Tahara is having its theatrical premier today at the Quad in New York City, and is set to have an expansive theatrical release in the coming weeks. The film, directed by Olivia Peace and written by Jess Zeidman, follows two young Jewish girls (Rachel Sennott and Madeline Grey DeFreece) during a funeral and its aftermath at their Hebrew school, and has recently received the coveted Critic’s Pick from The New York Times.

A dark comedy about sexual awakenings, death, and the teenage experience, Tahara is a unique film that intersects several voices and experiences, thanks to its diverse cast and crew, to tell a surprisingly funny and universal story. DeFreece expertly portrays the isolation and discomfort of being the only person of color in a predominantly white space, playing Carrie, the best friend of Rachel Sennott’s dominating character Hannah. In the following clip, the two best friends (who are about to embark on a painful journey of self-discovery which just might end their friendship) have a disruptive conversation during the funeral service of their classmate.

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Director Olivia Peace has a relentless energy throughout the film, utilizing a variety of tactics to tell an engaging story and visualize the journeys of these characters. Here, she combines a clever use of subtitles, a tight 1:1 aspect ratio, sudden bursts of sound, and amusing animation to depict the telling conversation in Zeidman’s script. DeFreece and Sennott are excellent even without saying a word of spoken dialogue.

Tahara Was a Long Time Coming, Says Zeidman

The film is making waves for its authentic portrayal of not just the Black or queer experience, but the teenage experience in general. Part of this honesty surely stems from Zeidman’s script, which she actually began as a 19-year-old. Zeidman says:

Several of those people collaborated to get this independent film made, including director Peace and stars DeFreece and Sennott (who can also be seen in the Jewish comedy movie Shiva Baby). They shot Tahara at an actual synagogue, the one Zeidman once attended. The writer and executive producer continues:

     Film Movement

Despite all this, the passion project came about and now, almost two years after filming has finished, Tahara is finally hitting theaters to widespread acclaim. You can find out more about Tahara and its upcoming screenings courtesy of Film Movement here, and you can watch a trailer below.