Who Has The Right To Tell You What To Believe?: Charles Wahl On His Short "The Mohel"
Charles Wahl is a writer, director, and producer known for Little Grey Bubbles, which was an official selection at the 2019 SXSW Film Festival. His latest project, The Mohel, recently premiered at this year’s SXSW Film Festival. The short film tells the story of a man caught between the worlds of religion and money as he prepares for his son’s Brit Milah ceremony.
James and Lola live in a community without any Mohels, and after celebrating the birth of their son are faced with family expectations and financial strain as they fly one in to perform the Brit Milah — the circumcision ceremony.
We had the opportunity to chat with Charles about his film, its origins, Judaism, and much much more!
How did the concept for The Mohel originate?
The idea for the film came from a conversation I was having with another Jewish Filmmaker that I had met at a festival as we were waiting for a screening to start. I was telling him what it was like to live in a city with a small Jewish population, and the challenges of maintaining some of the traditions in that environment, including the fact that if you need to have a Brit Milah, you have to fly in the Mohel from out of town. The conversation led to other topics about the religion including other stories that I shared about conversion, and other crazy things I had seen at ceremonies over the years. By the end of the conversation the other filmmaker looked at me and said “You have to make a movie about this!”
Initially, I didn’t want to make anything about Judaism, but the more I thought about it, the more I thought making a short centered around a Brit Milah offered the opportunity to tell a different type of story. When most people think of a Brith Milah, or a Mohel they think of the Seinfeld episode, or a lot of jokes in popular culture about them. I thought it would be interesting to tell a story that takes the event seriously.
The film explores some of the struggles of Judaism. What excited you most about exploring this subject matter?
I was excited to really dive into themes that have been front and center on my mind for a very long time — the often transactional nature of religion, and the challenges of living with old world traditions in the modern world. Even though I grew up in a city with a large Jewish population, I was the only Jewish person in my circle of friends, and didn’t really meet many other Jewish kids until I was in Junior High school. So being raised with strict Jewish beliefs I always felt the pull of the melting pot I was growing up in…the two worlds were always at conflict within me.
That struggle isn’t unique to Judaism though. Yes, the central event in the film is a very Jewish ceremony, but what excited me is that the themes we explore are things we can all relate to. All of us are raised by someone who instills beliefs and expectations on us, and as we grow older there are authority figures in our lives who judge how we meet those expectations.
How did you find your incredible cast?
A strong mix of luck and persistence! I had worked with Kaelen Ohm (Lola) on my previous short film, Little Grey Bubbles, and I had an incredible experience working with her on that one. Once the script for The Mohel was finished, I asked her right away if she wanted to play Lola, and despite her being in the middle of production on a big television series, she agreed. We had to work out schedules with the network, but ultimately made it work.
For James, I had been interested in a few different actors that I had seen in different things, and as I was searching Kaelen recommended Daniel Maslany, whom she had worked with on Murdoch Mysteries. I knew who he was, but hadn’t seem him in many other things so I started to dive deeper into his work. The more I looked, the more I thought he could be really good in the part. Kaelen then sent him the script and a copy of Little Grey Bubbles on my behalf. After he read the script and watched the film, we spoke on the phone for about an hour discussing the character, and the film. He was so into it, and I could tell that he would work really hard on the part. By the end of the call he agreed to play James.
The hardest part of all to cast was the Rabbi. I knew I wanted someone with enough presence to really swing the film and take command…while also being a convincing Rabbi. I looked at a lot of people, but nobody was clicking, until finally a friend asked if I had spoken to Sam Rosenthal. I didn’t know him at all, but was told he was going to be in a show that evening. I went to see the show and he was nothing like how I had pictured the Rabbi. He was really good in the show, but he was so clean cut, and smooth that at first I wasn’t sure. Either way I thought it would be good to meet him and the following week we went for a coffee. I sent him the script, and within ten minutes of sitting across from him and discussing the story I knew I had found The Mohel. You could tell that the script resonated with him on a deeper level, and also he grew up in the same city as me, and he knew these types of characters very well. I could tell he would commit and work hard on the part.
How did you get connected with cinematographer Guy Godfree? How did the two of you create the film’s look?
I’ve been working with Guy Godfree on commercial projects for quite a few years now. He and I have a very good working relationship and because of the amount of experience we have working with each other there is a lot of mutual trust there…which always makes for a smooth process between a director and a DP.
Guy is very busy and usually booked up on long format projects, and I was very fortunate that The Mohel shot between projects he was working on, and that he was able to make this work. After he read the script we spoke for a very long time about the look and tone that we wanted to approach the film with. We both agreed that we wanted it to feel very raw and natural, while being cinematic at the same time. To do that we opted to film on a high format camera (Alexa Mini) with vintage anamorphic lenses, and keep the lighting natural. In addition to the format and overall shooting approach we sent each other a lot of stills leading up to the production to help us zero in on the specific aesthetic we wanted to bring out.
What drew you to the visual arts? How did you get into directing?
I don’t remember a time that I wasn’t always into movies, but the idea to actually pursue directing came from a film class I took in high school. During that class we had to make a short film with whatever resources we could muster, and it was the most fun I ever had working on an assignment. Being out and telling stories with my friends felt like heaven, and what made it even better was the fact that people seemed to really enjoy the films! People at our school kept asking us to make more, and for the first time in my life I felt like I was doing something that felt right.
What films or filmmakers have inspired you, your style, or your approach to telling a story?
There are many filmmakers that have inspired me over the years, but the one who sticks out the most would be Martin Scorsese. There is a raw, and visceral quality to his storytelling, especially during his peak years, that I think to this day is unparalleled. He’s unafraid to tell stories without flinching, about characters that are imperfect, and I’ve always been drawn to stories about people who live in the grey area. You aren’t sure if they are good, or bad…they are just people.
What do you hope audiences take away from the film?
More than anything I hope the film promotes conversation. I know the film asks some very large questions, particularly about who has the right to tell you what to believe, and what you are. I’ve already noticed people have very different opinions about the Rabbi and James’ actions in the film. I definitely have my own opinions about their motivations, but am happy to leave it to people's interpretation. I am not claiming to have the answers to all the question raised in the film, but I do feel they warrant a deeper look and examination.
Do you have any future projects in the works that you can share with us?
I’m currently in development on a feature film version of my previous short film, Little Grey Bubbles, and on another feature film that deals with similar themes explored in The Mohel. Unlike The Mohel, this new film centers on of the process of religious conversion leading up to a wedding.
What do you think? We want to know. Share your thoughts and feelings in the comments section below, and as always, remember to viddy well!