I finally watched Emma Seligman's first film, "Shiva Baby," on Mubi and it's a must-see for all Fleabag fans.
Rachel Sennott is my idol or source of inspiration.
Exploring movie and series streaming options can be a challenge, especially for fans of art-house cinema. Despite having popular platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, and Disney Plus, it can sometimes be difficult to find titles that suit one’s tastes. This is where Mubi comes into play, a streaming service that has become a new option in my repertoire.
Mubi offers a curated selection of independent cinema and artistic works, making it easier to find gems of the seventh art. When I registered for the first time, I quickly added nine films to my watchlist, demonstrating the variety of the catalog. This week, I started my experience with "Shiva Baby," directed by Emma Seligman in 2020, a film perfect for introducing me to Mubi's catalog.
Emma Seligman has caught attention with her unique style, especially following the success of her comedy "Bottoms." "Shiva Baby" unfolds in real time, where Rachel Sennott plays Danielle, a young bisexual Jewish woman caught in a Shiva surrounded by intrusive family members and her ex-girlfriend. As she tries to navigate the social tensions, she bumps into her sugar daddy, his wife, and their baby, leading to a series of awkward situations.
The film combines dry humor with drama, reminiscent of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's "Fleabag." With a runtime of 77 minutes, "Shiva Baby" manages to keep the audience's attention, making each scene a growing tension that culminates in a domino effect of events.
The film relies on a variety of archetypical characters that represent different facets of society. Danielle is the typical disoriented character, while her ex-girlfriend Maya is portrayed as the academically brilliant figure everyone admires. The music, laden with drama, accentuates the discomfort of the encounters, heightening the suspense about what will happen next.
One of the major themes addressed in "Shiva Baby" is family pressure, a feeling that many can relate to. The film, set in a Jewish context, reflects Seligman’s experiences as a queer Jewish youth, but its message transcends cultures: the struggle to find purpose in life while facing the inevitable questions about singleness and employment.
Although Emma Seligman's career as a filmmaker is limited so far to these two films, her potential is promising. Her ability to create resonant stories leaves me eager for her upcoming projects in the world of cinema.
