PHILIP AND HIS SEVEN WIVES
Dir: Marc Isaacs; UK, 2005, 1hr:12mins, Col

In 1999, Philip Sharp, a rabbi living in the South of England, decides to end his marriage after 17 years. It's a dark time for the 40 year- old rabbi and he hits a low point in his life. In the midst of this crisis, Philip hears directly from God that he has been chosen to become a Hebrew king.

As a leading messianic rabbi, Philip once had numerous congregations across the country, but now most of his followers are based at his synagogue in Hove. Philip takes God's word very seriously and decides that if he is to become a Hebrew king and live like the biblical patriarchs of old, he should also take many wives.

And so it happens that over the following few years Philip takes seven women from his Hove congregation to be his wives and to fulfil God's prophecy.

Six years later and Philip and his seven wives all live together in a large house in the quiet English town of Hove. Philip is no longer recognised as a rabbi, his ordination was revoked when he declared himself a king, but he is still as determined as ever to live his live according to the laws of the Torah.

When filmmaker, Marc Isaacs, enters into the lives of the family they appear to be fairly happy and contented. Their four second-hand furniture shops are providing them with enough money to survive and Philip, like the Patriarchs of old, is busy building a collection of horses.

As the film progresses, the filmmaker gets extraordinary close to the family and slowly the reality of the situation reveals itself to be less harmonious than it first appears. One of Philip's wives is sent from the house for challenging his authority and the others spend much of their time in tears as Philip berates them for not wanting God desperately enough. Each wife is seeking spiritual fulfilment: from the 63 year old Chava, widowed after 25 years of marriage and the oldest of the wives, to Karen who has only been with Philip for one year. At 27 she is the youngest wife.

A screening and live-link Q&A session will take place with the Director on

15th January 2007 : 18.00 hours at the following venues:

- Edinburgh College of Art
- Dundee Centre for Contemporary Arts
- Robert Burns Centre
- MacRoberts
- The Ceilidh Place
- Taigh-Chearsabhagh