Perfecting the Art of Longing

You perfect the art of longing by knowing where your soul is intended to be,” says Rabbi Cahana in Perfecting the Art of Longing, acclaimed filmmaker Kitra Cahana’s powerful collaboration with her father.

In 2011, Rabbi Ronnie Cahana suffered a devastating brainstem stroke that left him “locked in,” only able to communicate through the blinking of his eyes. In the years that followed, the beloved poet and community leader regained some power of speech but remained paralyzed, requiring round-the-clock assistance at a long-term-care facility in Montreal, Quebec. When the pandemic lockdown hit, he found himself completely isolated and cut off from his loved ones, connecting only through screens.

Using footage from security cameras, video calls and home-video archives, this experimental short film leads us on a journey through memory, family and faith, exploring the nature of connection and distance. A philosophical film unlike any other, it’s a tribute to the human spirit and a reflection on longing itself.