New Yiddish Movie "Shttl" Recreates a Lost Jewish World
Ady Walter stands out as one of the boldest Jewish directors of recent years. His film Shttl is a remarkable achievement by every standard. Filmed in Ukraine in 2021 during the height of COVID-19 restrictions and under the looming threat of a Russian invasion, the movie was shot entirely in Yiddish, in black and white, and designed to appear as one continuous take.
To accomplish this, Walter constructed a full-scale replica of a shtetl from scratch, including homes, a synagogue, and winding dirt roads. For the leading role, he selected Moshe Lobel, a newcomer who had never starred in a feature film before.
“The story of the film was a Jewish ‘Apocalypse Now,’” Walter told Unpacked. “This was a crazy adventure in wild conditions. We even shot in swamps with mosquitoes in Ukraine. With Moshe, I never met him before he came, but we had conversations over the phone where I could trust he was right for it.”
Walter was adamant that Shttl had to be in Yiddish. Although it risked limiting the film's commercial appeal, he prioritized authenticity above all.
“I don’t come from a Yiddish-speaking family,” Walter explained. “But not doing it in Yiddish wasn’t an option. I wanted to make a film where people spoke Yiddish because it was their language at the time.”
Production Challenges and Artistic Vision
- Filming took place entirely in one take, in black and white, during COVID-19 lockdowns.
- Set built from the ground up replicating a traditional Jewish shtetl.
- Lead actor Moshe Lobel was chosen without an in-person audition.
The film stands as a passionate reconstruction of a vanished world, blending historical fidelity with cinematic innovation.
Author's Summary
Shttl is a daring cinematic achievement that revives the authentic atmosphere of the Jewish shtetl through a continuous-shot film entirely in Yiddish, reflecting deep dedication to cultural preservation.