Written by Shlomit Ovadia of JCC Denver
Join the Mizel Arts and Culture Center (MACC) at JCC Denver on September 19 at 7:00 pm for an exclusive screening of the film, Unspoken, starring Wolf Theatre Academy alumnus Charlie Korman.
Unspoken follows the story of Noam Stein, a closeted teenager living in a religious community who, upon discovering relics from his grandfather’s past, embarks on a mission to solve the mysteries of his grandfather’s identity—and ultimately, his own.
The simultaneous coming-of-age and-out story stars Charlie Korman as Noam, an alumnus of the MACC’s Wolf Theatre Academy (WTA). WTA is a series of summer camp sessions that introduce children to the world of theatre and acting through immersive theatrical experiences that include professional staff, costumes, sets, and creative guidance.
Charlie first began dabbling in theatre with WTA around the ages of four to six. “It was those acting camps that made me fall in love with acting,” he reflects, having gone on to participate in larger productions and is currently finishing up his Bachelor of Arts in Screenwriting at the University of Southern California. Charlie has amassed numerous films and television show appearances under his belt, including HBO’s Barry and The Connors on ABC.
“We were always super involved in the Jewish community and the JCC, especially when it came to Jewish culture, celebrating Passover and break-the-fast meals. Being Jewish was a very cultural part of my childhood where I learned a lot of values,” he explains of being raised in a Reform Jewish household.
Charlie first heard about Unspoken in 2022 through his manager, and later met film director, Jeremy Borison, whom the story is loosely based on, before shooting in December of that year.
“I didn’t know much about the Modern Orthodox community before this film. This was a great opportunity to learn about a community that’s close to me but that I wasn’t quite familiar with,” Charlie explains.
In Unspoken, high school senior Noam discovers in his grandfather’s archives what appears to be a love letter written in German to another man before the Holocaust. For a school project, he decides to do a report on homosexual persecution during the Holocaust to find that his grandfather may have been secretly gay.
Along the way, Noam tries to understand building feelings for a male classmate, avoids his longtime female friend who wants a relationship and struggles to stand out in his community choir, all while his sister prepares for her wedding that Shabbat. These competing events highlight the many Jewish practices that encircle the epicenter of Noam’s life.
“It was nice to have the director there [throughout the filming] because the story about being closeted in an Orthodox community was autobiographical about him,” Charlie shares. However, the film adds additional dimensions of Jewish history and the Holocaust.
“What intrigued me most about Noam’s character was his self-realization journey in trying to reconcile two parts of his identity that butt heads,” Charlie notes. “Today there is so much talk about intersectionality. This movie can teach us that our identities don’t have to be binary, and we can identify with more than one idea.”
“I think the film gives an interesting view of the beauty of the modern orthodox community, because although Noam feels rejected by it, it is also where his friends, family, values, and connection to his grandpa as a Holocaust survivor [stem from].”
Don’t miss out on the chance to join this exclusive screening of Unspoken, which Charlie will be introducing and opening himself. “I hope people see that Judaism is really such a loving and accepting religion,” remarks Charlie, “and I’m excited to hear what the Denver community thinks of this story.”
Purchase your ticket to the film screening here. Tickets are offered using a sliding scale model.