Fill the Void is a 2012 Israeli drama film written and directed by Rama Burshtein. The film revolves around an 18-year-old girl named Shira who is about to be married off to a young man in her Orthodox Jewish community. However, when her older sister Esther dies during childbirth, the family is devastated.
The family postpones Shira's wedding due to the grief. Meanwhile, Esther's husband Yochay is left to take care of his newly born son, Mordechay. When a match is proposed to Yochay with a widow from Belgium, he is unsure if he is ready to move on so soon. However, Yochay's mother-in-law sees this as an opportunity to keep her grandchild close and proposes a match between Shira and Yochay.
Shira is torn between her heart's desire and her duty to her family. She struggles to reconcile her own desires with the expectations of her Orthodox Jewish community. Shira must carefully consider her options and choose the right path for herself and her family.
Fill the Void explores themes of grief, love, duty, and tradition in a community that values the collective over the individual. It presents a window into the world of Orthodox Jewish culture and the challenges faced by individuals who seek to find their place within it. The film was praised for its nuanced portrayal of complex family dynamics and its stunning cinematography. It won several awards and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2013 Academy Awards.
