Bonjour! Shalom!

Hassidic Jews and Their French-Québecois Neighbors

A small municipality in Montreal finds two very different cultures living side by side: Hassidic Jews and their mostly French-speaking neighbors. Intent on preserving their religious traditions, the Hassidim meet outsiders with a kind of protective wall. Misunderstanding the Hassidic way of life, many of the French residents respond to their neighbors with a mixture of mistrust, frustration and curiosity. Faced with a growing transformation of their neighborhood, the Francophone residents are feeling threatened. BONJOUR! SHALOM! examines this fascinating situation and allows us to enter the intimacy of the Hassidic world.

This multi-award winning documentary was Included in the Contemporary Documentary Series, "a series of outstanding documentaries" selected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences in Los Angeles.