I watched Ushpizin on the back of a strong recommendation from Roy Schoeman (Jewish-Catholic Author of Salvation is from the Jews); and that recommendation didn't disappoint. At the heart of the film, Moshe and Malli are depicted as a couple with total reliance upon God; right down to their last pennies. Their daily conversations with God are just how the faith should be lived - not with God as some distant Character, but as a friend right their by our side throughout all the ups and downs in our lives. I also thought it was great that an episode in the life of a married couple was depicted for once, as opposed to the normal depiction of the 'thrill of the chase' when two people first come together, and then we don't hear from them again - with the implicit message that all the fun is now over. Poignant too I thought, was the underlying anxiety depicted in the film through the almost constantly smoking characters. Whether this was intentional or not by the director I don't know, but to me it showed an underlying lack of peace and rest; as if they were in touching distance, but not quite there yet. Moshe's frustration as he goes out into the woods to vent his frustration was a clearer example of this. Overall I think this is a tremendous film, and a great example of the type of film we should be aiming to produce more of.