Experiencing Interruptions?

The Day before Creation

Malkah is just a little kid when her father tries to teach her to read Torah. But they don't get very far. As Malkah reads aloud, her questions multiply. They take her on a lifelong journey deeper and deeper into Jewish mystical texts, far off places, encounters with ancient gods, and ultimately into the nature of existence itself. Malkah discovers an earlier, hidden creation story right inside the one offered on the surface of Genesis.

A 38 minute animation in remembrance of Seymour Fromer, founder of the Magnes Museum in Berkeley CA

  • Charlie Varon
    Key Cast
    "Abba"
    "Rush Limbaugh in Night School" winning 2 Bay Area Critics Circle Awards and more
  • Mira Z Amiras
    Key Cast
    "Narrator"
    Author of "Malkah's Notebook: A Journey through the Mystical Aleph-Bet"
  • Yair Dalal
    MUSIC
    "Different Sky" (2006), "In the Line of Fire" (2002) and more soundtracks and albums.
  • Jeremiah Moore
    SOUND DESIGN
    "Last Day of Freedom"(2015), animated short documentary, 2016 Oscar nominated; and "Slomo," short documentary and more
  • Josh Baum
    ILLUSTRATOR
    BBC Series "The Story of the Jews with Simon Schama" (2013)
  • Samuel Baum
    ANIMATOR
    BBC Series "The Story of the Jews with Simon Schama" (2013)
  • Mira Z Amiras
    WRITER, DIRECTOR, PRODUCER
    Author of "Malkah's Notebook: A Journey into the Mystical Aleph-Bet," "Crumbling Old Books in the Dusty Old Library (if you care to slip between the covers)," and other works
  • Mike Jennings
    ANIMATION & MUSIC PRODUCER, DIT
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Fairy Tale, Jewish Mysticism
  • Runtime:
    37 minutes 58 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 15, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    250,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    Israel, United Kingdom, United States
  • Language:
    English, Hebrew
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:35
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • First Hermetic International Film Festival
    Venice
    Italy
    August 7, 2021
    World Premiere
    Best Animation
  • Instanbul Film Awards
    Istanbul
    Turkey
    May 31, 2021
    Turkish Premiere
    Winner—Best Short Animation Winner—Best Jewish Short Winner—Best First Time Director for a Short Film Winner—Best Music in a Short (awarded to Yair Dalal)
  • Best Shorts Competition
    LaJolla, CA
    United States
    June 15, 2021
    Winner—Best Jewish Short June 2021
  • Toronto International Women Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    June 11, 2021
    Official Selection June 2021
  • KIDS FIRST! Film Festival
    Manoa, Hawaii
    United States
    February 15, 2022
    Hawaiian Premiere
    Official Selection June 2021
  • The IndieFest Film Awards
    La Jolla, CA
    United States
    August 3, 2021
    Award of Excellence 2021
  • San Francisco Indie Short Festival
    San Francisco, CA
    United States
    Finalist August, 2021
  • The American Jewish Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    October 13, 2021
    Winner—JEWZY Best Short Film Award 2021
  • Dubai Independent Film Festival
    Dubai
    United Arab Emirates
    Finalist October 2021
  • LA Independent Women Film Awards
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    September 28, 2021
    Winner Best Animation 2021
  • Sydney Indie Short Festival
    Sydney
    Australia
    January 4, 2022
    Winner Best International Short Award 2022
  • Gold Standard Arts and Film Fest
    New York
    United States
    April 28, 2022
    The West End Theater
    Official Selection 2022
  • Shohan Film Festival
    Shohan
    Israel
    Winner Best Featurette 2022 and Winner Best Animation 2022
  • Los Angeles Show Biz Shriners Film Festival
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    October 25, 2021
    Nominated for Best Director, 2021
  • Atlanta Jewish Film Festival
    Atlanta, GA
    United States
    February 10, 2022
    Official Selection, 2022
Director Biography

First-time Director Mira Z Amiras got tired of waving her arms around to explain Jewish mystical principles, and this movie is the result. Amiras is Professor Emerita at SJSU's Comparative Religious Studies Program and founder of their Middle East Studies Program. She is author of MALKAH'S NOTEBOOK: A Journey into the Mystical Aleph-Bet (2022)

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Most of my career has focused on the Middle East and North Africa. Since childhood I've been hounded by letters of the Hebrew aleph-bet and other ancient alphabets of the Near East to tell their stories. This movie is the result, along with the books, "Malkah's Notebook: A Journey into the Mystical Aleph-Bet" and the book of sources, "Crumbling Old Books in the Dusty Old Library (if you care to slip between the covers)." Seems we're doing alright for first-timers:

Film Awards to date:
The Day before Creation. An animated short (38 mins)
- written, directed, produced and narrated by Mira Z Amiras (© 2021)
See PRAISE FOR THE DAY BEFORE CREATION at FilmFreeway.com
Film Awards:
- First Hermetic International Film Festival, Venice, Italy
-Winner Best Animation (2021)

- Istanbul Film Awards Official Selection (May 2021)
-Winner Best Short Animation
•Winner Best Jewish Short
-Winner Best First Time Director for a Short Film
-Winner Best Music in a Short (awarded to Yair Dalal for TDBC)

-Best Shorts Competition Official Selection (June 2021)
-Winner Best Jewish Short

-Toronto International Women Festival Official Selection (June 2021)

-KIDS FIRST! Film Festival Official Selection (June 2021)

-The IndieFest Film Awards Official Selection (2021)
-Award of Excellence

-San Francisco Indie Short Festival (August 2021)
-Finalist

-The American Jewish Film Festival (October 2021)
-Winner Best Short Film

-Dubai Independent Film Festival (October 2021)
-Finalist

-LA Independent Women Film Awards (2021)
-Winner Best Animation

-Sydney Indie Short Festival (Winter 2022)
-Winner Best International Short

-Shohan Film Festival, Israel (2022)
-Winner Best Featurette
-Winner Best Animation