Praying with Lior
Praying With Lior, shot by Ilana Trachtman over a three-year period,
documents the unusual story of a Rabbi’s son with Down syndrome who some call a
“spiritual genius”. From his early days, Lior’s mother Devorah always sang Jewish
prayers to him. When he was just six years old, Devorah succumbed to breast cancer,
but her legacy remained with him. Lior’s ritual praying continued to manifest itself
in him, and his one desire to prepare for a Bar Mitzvah. This non-fiction documentary
follows a 12-year old boy, Lior Leibling, through his rigorous months of preparation
for this milestone in his life. It shows Lior in different situations, at his special
school, at home, davening (praying), in the community, where his Rabbi father Mordecai,
his stepmother Lynne, his siblings and friends offer their support for a boy who
never thought of failure or that he could not obtain his dream for this goal in
his life. Through all of this, and through the years, Lior’s Mother is with him
in spirit.
He longs for her to be with him so that she could know how he excels at his Bar Mitzvah
Watching this film, one gets a sense that Lior is truly a “spiritual genius,”
a very special young man with a very special family and friends. Beautifully
filmed by Trachtman, she presents a “real cast” of beautiful people in a documentary
that is sure to warm anyone’s heart.
Opening at Laemmle Music Hall, 9036 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, March 28.
88 minutes
Produced and directed by Ilana Trachtman
Edited by Zelda Greenstein
Cinematography by Slawomir Grunberg and Ari Haberberg
Music by Andy Statman