Shiva Baby

2021 1h 18m EN

👍

7.1

SOLID

★7.1TMDB · 826

ComedyDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

College student Danielle must cover her tracks when she unexpectedly runs into her sugar daddy at a shiva - with her parents, ex-girlfriend and family friends also in attendance.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Rachel Sennott
Danielle
Molly Gordon
Maya
Polly Draper
Debbie
Danny Deferrari
Max
Fred Melamed
Joel
Dianna Agron
Kim
Glynis Bell
Katherine
Sondra James
Maureen

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Emma Seligman
Writers: Emma Seligman
Languages: English, Hebrew
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 78-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $0.3M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 5 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Hebrew.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Emma Seligman, shot by Maria Rusche. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Ariel Marx. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Hanna Park shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Rachel Sennott and Molly Gordon and Polly Draper carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Emma Seligman directs. Maria Rusche behind the camera. Ariel Marx scores. Hanna Park cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English, Hebrew.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 78-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
2Shot for just $0.3M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
3Released 5 years ago.
4Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Hebrew.
5Directed by Emma Seligman, shot by Maria Rusche. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Ariel Marx. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Hanna Park shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Rachel Sennott and Molly Gordon and Polly Draper carry the top of the cast.
9IMDB entry: tt11317142 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 21 themes, including "new york city", "parent child relationship", "ex-girlfriend", "bisexuality".

The technical file

Cinematography: Maria Rusche
Original score: Ariel Marx
Editing: Hanna Park
Production design: Cheyenne Ford
Makeup / hair: Lauren Tirpak
Sound: Hunter Berk
Runtime: 78 min · 1h 18m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $250,000
Box office: $359,247
Return: 144% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Shiva Baby (2021)

Awards

National Board of Review: Top Ten Independent Films
Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Emma Seligman

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

SWITCH.2020-08-18
★ 7/10
There isn't much we haven't seen before, but Seligman has put together a delightful film that is sure to please. This horror-like, anxiety-inducing, claustrophobic and suffocating comedy is just that - a comedy. While it may play out like a psychological thriller at times, 'Shiva Baby' is a witty and fun film that may lack originality, but has plenty of energy and memorable moments that make for an all together confident debut. - Joel Kalkopf Read Joel's full article... https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-shiva-baby-a-comedy-of-discomfort
Giovanni2021-08-16
★ 8/10
Shiva Baby is not your typical comedy, and we are glad of it because this experiment delivers its purpose. Anxiety, panic attacks, a perfect match of soundtracks and scenes, the awkward moments to meet people you barely know and engage in embarrassing conversations are some ingredients that will let you laugh and perceive that claustrophobic mood our protagonist Danielle will definitely experience. But there is much more to enjoy because the puzzle of this comedy are very well put together. Find out more at SpotaMovie.com
r96sk2022-03-07
★ 7/10
A little light, though <em>'Shiva Baby'</em> is a good watch. It's cool to see the story expanded from the 2018 short, with additional depth added to the main character - as well as seeing a couple of new additions, of course. Rachel Sennott reprises the lead role and puts in a very solid performance. I wanted a bit more from it in terms of content, as I was pleased to see the credits when the already brief run time (78mins) ticked over - it drags out the story a tad. No big deal though, it's still watchable for sure.