Babka (2025)

-Written by Kyle Bain. 

2025 HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW!

When an orthodox bakery owner goes blind, his whole world is upended. Now forced to welcome the company of a guide dog and his queer trainer, Moishe (Saul Rubinek) has to reevaluate life as he knows it, traversing a world that does not quite understand his predicament, and threatens the sale of his beloved mother’s Babka. 

Moishe feels like the most generic Jewish name that a filmmaker could conjure, particularly for the lead of the entire production. Having read Elie Wiesel's Night a number of times, Moishe the Beadle is a name that lives rent free in my head–and Babka taps into a bit of memory that is heavily emotional, but also feels eerily stereotypical. Regardless of the intention behind Babka, Moishe is a name that means something, that rattles the brain and allows viewers easier access to a film that exists in a world so easily foreign. 

We’ve effectively reached the extent of what the LGBTQ+ community can tell us through film. We’ve seen films that traverse just about every corner of this aforementioned community; and oftentimes the inclusion of progressive ideals can be overwhelming and inorganic. Babka wants to include these ideas into the very fabric of its narrative–and it never oversteps. 

The cinematography is dizzying. There’s no dolly or stabilizer used in the greater shots of Babka–presenting viewers with something unsteady, unsettling, and immersive. It’s important that viewers be reminded, again and again, of the imbalance that now exists in Moishe’s world–a world where he can no longer see, one where his reality no longer exists. By allowing the cinematography to remain [intentionally] shaky, viewers understand the chaotic new world in which Moishe is forced to traverse throughout the course of Babka. We become part of his journey, almost as if we share in his struggle. It’s a simple concept, but one that works wonders for the film and the viewing experience. 

One word, Tio, plays such a pivotal role in the development of Babka, in the development of every character and piece of narrative that exists within this film. There’s a generational and cultural barrier that exists between Moishe and his seeing-eye-dog’s trainer Jesus (Jonny Beauchamp)–but that one word, Tio, bridges the gap in more ways than one. It acts as a window into Jesus' world, but it works, more importantly, as a way for these characters to connect and Moishe’s story to drive forward. 

The queer and Jewish communities are incorporated into Babka in a way that guides the film, and though I initially felt that some moments were inorganic–by the conclusion of the film it felt much more like Writer-Director Serena Dykman created a script meant to enact change and usher in a world of greater acceptance—but in a way that remains grounded, natural, and, in turn, effective. Subtlety is often the key in films such as Babka, and it becomes clear that Dykman understands this. 

On the surface of Babka, I’m not sure there’s much—a simple story about a Jewish man and his mother’s beloved pastry recipe. Beneath the surface, however, there’s something gorgeous, powerful, and resonant. 

Written & Directed by Serena Dykman. 

Starring Saul Rubinek, Jonny Beauchamp, Ronald Guttman, Betsy Aidem, Hani Furstenberg, etc.

8/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING