Golem, the Spirit of Exile (1992) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language

1992 · 105 mins · French

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Directed by

Amos Gitai

Starring

Samuel Fuller, Mireille Perrier, Marisa Paredes, Philippe Garrel, Bernardo Bertolucci, Hanna Schygulla

Using the Golem—a Jewish symbol of displacement—as an allegory, the film follows a Ruth‑like woman and her sisters, compelled to leave their homes after their husbands die. Set in 1990s Paris, it mirrors the director’s self‑imposed exile after his 1982 documentary was banned in Israel, emphasizing themes of migration, uprootedness and the mythic Golem.