“Ale Brider (All My Brothers)” directed by Ruth Hertz Weber

San Diego Short Film Festival

Genre: Documentary

Total Run Time 39:00

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You didn’t know that you wanted to know more about the people surrounding and within the San Diego Jewish Men’s Choir, but you actually do. This surprisingly intimate film manages to cover the group’s history, interspersed with details of some of the choir’s members and snippets of performances.
This is a mostly charming affair, buoyed by some very strong examples of the group’s vocal prowess at the beginning, near the middle point and at the end. The member vignettes are frequently amusing and enlightening, and in one case a little heartbreaking.

As far as the mechanics of the filmmaking are concerned, it’s a mixed bag. The opening – in which multiple carloads of choir members are singing in synchronous split-screen splendor – is an absolute standout in terms of editing and production, and the men sound amazing. Unfortunately, that level of craft isn’t maintained throughout the film, with vast inconsistencies in the audio quality and some visual hiccups with the lower thirds. And while the three performances that bookend and bisect the film are fantastic, some of the other performances, -- including an unfortunate take on “Day-O, Banana Boat Song” -- aren’t of the same cinematic quality.

The film is subtitled, which helps alleviate some of the audio issues. But I found myself wishing that the subtitles carried more information. At various points, the men are (impressively) singing in German, Yiddish and Spanish in addition to English, and it would have been good to know what they were singing about.
Still, even with those minor quibbles, the film, “Ale Brider (All My Brothers)” is worth a look, and a listen. The song "Ale Brider" appears and reappears throughout, acting as a common cord for the film but also as a metaphor for the choir members themselves. Moreover, the choir's predominant goal of recruiting younger members is a poignant allegory for aging communities deeply concerned about keeping traditions alive if there is no one to inherit them. Trust me, I'm from the Midwest where every small town sings the same song, with different lyrics.