Project Detail

Sidney Turtlebaum

Synopsis

Sidney Turtlebaum is a bitter sweet comedy and cautionary tale set in present day Golders Green, the heart of London's Jewish community.

Sidney Turtlebaum is an eccentric gay Jewish man in his eighties. To punish the world which rejected him, Sidney earns his living as a pickpocket and a conman. His chosen modus operandi is to read through the recent death notices in the London Jewish Post identifying Shiva houses of mourning in order to steal from the gathered crowd.

More than just a thief, Sidney is a performer and revels in the opportunity to take centre stage capturing the assembled mourners with his anecdotes and nostalgic songs.

When Sidney earns the respect and curiosity of 26 year old Gabriel he decides to take him to his next Shiva home thus opening up his strange world to the innocent eyes of his young new friend.
 

Details

Year
2010
Type of film
Shorts
Running time
20 mins
Format
Super 16mm
Director
Tristram Shapeero
Producer
Mandy Belnick
Editor
Gary Dollner
Screenwriter
Raphael Smith
Director of Photography
Federico Alfonzo
Production Designer
Caroline Amies
Sound
Chris Round
Composer
Ben Foster
Principal cast
Derek Jacobi, Rupert Evans

Categories

Production Status

Production Company

Third Man Films

16 Stourcliffe Street
London W1H 5AQ
UK

Sales Company

Third Man Films

16 Stourcliffe Street
London W1H 5AQ
UK

Page updates

This page was last updated on 12th May 2025. Please let us know if we need to make any amendments or request edit access by clicking below.

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