By Cailin Acosta
LA MESA, California – The Awakening of Motti Wolkenbruch (2018) is a rom-com film directed by Micheal Steiner that was selected as the Swiss entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards but was not nominated. The flick is based on Swiss author Thomas Mayer’s debut novel Wolkenbruch’s Wondrous Journey into the Arms of a Shiksa. This film can be viewed on Netflix.
Motti Wolkenbruch (Joel Basman) is an Orthodox Jewish student studying economics at a public college in Germany. After 10 shidduchim (Jewish match making dates), Motti and Mechal (Lena Kalisch) agree that their union is a match to please their over controlling mothers. Meanwhile, Motti begins talking with a non-Jewish student, Laura (Noemie Schmidt), and they go on a couple of dates. He knows his mother will not be pleased.
Motti confessed to his parents that he and Mechal were never dating and the whole plan was a lie. After consulting with the rabbi, they agree that Motti needs to go to Israel to find a wife. Instead of finding a wife, he discards his virginity and his parents fly him back home.
Laura and Motti reconnect, and she invites him to a party where they drink, dance, and do drugs. He spends the night with Laura. Motti decides it is time to introduce Laura to his parents. His mother is not happy and kicks him out of the house. He lives with Laura for a while. Laura decides she is not ready for a commitment, so Motti decides to move back home and try to make things work with Mechal. He meets up with Mechal, but she has been paired with Motti’s friend and has moved on.
This movie was cute and had me wondering if there would be a sequel so we’d know what happened between Motti and Laura.
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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of the San Diego Jewish World.