The home movie vibe carries over, however, especially in trachtmans interviews with lior, in which brightly voiced questions are peppered at a clearly antsy child, and in the extended sequences lingering over events most of us will go to great lengths to avoid. Mar 11, 2008 an engrossing, wrenching and tender documentary film, praying with lior introduces lior liebling, also called the little rebbe. Liors story is special in many ways, however, that a standard bar mitzvah story. The movie poses difficult questions such as what is disability. Films in the spirituality genre, on the other hand, can be more loosely defined as films. Told with intimacy and humour, praying with lior is a family story, a triumph story, a grief story, a divinelyinspired story. The lior in question, who not only stands at the center of ilana trachtmans documentary praying with lior but forms its heart and soul, is lior liebling, a jewish boy with down syndrome. Though liors genetic condition debilitates him in many ways and on many levels, he clings to two inner sources of transcendence and strength. A rabbis son, who has down syndrome, has an extraordinary love of prayer. Many believe lior is close to god at least thats what his family and community believe, though hes also a burden, a friend and inspiring. He eventually went to syracuse university to study filmmaking and now works full time.
One of four children of rabbi mordechai liebling and the late rabbi devora bartnoff, lior cajoles his way into the hearts of his siblings and his loving stepmothe. Watch praying with lior movie trailers, exclusive videos, interviews from the cast, movie clips and more at. Shriver, ilana trachtmans groundbreaking documentary praying with lior is an excellent antidote to ongoing misunderstandings and misstatements about the. This is praying with lior by gratz college on vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. Praying with lior asks whether someone with down syndrome can be a spiritual genius. Abc news if you can watch praying with lior without shedding a tear, its time for an emotional checkup. Erin edeiken, ilana trachtman, roberta morris purdee. After the movie ended, i looked up lior to see how things had turned out for him, and i found an article from 2018 about how lior, at twentysix, was living in his own apartment in supportive housing, had a girlfriend, and a job, and went to his drum circle and synagogue events every week, and also did speaking events to help people see that communities can be inclusive of children and adults. Trachtman pursued the project after encountering lior at a religious gathering in the catskills, and praying with lior occasionally goes soft in trying to inspire when it might have plumbed deeper into the lieblings complex family dynamic. The movie praying with lior is the story of a bar mitzvah and the lives which led up to its celebration. Praying with lior is a 2008 documentary about a jewish boy, lior, who has down syndrome. Lior liebling in the documentary praying with lior, directed by ilana trachtman.
Overview of praying with lior, 2008, directed by ilana trachtman, with at turner classic movies. Feb, 2008 the boy has a penetrating spirit and a passion for davening i. Rent praying with lior 2007 starring lior liebling and mordecai liebling on dvd and bluray. Praying with lior movie trailer and videos tv guide. Praying with lior asks whether someone with down syndrome can be a spiritual. Might be my favorite opening scene of the year so far. Praying with lior 2008 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Shot over three years in a closeknit jewish reconstructionist community in philadelphia, praying with lior documents the extraordinary life. As lior approaches bar mitzvah, different characters provide a window into life spent praying with lior.
Jul 23, 2017 he eventually went to syracuse university to study filmmaking and now works full time. While everyone agrees lior is closer to god, hes also a burden, a best friend, an inspiration, and an embarrassment, depending on which family member is speaking. The movie poses difficult questions such as what is disability and who really talks to god. Many believe lior is close to god at least thats what his family. Lior has down syndrome, and has spent his entire life praying with. An emotionally rich documentary about the bar mitzvah of a spiritually vibrant yearold boy with down syndrome. Cast and crew credits for praying with lior, 2008, directed by ilana trachtman, with at turner classic movies. It may be any religion, and the film may be fictional or nonfiction, but at the center of the film is the idea of the worship of a higher power. Lior is quizzed before his bar mitzvah on what he thinks it is. Above lior liebling as seen in the documentary praying with lior. Lior liebling, ari haberberg, slawomir grunberg, ilana. Find low everyday prices and buy online for delivery or instore pickup. Winner of multiple awards, praying with lior asks whether someone with down syndrome can be a spiritual genius.
Apr 21, 2009 arriving on dvd with an endorsement by mr. A portrait of young lior liebling, a child with down syndrome who is filled with an unquenchable spirit of davening prayer and singing. Barry z interviews the director and cast of the award winning documentary praying with lior. An engrossing, wrenching and tender documentary film, praying with lior introduces lior liebling, also called the little rebbe. Liebling currently lives independently with roommates.
Jan 25, 2008 lior, the subject of ilana trachtmans haunting, bittersweet documentary praying with lior, is a yearold boy with down syndrome and a fervent love of daveningthe evocative yiddish word. These traits are on full display in ilana trachtmans new documentary, praying with lior, which traces liors journey toward his bar mitzvah. An interview with ilana trachtman, director of praying. Praying with lior is a film about faith, family, community and inclusion.
Feb 29, 2008 barry z interviews the director and cast of the award winning documentary praying with lior. Many believe lior is close to god at least thats what his family and community believe. To some members of his religious community outside philadelphia, lior liebling, a bright yearold with down syndrome, is considered a rebbe, a jewish leader whose devotion to davening praying speaks to a close relationship with god. Shriver, ilana trachtmans groundbreaking documentary praying with lior is an excellent antidote to ongoing misunderstandings and. To some members of his religious community outside philadelphia, lior liebling, a bright yearold with down syndrome, is considered a. Lior leibling praying with lior is a family story, a. Praying with lior the 2008 movie, trailers, videos and more at yidio. Financial analysis of praying with lior 2008 including budget, domestic and international box office gross, dvd and bluray sales reports, total earnings and profitability.
Praying with lior is a tremendously moving and invigorating film, but liors love for davening is minimally responsible. Ilana trachtman is an awardwinning documentary and childrens television producer. It doesnt help that the jaunty scorewhich is a little like klezmer music written for acoustic guitarputs a cute gloss on material that might have. As this documentary moves to its climax, lior must. Shoutout to anton lesser, he was awesome in his 2 minutes of screentime. Charming as lior is, this triumphant little movie leaps from good to great by exploring the liebling family dynamic. The film follows lior and his family as they prepare for liors bar mitzvah references. Faithbased films have religion as their core subject matter. The film follows lior and his family as they prepare for lior s bar mitzvah. Synopsis mission directors statement filmmakers credits. Rent praying with lior 2007 on dvd and bluray dvd netflix.
There have been a number of very popular documentaries about religion in recent years, but praying with lior stands out as one of the most heartfelt and touching. March 24th, 2009 not yet rated 1 hr 27 min plot summary. Praying with lior 2008 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. Ben burrows the movie praying with lior is the story of a bar mitzvah and the lives which led up to its celebration. Lior, the subject of ilana trachtmans haunting, bittersweet documentary praying with lior, is a yearold boy with down syndrome and a fervent love of daveningthe evocative yiddish word.
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