H

ow to make a movie.

Rina pressed Enter and watched Google work its magic, as 67 million results appeared. So you’re not the first person who’s wondered. She clicked on one of the top entries, which promised to teach her all about filmmaking in ten steps.

Her heart quickened. She knew it couldn’t really be that simple, not if she wanted to make the epic drama she was envisioning. But still, seeing the process laid out so accessibly suddenly made the dream seem actually doable.

She closed her eyes, picturing it. Auditoriums across the world, packed with thousands of Jewish women and girls, watching the premiere screening of — well, she would have to think of a title — sitting enraptured as the first scenes flickered before their eyes, as the music, the story, the scenery and, above all, the message seeped into their souls, changed forever the way they looked at life. There was power, real, squeeze-it-in-your-fist power, in filmmaking, and the potential to do something lasting and impactful was there for the taking. If you had the courage to try something big.

I shoot high. Ora’s words had been echoing nonstop since their conversation yesterday.

Yes, she had the courage.

“Earth to Rina!”

Rina looked up from her phone with a start as Dassi’s hand waved across her face. The troupe was gathered in her basement for a practice session. They’d spent the first half of the session grumbling about the tiny Peakeston audience.

“Why even bother practicing if we’re going to end up putting on shows for a handful of old ladies and their granddaughters—”

Though a few days ago Rina would have joined in vociferously, now she was content to sit back and let them do the kvetching, leaving her free to focus on her own thoughts.

Rina quickly put down her phone, and said guiltily, “Sorry, spacing out for a sec… What were you guys saying?”

“We were saying,” said Bayla, eyebrows raised, “that maybe, moving forward, we should institute some kind of vetting process, like a standard questionnaire or something, to make sure that we know what we’re getting into in advance. Then we can decide what jobs are worth our time.”

Rina nodded slowly. “Not a bad idea,” she said. And then took a breath. “Actually, I’ve been thinking a lot about where we want to go, moving forward. We’re so awesome, all of us, we have so much talent and so much to offer, and I feel we need a bigger stage to showcase it.”

Around her, all the members of her troupe were arrested in various positions, listening wide-eyed.

“And so, I had an idea. What if… we…” she hesitated briefly, then continued in a rush. “What if we made a film. You know, a full-length, women-only movie?”

There was a pause as the group digested her words.

Dassi jumped up. “Are you talking about, like, those movies they screen for women on Chol Hamoed? Those are sooo cool. I once tried out for one when I was in high school, but they said they were looking for a different type.” She rolled her eyes, and then lifted her hand to the ceiling dramatically. “Maybe now I’ll finally get my shot at film stardom.”

Bayla scowled at her. “Someone thinks she’s still in high school,” she muttered. (Excerpted from Family First, Issue 596)