Celebrate Sukkot with WHERE LIFE BEGINS, a stunning and emotional romantic drama set against the lush backdrop of the annual Etrog (Citron) harvest in southern Italy, featuring Italian star Riccardo Scamarcio (John Wick 2, A Haunting in Venice) and rising French actress Lou de Laâge (Coup de Chance).

An ultra-orthodox Jewish family from Aix-les-Bains, France comes to a farm in Calabria, Italy for a brief stay every year to carry out a sacred mission: harvesting citrons. Here Elio, the farm owner (Riccardo Scamarcio), meets Esther, the rabbi’s daughter (Lou de Laâge), who is tired of the constraints imposed by her religion. Through this relationship, Esther will understand the importance of freedom and find her path, and, in the same way, Elio will find the peace he had lost for a long time.

WHERE LIFE BEGINS is the directorial debut of Stéphane Freiss, the acclaimed French actor known for "Call My Agent", and co-stars Pierre-Henry Salfati ("The Last Mentsch") and Anna Sigalevitch ("The Art Dealer").

"A visually stunning, beautifully crafted and sensitive portrayal. A powerful and sympathetic examination of the challenges and restrictions faced by the two main characters, with a wholly unexpected ending. One longs for a sequel to discover how the lives of Esther and Elio will unfold over the coming decades." - Dina Gold, Moment Magazine

Winner - Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature | Jewish International Film Festival Australia
Winner - Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature | Anchorage International Film Festival

Written and Directed by Stéphane Freiss
Italy, 2023
Drama, Romance
Italian, French (with English subtitles)
100 minutes