TREYF —“unkosher” in Yiddish— is an unorthodox documentary by and about two Jewish lesbians who met and fell in love at a Passover “seder”. With personal narration, real and imagined educational films, and haunting imagery, filmmakers Alisa Lebow and Cynthia Madansky examine the Jewish identity of their upbringings and its impact on their lives. Incisive cultural critics, astute, poignant, and poetic—never cynical—they weave their way from New York to Jerusalem in pursuit of a progressive, secular Jewish identity that draws from their childhood reminiscences as much as from their contemporary queer lives. As referenced in Alisa Lebow’s book First Person Jewish, TREYF is iconoclastic and intelligent, humorous and poignant, a personal journey from kibbutz summers to coming out, from keeping kosher to “Bat Mitzvahs.” A reflection on culture, community, and individual desire, this witty film follows the filmmakers as they discover what they thought was most profoundly “treyf” about their worldviews still has roots in Jewish history. Co-directed and produced by Cynthia Madansky. Broadcast on Sundance Channel.

What people have said:

“Courageous, angry, witty, and joyous, this docu-diary examines the construction of lesbian Jewish-American identities with unflinching honesty and considerable love.”
Linda Dittmar, Univ of MA, Boston

“Far more than autobiographical navel-gazing, this is a thoughtful exploration of contemporary Jewish identity—the Holocaust, religious practices and Israel—as well as how Jewish American lesbians of different ages and races live their lives with regard to family, homophobia, Judaism and anti-Semitism.”
Goldie Charles, The Jewish Week

Distributed by Women Make Movies.

For all other requests, please contact the filmmaker.

Leslie Feinberg (1949 –2014), a self-identified "gender outlaw" who has spent much of their life passing as a man, speaks with passion and intelligence about their experiences in this video manifesto. Raw and confrontational, this film asks its audience to examine their assumptions about the "nature" of gender and calls for more sensitivity and awareness of the human rights and the dignity of transgendered people. Feinberg is the author of STONE BUTCH BLUES (Firebrand), an account of a working-class lesbian who passes as a man.

What Kate Bornstein, transgender activist, author and performer extraordinaire, has said:
"Hard-hitting, straight from the heart, with an excellent sense of humor...It's a must see."
Kate Bornstein, Author, Gender Outlaw

Distributed in North America by Women Make Movies.

For all other requests, please contact the filmmaker.