Written by Hank Hoffman, “The Offering” is a studio-level commercial horror film set in the Hasidic enclave of Borough Park. The film centers around Arthur, a prodigal son married to a non-Jewish woman, who returns home to make amends with his father, the owner of a Jewish funeral home. Unbeknownst to all involved, a demon who feeds on children is trapped in the dead body of a man in the basement morgue. When the demon is released, it sets its sights on Arthur’s pregnant wife, Claire, and their unborn child.
The story is based in Jewish folklore, and with a wide international release, the film offers a window into the Yiddish-speaking Brooklyn community that many of the viewers will be unfamiliar with. Claire serves as something of a guide for the non-Jewish audience as they experience the Jewish rituals together for the first time.
The demon at the center of the story is Abyzou, a female demon from Near Eastern and European mythology who causes miscarriages and infant mortality. Several Byzantine-era amulets have been found with images of Abyzou, hands tied behind her back, in an attempt to protect pregnant women from the clutches of the demon. In “The Offering,” Abyzou accepts (and forces) sacrifices of children of all ages.
The movie feels a little more psychological thriller than horror, with plenty of jump scares thrown in. It is rated R for violence, but there isn’t much in the way of gore. The plot can be a bit clunky, and it leaves the viewer feeling a little underwhelmed, but the acting is well-executed and the set is both authentic and eerie.
While the idea of a Jewish-themed horror film may give pause to some worried about how the community might be perceived, the Jewish aspects are told with care. It does seem implausible that no one in this film seems to have more than one living relative, but it’s easy to set that aside for the sake of the storytelling. And with the exception of some pronunciations and accents, there is nothing offensive to the Jewish community.
Jonathan “Yoni” Yunger joins Hoffman as creator and producer. Both men are Jewish, and Hoffman brings his own expertise to the table as a former shomer at a Jewish morgue in Toronto. Two of the three leading men in the film are also played by Jewish actors (Paul Kaye and Daniel Ben-Zenou). Additionally, Millennium Films was founded by Israeli-American producer Avi Lerner.
Indeed, it was important to the filmmakers that they portray the Hasidic community authentically, and without stigma. And they succeeded. It is easy to see the funeral home as a setting like any other—the Yiddish vocabulary and Shabbat candles a part of the scenery that does not distract from the film, but adds to the richness.
Rated R for violence. Running time: 1 hour, 33 minutes. Available to rent or buy on Apple TV, Google Play, Amazon Prime and other streaming platforms.
By Talia Liben Yarmush
