Expulsion and Memory: Descendants of the Hidden Jews (1996)

Shot on location in Spain, Portugal, Israel, Canada, and the United States, this documentary traces the descendants of Spanish Jews who were forced to either flee or convert to Catholicism after Queen Isabella's edict of 1492. Many of these Jews had to practice their religion in secret, passing their furtively-recalled customs down through the generations. Exploring the history and culture of these "conversos," the film celebrates an enduring spiritual legacy which has survived centuries of persecution. Through interviews with the children of secret believers, the film captures the modern resurrection of something ethereal: the ghost of a people. The film features a Spanish/Sephardic soundtrack by some of the world's leading artists, including Placido Domingo.