • setting
  • marriage law
Q2

When is the film set?

The film is set in contemporary times, reflecting current societal issues surrounding marriage, personal freedom, and religious law in modern Israel. This present-day setting highlights the ongoing struggles many individuals face when navigating personal desires within rigid traditional religious structures.

  • contemporary
  • modern
  • time period
  • present day
Q3

What does the film say about divorce?

Divorce is the central theme of the film, portraying the emotional and legal battles required to end a marriage in a system where a woman cannot obtain a divorce without her husband's consent. Viviane's years-long struggle illustrates how divorce laws can trap individuals, affecting personal identity and fundamental freedom. The film shows divorce not merely as a legal process but as a profound journey of self-determination.

  • divorce
  • marriage ending
  • freedom
  • independence
  • women's rights
Q4

What does the film explore about justice?

The film deeply explores the theme of justice as Viviane fights within the religious legal system to assert her right to choose her own destiny. The courtroom scenes reveal the complexities of seeking justice in a context that often prioritizes tradition over individual needs. Through Viviane's journey, the film portrays the tension between personal desire and societal norms, questioning whether a system can truly deliver justice when its foundational principles conflict with individual autonomy.

  • justice
  • legal system
  • court
  • religious law
  • fairness
Q5

Who is Viviane Amsalem?

Viviane Amsalem is the protagonist, portrayed by Ronit Elkabetz, a determined woman who has endured a troubled marriage for two decades before seeking a divorce. Her relentless pursuit of freedom from her husband Elisha embodies her fight against oppressive traditions and expectations. Through Viviane, the film explores themes of resilience, personal identity, and the profound struggle for autonomy within a restrictive system.

  • Viviane Amsalem
  • protagonist
  • main character
  • determined woman
Q6

Who is Elisha Amsalem?

Elisha Amsalem is Viviane's husband, portrayed by Simon Abkarian, who serves as the film's complex antagonist. He oscillates between wanting to reconcile with Viviane and exhibiting controlling behavior by refusing to grant her a divorce. His character represents the internal conflicts of a spouse unwilling to let go, highlighting the power dynamics in relationships where one partner holds legal control over the other's freedom.

  • Elisha Amsalem
  • husband
  • antagonist
  • controlling husband
Q7

What legal system controls marriage and divorce in the film?

The film portrays Israel's religious court system where Jewish religious authorities dictate marriage and divorce proceedings. Under this system, a woman cannot obtain a divorce without her husband's formal consent, giving the husband unilateral power over his wife's freedom. This patriarchal framework creates the central conflict of the film, as Viviane must convince not only her husband but also the religious judges to grant her dissolution.

  • religious law
  • patriarchal system
  • Jewish law
  • marriage laws
  • gender inequality
Q8

What is the central conflict of the story?

The central conflict revolves around Viviane's fight for personal autonomy and freedom against a system that denies her the right to choose her own destiny. She faces opposition not only from her husband Elisha, who refuses to grant her a divorce, but also from a legal framework that prioritizes religious tradition over individual needs. This struggle highlights the broader tension between personal desire and societal expectations within a religious patriarchal society.

  • autonomy
  • freedom
  • personal choice
  • conflict
  • oppression

Movie threads

More Movies Like Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about fighting oppressive systems like Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem

Stories of individuals trapped and fighting against rigid, unjust institutions. If you liked Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem's depiction of a woman battling religious law, you'll find similar stories here. These films explore the grim, tense, and often slow-burn struggles of individuals confronting rigid institutions, from legal courts to corporate or government machinery.

  • oppressive
  • frustrating
  • tense
  • grim
  • slow burn
  • systemic
  • Tone: tense, grim, frustrating
  • Pacing: slow, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread focus on a protracted, often draining battle where the antagonist is a system rather than a single person. The protagonist's journey is defined by resilience in the face of procedural delays, manipulative tactics, and the psychological toll of fighting for a seemingly simple goal that the system complicates endlessly.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared mood of oppressive frustration and their thematic core of systemic injustice. They create a similar viewing experience of high tension and emotional heaviness, often with a slow, deliberate pace that mirrors the grinding nature of the conflict.

Slow burn dramas with a suffocating atmosphere like Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem

Films where tension and emotion build slowly to an unbearable pressure. For viewers who appreciated the claustrophobic, slow-burn tension of Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem, this section highlights films with a similar pacing and mood. These movies use a slow, deliberate build-up to create an overwhelming sense of emotional weight and psychological pressure.

  • claustrophobic
  • slow burn
  • oppressive
  • tense
  • psychological
  • heavy
  • Tone: tense, oppressive, heavy
  • Pacing: slow burn, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a confined setting or situation—physical or emotional—that restricts the characters. The story unfolds gradually, focusing on the accumulating weight of small moments and setbacks rather than sudden dramatic events. The climax is often a release of this built-up pressure, which can be cathartic, tragic, or bittersweet.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their specific mix of slow pacing and high emotional intensity. They prioritize atmosphere and mounting dread over fast-paced action, creating a unique, immersive, and often grueling viewing experience defined by its controlled, suffocating build-up.

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Every angle

Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem (2015) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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