The Door Is Open (film #12 in the Immigration and Absorption section of the State of Israel section of Stephen Spielberg Jewish Film Archive). [Category: Sleaze & Outsider]

This 50s film, narrated in Yiddish, tells the stories of several immigrants to Israel, and how the process of absorption happens. It’s hard to follow because of the language barrier, but it still managed to hold my interest because it appears to be very well made, with many striking visuals of objects, such as keys, luggage labels with numbers on them, and ephemera from the Holocaust. The immigrants get to tell their own stories on film through interview footage; one of them speaks English, but, frustratingly, his comments are translated into Yiddish in voice-over fashion, making his original English comments impossible to hear. Despite the language barrier, you can tell that this is a very well made and interesting film, with lots of historical value in documenting the immigration experience in Israel.

Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: *. Weirdness: ***. Historical Interest: *****. Overall Rating: ****.