David Farnor | On 09, Sep 2017

“I was living a double life for a little over a year…” That’s one of the subjects of Netflix’s new documentary, One of Us, talking about how he admitted to his family that he was no longer religious.

The film, by Jesus Camp’s Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, offers a look into the secretive world of Hasidic Judaism and those who wish to leave that community for a life among the secular population, whatever the costs. As the film demonstrates, though, nobody leaves the Hasidic community, unless they’re willing to pay the price.

“We have always been drawn to stories that put the nature/nurture debate into stark relief. Are some of us just born with an unshakable need to question the status quo, despite the consequences?” say Ewing and Grady. “The three brave people we chronicle in One of Us buck the exacting rules of their ultra-orthodox community to experience the world for the first time as true individuals. Their journey is a profoundly human one that took us by surprise.”

One of Us premieres on Netflix on 20th October. Here’s a trailer:

 

One of Us is available on Netflix UK, as part of an £9.99 monthly subscription.

 

Netflix to premiere One of Us at TIFF

2nd August 2017

It may only seem like yesterday that Cannes ended, but Netflix is already back on the festival circuit to promote its next original film.

One of Us, a documentary by Jesus Camp’s Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, will have its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

The film explores the opaque world of Hasidic Judaism through a cadre of fascinating characters. Through unique and intimate access over the span of three years, acclaimed observational filmmakers Ewing and Grady delve into the lives of three brave individuals who have recently made the decision to leave the insular ultra-orthodox community at the expense of all else, including relationships with their family members and – in one case – their personal safety. With a sensitive and compassionate eye, One of Us chronicles the achingly cinematic journey of people in search of a personal freedom that comes only at a very high cost.

“We are so thrilled to work with these brilliant filmmakers. Heidi and Rachel are renowned for their bold choice of subjects and their highly cinematic, character-driven approach to storytelling,” says Lisa Nishimura, Netflix VP of Original Documentaries. “From early on in production, we saw some parallels to Jesus Camp, their Oscar-nominated documentary about an extremist evangelical community – and knew they would address such subject matter with integrity and empathy.”

“We have always been drawn to stories that put the nature/nurture debate into stark relief. Are some of us just born with an unshakable need to question the status quo, despite the consequences?” adds filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady. “The three brave people we chronicle in One of Us buck the exacting rules of their ultra-orthodox community to experience the world for the first time as true individuals. Their journey is a profoundly human one that took us by surprise. We hope audiences are as affected by this story as we are.”

One of Us is a Loki Films production. It is produced by Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing. Regina Skully, Jason Spingarn-Koff, Benjamin Cotner and Lisa Nishimura serve as Executive Producers.

The decision to premiere the film at Toronto marks Netflix’s ongoing relationship with the festival, which is one of the first major chances to build some buzz around a title. Last year, of bought Adam Leon’s Tramps at the event, while also debuting four original films: Amanda Knox, Into the Inferno, The Ivory Game and The White Helmets. The latter went on to win Netflix’s first Academy Award: the Oscar for Best Short Documentary.

One of Us will be released worldwide on Netflix later this year.

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