In 2012, artist Nina Paley embarked on an exploration of the Book of Exodus, to make a new animated feature and attempt to reconnect with the religion of her father. So far, she has partly succeeded: the film is more than half finished, and Nina has a deeper understanding of why her father ditched Judaism for atheism as a young man. Nina reluctantly concluded the Book of Exodus is primarily a story of female deicide, the last nail in the coffin of goddess worship under attack by patriarchy since the advent of agriculture. But what were these female-centered religions we are cut off from today? We can only speculate, and Nina does, in these animated clips from her feature-film-in-progress, Seder-Masochism.

Paley will be joined in the discussion that follows by Jungian analyst Joseph Lee.

Nina Paley is a cartoonist, animator, and free culture activist is the creator of the animated musical feature film Sita Sings the Blues, the epic Indian tale of Ramayana set to 1920’s jazz.