Experiencing Interruptions?

Choosing to be Chosen

This film has taken over a decade and began as a project interviewing friends who chose Judaism for whatever reason and slowly built on the idea of home. This film shows what an affirming religious community is for trans, bi+, gay, lesbian, or queer experience. Pulling participants from the converts to Judaism in a specific queer and trans-positive religious community brought Sha'ar Zahav as the spiritual home into focus as a true one-of-a-kind community. "Choosing to be Chosen" is a film that looks into the lives of Jews by Choice to find the intersection between Jewish and queer identity.

  • Martin Rawlings-Fein
    Director
    Perfect Fit, Gillian
  • Martin Rawlings-Fein
    Writer
    Perfect Fit, Gillian
  • Martin Rawlings-Fein
    Producer
    Perfect Fit, Gillian
  • Martin Rawlings-Fein
    Key Cast
    "Himself"
    Perfect Fit, Gillian
  • Kevin Johnson
    Key Cast
    "Himself"
  • Jessie Karnatz
    Key Cast
    "Herself"
  • Leo Hill
    Key Cast
    "Himself"
  • Gerry Llamado
    Key Cast
    "Himself"
  • Will Garcia
    Key Cast
    "Himself"
  • Jim Van Buskirk
    Key Cast
    "Himself"
  • Maggid Andrew Ramer
    Key Cast
    "Himself"
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    November 29, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English, Hebrew
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Martin Rawlings-Fein

Martin Rawlings-Fein is a Jewish bisexual and transgender filmmaker and producer of five short films. Two narrative shorts, "Perfect Fit" (2009) and "Gillian" (2010) have been well received within the trans and LGBTQ+ community and were official selections of The San Francisco Transgender Film Festival (SFTFF) and San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival (Frameline). Three documentary shorts "Clocked: An Oral History" (2009), "Who You Callin' Queer?" (2010) and "Choosing to be Chosen" (2019) have been used as catalysts for discussions and workshops in Santa Clara, San Francisco, Berkeley, and New York City.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I was inspired to create this film because as Jew by choice myself. I saw an opportunity to build on the idea of home. I wanted to show what a religious community could be for a person of trans, bi+, gay, lesbian, or queer experience. Pulling participants from the converts to Judaism in my religious community brought the synagogue as the spiritual home into focus as well.