brochure - Austin Jewish Film Festival

Visit austinjff.org for festival and ticket information.
12TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
OPENS
WELCOME
MARCH 29, 2014
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Void
Slower Than A Heartbeat
TICKETS AND PASSES
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Father’s Land
Only in New York
Friend Of The Festival
FILM BADGE
Valid for admission to all films at
all venues, with advanced seating
15 minutes before Showtime.
Flex Pass
Good for 10 admissions to the film(s)
of your choice at any venue. Flex
Pass holders will be seated after Film
Badge holders, and before general
admission ticket holders.
$150
$60
th
March 2014 |
MARCH 29 APRIL 4
The Austin Jewish Film Festival celebrates its 12th year, opening
Saturday, March 29, at 5:30 p.m. The festival begins with a Shabbat
learning experience featuring a screening of the drama Under the
Same Sun. This film is set in the near future and looks back at the
story of two businessmen--one Israeli and one Palestinian--and how
peace was made in 2013 between Israel and Palestine. Rabbi Alan
Freedman will lead a Q&A following the film. The community will then
mark the end of Shabbat with Havdallah. The 2014 AJFF opening film
The Wonders screens at 8:30 p.m. A modern day prophet, an artist, a
private investigator, a henchmen and a beautiful woman take us on an
adventure through the heart of Jerusalem for a complex look at both
the light and darkness of the city in this compelling mystery.
The Austin Jewish Film Festival is not just an annual event. Throughout
the past year the film festival presented opportunities for the Jewish
and greater Austin communities to experience the best Jewish films
from around the world. In September, the AJFF sponsored a classic
film, Ushpizin, at the Marquesa Theatre, the Austin Film Society’s new
home at the Lincoln Village Shopping Centre just 5 miles from the
JCC. October took AJFF to the State Theatre to co-sponsor Putzel
as part of the opening night festivities for the Austin Film Festival.
Back at The Marquesa Theatre, in November AJFF screened The
Matchmaker, brought by Houston’s Consulate General of Israel, and
New Year’s Eve, AJFF participated in the Austin Film Buffet as part of
the City of Austin’s “First Night” celebration.
This year’s festival continues throughout the week (March 29 - April
4), with FREE noon films on most days at the Arbor Cinema. On March
30, Sunday school students will participate in a special film program
at the theater, followed by Family Day that afternoon. During the week
AJFF will present French film day, International Jewish film day and a
Senior program. AJFF has become known for the many opportunities
it offers its audiences to interact with directors and actors and to
participate in lively discussions and programs. Stay tuned to the latest
Festival information at www.austinjff.org.
Tickets
$8 - general admission
(includes students/seniors)
Sold only at the theater box office, beginning
15 minutes before that film starts, until tickets
are sold out. General admission ticket holders
are seated after Film Badge and Flex Pass
holders. Film Badge and Flex Pass holders
receive priority seating.
Note: JCC Spotlight on Arts & Ideas Patron passes
will be available at a table in the Regal Cinema lobby
30 minutes prior to the start of each film.
VISIT AUSTINJFF.ORG FOR FESTIVAL
AND TICKET INFORMATION.
C1
| March 2014 | 2014 AJFF GUIDE
photo of entire MAFIA team
2014 AJFF FILM SCHEDULE
C2
SATURDAY,
MARCH 29
COMMUNITY DAY
SUNDAY,
MARCH 30
FAMILY DAY
adults--managed to find a few hours of sleep.
By the morning each team had completed a
short film which will be presented to the public
at the Austin Jewish Film Festival on Sunday,
March 30, at 4 p.m.
This program could not have taken place without our “Rock Star,” Wendy Corn, from the JCAA
Marketing Department. Wendy planned, coordinated, and inspired the entire event (and she
lost many hours of sleep alongside the teens).
Jeanne Stern, a freelance videographer, was
also on hand throughout the 24 hours to assist
the students in their film production. The Austin
School of Film provided computers and editing
software for the students.
We are grateful to our sponsors who support
the Austin Jewish Film Festival. It is your financial backing that allows the festival to take place
each year, provides opportunities throughout
the year to bring Jewish films to the community, and provides the resources to fund amazing
programs like M.A.F.I.A. for our up-and-coming
filmmakers.
AJFF MISSION
The Austin Jewish Film Festival provides Central Texans with a collection of the best current Jewish
films from around the world. Since 2001, the AJFF has screened feature-length, documentary, animated
and short films, offering Austin audiences a view into the vitality and variety of the Jewish experience.
Under the Same Sun
7:30 PM
8:30 PM
Havdallah
The Wonders
4:00 PM
Igor and the Cranes
FRENCH DAY
Noon
4:30 PM
8:00 PM
TUESDAY,
APRIL 1
BROTHERHOOD
DAY
Noon
4:30 PM
7:00 PM
9:00 PM
WEDNESDAY,
APRIL 2
INTERNATIONAL
JEWISH FILM DAY
THURSDAY,
APRIL 3
INTERNATIONAL
JEWISH FILM DAY
Noon
4:30 PM
8:00 PM
Noon
2:00 PM
City Lights
Theatre
Georgetown
• An exploration of universal themes, including human rights, global peace, religious freedom,
and tolerance.
9:00 PM
CITY LIGHTS
420 Wolf Ranch Parkway
Georgetown
Imaginary Witness: Hollywood
and the Holocaust
Fill the Void
Drama, Israel
It Happens in Saint-Tropez
Comedy/Romance, France/Belguim
For a Woman
Drama, France
For a Woman
Drama, France
Putzel
Comedy/Romance, USA
Nono, The Zigzag Kid
Adventure/Drama,
Netherlands/Belguim/UK/Spain/France
Peace After Marriage
Comedy/Drama/Romance, USA/Israel/Jordon
Nono, The Zigzag Kid
Adventure/Drama,
Netherlands/Belguim/UK/Spain/France
The Wonders
Mystery, Israel
Aftermath
Drama, Poland/Holland/Russia/Slovakia
Aftermath
Drama, Poland/Holland/Russia/Slovakia
Gefilte Fish
Short, USA
The Sturgeon Queen
Documentary/Comedy, USA
Good Things Come in Small
Packages: A Program of Shorts
Shorts, USA/Canada/Israel
• An open and inviting forum for student and independent filmmakers to present their work.
9828 Great Hills Trail
Austin
Fill the Void
Drama, Israel
Lunch: The Documentary
7:00 PM
The 12th annual Austin Jewish Film Festival could not
have taken place without the talents and skills of our
many volunteers. We’d like to thank each of those who
contributed their valuable time to the AJFF throughout
the year. We are grateful for the passion and commitment
of all our volunteers who help bring this wonderful
festival to the Austin community.
Adventure/Family, Israel/Germany/Poland
Documentary/Comedy, USA
• A cinematic examination of Jewish life and culture.
REGAL ARBOR CINEMA 8
Documentary/Comedy, USA
Documentary/History, USA
4:30 PM
VOLUNTEER THANK YOU
Mystery, Israel
When Comedy Went to School
9:00 PM
AJFF VISION
LOCATIONS
Drama/History, Israel/Palestine/USA
2:00 PM
7:00 PM
MONDAY,
MARCH 31
M.A.F.I.A. (Make a Film in a Day), a 24-hour
film production adventure, began at 10 a.m. on
Sunday, January 19th; 18 Jewish and non-Jewish teenagers from around the city converged
on the JCC campus to create four films. Del
Valle High School sent 13 students along with
their Audio Video Production teacher, Roxanne
Pena, and their Graphic Design and Illustration teacher, Andrew Zuniga, plus all their video
equipment. The teens began their day learning
about Jewish values, and they immediately put
their lessons into action by animating those values in clay. Over the course of the day the teens
established four teams and selected a genre and
a Jewish value for their films. Each team wrote
a script, selected a camera and sound person,
props, and pitched their film to the adult staff. As
the day progressed, the teens could be seen all
over the JCC campus acting and filming, collecting shots for their short films. As the sun set, the
teens moved inside for dinner. During the evening hours, they learned how to use a “green
screen,” and they edited their films throughout
the night. Some of the crew--both teens and
5:30 PM
FRIDAY,
APRIL 4
Noon
The German Doctor
Drama/History/Thriller,
Argentina/France/Spain/Norway
Slower than a Heartbeat
Drama/Romance, Israel
Gefilte Fish
Short, USA
The Sturgeon Queen
Documentary/Comedy, USA
Lunch: The Documentary
Documentary/Comedy, USA
Visit austinjff.org for festival and ticket information.
March 2014 |
C3
REGAL ARBOR
CINEMA 8
9828 Great Hills Tr.
Austin
Aftermath
CITY LIGHTS
Fill the Void
For a Woman
Igor and the Crane’s Journey
420 Wolf Ranch Pkwy.
Georgetown
AFTERMATH
Director: Władysław Pasikowski
Poland, Holland, Russia, Slovakia 2013,
Drama, 104 min., Polish (subtitles)
A fictional story inspired by actual events,
“Aftermath” takes us to central Poland where
a small-town thriller occurs. Brothers Franek
and Jozek Kalina are the sons of a poor
farmer. Franek immigrated to the United
States in the 1980s and cut all ties with his
family. Only when Jozek’s wife arrives in
the U.S., without explanation, does Franek
finally return to his homeland. We discover
that this community’s Catholic population
was far more complicit in Nazi crimes than
they admitted to their children, and many
have left secrets for later generations to
uncover. Jozek, who has become a pariah
to his community, has been ripping up the
surface of a nearby road -- something that
makes no sense until we learn it was paved
with the headstones of Jewish graves. Franek,
in turn, stumbles into a mystery that ensures
he’ll draw even more local ire than his
brother has. This Polish village is forced to
acknowledge it has whitewashed Holocaust
history. Co-Sponsored by The Austin Polish
Society - 2014 Austin Polish Film Festival.
Q&A following the film with Dariusz
Jablonski, Producer of the film via Skype.
8:00 PM REG
Wed, April 2
Noon
Thur., April 3
REG
FILL THE VOID
(Lemale et Ha’halal)
FOR A WOMAN (Pour Une Femme)
In this complex tale about a Hassidic
family in Tel Aviv, we see a sympathetic
portrait of an insulated culture. Eighteenyear-old Shira, the youngest daughter of
the family, is about to be married off to
a promising young man of the same age
and background. On Purim, her twentyeight-year-old sister, Esther, dies while
giving birth to her first child, leaving her
husband, Yochay, to care for the baby. The
pain and grief that overwhelm the family
postpone Shira’s promised match. An offer
of marriage is proposed to the widower,
Yochay, which may take the family’s
only grandchild to another country.
Devastated, Shira’s mother proposes,
instead, a match between Shira and
Yochay. Shira will have to choose between
her heart’s wish and her family duty. “Fill
The Void” has been selected as the Israeli
entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar
at the 85th Academy Awards. Sponsored
by Austin Film Society and supported by
Congregation Tiferet Israel. Q&A following
the film with Maya Anand, Filmmaker via
Skype.
“Period drama revealing secrets about a
family dating back to the post WWII period.”
Director: Rama Burshtein
Israel, 2012, Drama, 90 min.
Hebrew (subtitles)
7:00 PM REG
Sun., March 30
Noon
Mon., March 31
REG
Contains Nudity
LOCATIONS
Contains Violence
(REG) Regal Arbor Cinema 8
9828 Great Hills Trail, Austin
Family Friendly
Special Program following the film
Quotes are from the Selection Committee.
Anne has a very active imagination--only
natural for a writer. But in her mid-thirties,
she still knows practically nothing of her
own family’s past. After her mother’s death,
Anne discovers old photos and letters that
convince her to take a closer look at the
lives of her parents, Michael and Léna. The
young couple met in the concentration
camps during World War II, later moving to
France to start their new life together. Soon,
Anne’s research into her parents’ Jewish
history and their ties to Lyon’s communist
party reveals the existence of a mysterious
uncle, Jean, whom everyone seems intent on
forgetting entirely. As she gradually closes
in on the discovery she didn’t know she was
looking for, her father grows ever more ill;
he may take the secret that kept them apart
for so long to his grave. In a journey that
stretches from post-war France to the 1980s,
Anne’s destiny intertwines with her father’s
past until they form a single, unforgettable
story. Sponsored by Austin Film Society and
supported by Alliance Française d’Austin.
Q&A following the film with Diane Kurys,
Director of the film via Skype.
8:00 PM REG
Noon
REG
Contains Mature Language
Contains Mature Themes
Director: Diane Kurys
France, 2013, Drama, 110 min.
French (subtitles)
(CL) City Lights
420 Wolf Ranch Parkway, Georgetown
Mon., March 31
Tue., April 1
IGOR AND THE CRANE’S
JOURNEY
Director: Evgeny Ruman
Israel, Germany, Poland, 2012
Adventure, Family, 90 min.
Hebrew, Russian (subtitles)
Ever since his parents’ divorce, 11year old Igor cherishes the yearly visits
to his dad, a dedicated ornithologist,
who lives in the Russian countryside
at a crane observation center. On an
especially rewarding trip, Igor gets to
watch the impressive sight of a baby
crane hatching. He names the baby
“Karl.” Back at his mother’s house in
the city, Igor is shocked to learn that
she has decided to move them both to
Israel and start a new life there. Igor
wants to stay home in Russia with his
dad; he becomes very upset when he
realizes that he can’t stay because his
father must travel to complete his
research mission. He is tracking the
cranes on their migration to Africa
and updating a website with regular
blogs about the birds’ progress, with
special reports about the baby crane
Karl. Migration turns out to be a
very challenging experience for both
Igor and Karl. Lonely and unable to
communicate with the other children
in Israel, Igor evolves from an outsider
to a leader to form a close-knit team of
classmate with an amazing plan to help
Karl find a winter home. Supported by
the Austin Jewish Academy.
4:30 PM REG
MARCH 29 APRIL 4
Sun., March 30
“Take the whole mispacha!
A family friendly drama about
bird migration and family
emigration from Russia to Israel.”
C4
| March 2014 | 2014 AJFF GUIDE
Imaginary Witness:
Hollywood And The Holocaust
It Happened in Saint-Tropez
Lunch: The Documentary
IMAGINARY WITNESS:
HOLLYWOOD AND THE HOLOCAUST
IT HAPPENED IN SAINT-TROPEZ
(Des Gens Qui S’Embrassent)
Gene Hackman narrates this provocative
and mostly unknown story which takes a
sixty-year look at the relationship between
Hollywood and the atrocities of Nazi
Germany. Scenes from more than forty
films, rare newsreels, and interviews with
leading scholars and filmmakers depict the
American ambivalence and denial during
the height of Nazism. “Imaginary Witness”
explores the issue of how an industry has
dealt with one of the most horrifying episodes
Bad timing! Zef ’s dear wife dies in an
accident just as Roni, his wealthy brother’s
daughter, is getting married. When the
widower arrives with his late wife’s coffin
right in the middle of the preparations for
the wedding feast, it naturally casts a chill
on the entire simcha and makes the existing
conflicts between the two brothers worse.
The two brothers have diametrically opposed
lives. Their professions, their life choices, and
even their wives couldn’t be more different:
religious austerity on one side, intense
enjoyment of life’s pleasures on the other.
They have nothing in common but their
aging father who’s losing his grip, and their
respective daughters who adore one another.
From London to Paris, New York to Saint
Tropez, showdowns, misunderstandings,
and betrayals all serve to blow up the family
landscape. But out of the rubble of those
arguments and haphazard reconciliations
will blossom a beautiful love story -- or
perhaps even two! Supported by Alliance
Française d’Austin.
Director: Daniel Anker
USA, 2007, Documentary, History, 92 min.
English
“Fascinating and important documentary
for anyone interested in movies. Track
Hollywood’s love/hate relationship with the
Nazis and the Holocaust.”
in modern world history. Hollywood was
initially reluctant to directly condemn Nazi
anti-Semitism, and it wasn’t until years after
the war ended that American filmmakers
began offering a realistic look at Hitler’s “final
solution.” This film asks hard questions about
the uneasy relationship between American
popular culture and the Holocaust, about
the responsibility of filmmakers in their
portrayal of history, and about the power of
film to affect the way we look at ourselves.
Sponsored by Austin Film Society.
9:00 PM REG
Sun., March 30
Director: Danièle Thompson
France, Belgium, 2013, Comedy, Romance
100 min., French (subtitles)
4:30 PM REG
Mon., March 31
“French tragicomedy following
the exploits of a diverse family.”
Nono, The Zigzag Kid
LUNCH: THE DOCUMENTARY
Director: Donna Kanter
USA, 2013, Documentary, Comedy
78 min., English
“See who drops in for the Hollywood
writer group’s regular deli lunch.
Oh, what a cast!”
For the past 40 years, a group of comedy
writers and directors has gathered every
other Wednesday for an invitation-only
ceremonial lunch. The members and their
meeting places have changed occasionally,
but their friendship and humor persist.
As they banter for hours over heaping
portions of matzo balls, burgers, and
corned beef, they swap jokes, ruminate on
their health, and kibitz about their careers.
These are the fabled guys who made
America funny. An ode to the Golden
Age of film and television, this fly-on-thewall comedy feast provides glimpses of
astounding careers that span the eras of
American comedy heritage. “Lunch” is a
testament to natural wit, earned wisdom,
longevity, and fraternal fellowship.
Starring: Sid Caesar, Monty Hall, Arthur
Hiller, Rocky Kalish, Hal Kanter, Arthur
Marx, Gary Owens, John Rappaport, Carl
Reiner, Matty Simmons, and Ben Starr.
Supported by the JCC Seniors Program and
Congregation Havurah Shalom.
2:00 PM CL
Thur., April 3 (Georgetown)
Noon
Fri., April 4
REG
NONO, THE ZIGZAG KID
Director: Vincent Bal
Netherlands, Belgium, UK, Spain,
Fraince, 2012, Adventure, Drama
95 min., Dutch, English and French
(subtitles)
This
action-packed
mystery
chronicles the adventures of Nono,
a wannabe detective, who is once
again dispatched to his uncle’s to be
disciplined two days before his bar
mitzvah. Nono’s father is a famous
police inspector, but Nono can’t
seem to stay out of trouble. Gaby, his
father’s secretary, cherishes Nono and
recognizes his anguish, which comes
from his lack of knowledge about his
mother, who died when he was very
little. On the train to his uncle’s, he
meets an international thief who’s an
old acquaintance of his father’s. They
travel to the French Rivera and enter a
world of disguises and crazy pursuits,
crossing paths with the famous
singer Lola Ciperola and Zohara, a
mysterious woman whose secrets will
forever change Nono’s life. Based on a
novel by David Grossman, this witty
and spirited “Pink Panther”-style
mystery explores the fundamental
questions of good and evil. Supported
by Congregation Beth Israel.
7:00 PM REG
Tue., April 1
Noon
Wed., April 2
REG
“A Dutch Bar Mitzvah kid embarks
on a fantastical adventure to
become the world’s greatest police
inspector, uncovering mysteries
in his own family in the process.”
Visit austinjff.org for festival and ticket information.
March 2014 |
C5
REGAL ARBOR
CINEMA 8
9828 Great Hills Tr.
Austin
Peace After Marriage
CITY LIGHTS
Putzel
Slower Than a Heartbeat
The German Doctor
420 Wolf Ranch Pkwy.
Georgetown
PEACE AFTER MARRIAGE
Director: Bandar Albuliwi and Ghazi Albuliwi
USA, Israel, Jordon, 2013, Comedy, Drama,
Romance, 86 min., English
“Comedy ensues when an Israeli girl
seeking a green card marries a lonely
American Palestinian unlucky in love.”
In this Muslim-Jewish romantic comedy
sprinkled with laugh-out-loud one-liners,
Arafat, a Palestinian-American, stills lives
at home with his parents who are desperate
to marry him off to a Muslim bride. A
horny guy addicted to porn, Arafat starts
attending SCA (Sexual Compulsives
Anonymous) meetings in the city to get
rid of his addiction. Kenny, a single New
Yorker, arrives on the scene and becomes
Arafat’s sponsor during his recovery period.
Following a major embarrassment and
desperate for companionship, Arafat agrees
to Kenny’s idea: since Arafat is American,
why not marry a woman who needs a green
card? Arafat agrees, even after learning that
his bride-to-be, Michaela, is an Israeli. In
“Peace After Marriage,” Arafat and Michaela
are forced to re-examine their respective
cultural and familial traditions. Supported by
Jewish Family Services (JFS).
9:00 PM REG
Tue., April 1
PUTZEL
Director: Jason Chaet
USA, 2012, Comedy, Romance, 89 min.
English
For Walter “Putzel” Himmelstein, life
literally doesn’t go beyond his family’s
fish store and the nearby community: two
and a half square miles--the Upper West
Side of Manhattan. Walter is the heir
apparent to the Himmelstein smoked fish
empire, and he’s having another crisis, so
all is not well at Himmelstein’s House of
Lox. Walter’s aspirations of taking over
his uncle’s smoked fish emporium are
disrupted by the arrival of Sally, who
becomes romantically involved with his
about-to-retire and very-married uncle.
While Uncle Sid lusts after Sally, Walter
senses she might be his ticket to a life
beyond 59th Street. This heartwarming
comedy finds Walter risking everything-including his stake in the family
business--to compete with his uncle for
the affections of Sally. With hers help,
Walter confronts his fears and proves he
is more than a Putzel. Sometimes you
have to cross the street to find true love.
Sponsored by the Austin Film Festival.
Q&A following the film with Rick Moore,
Producer and Writer of the film via Skype.
4:30 PM REG
Tue., April 1
SLOWER THAN A HEARTBEAT
(Yoter Ity Mi’Lev)
Director: Yanai Goz and Yoni Zicholtz
Israel, 2012, Drama, Romance,
90 min., Hebrew (subtitles)
“When a writer needs a hero for
her new novel and seeks out
new people and experiences
to create him, the lines between
fact and fiction blur.”
Lily, a writer, is looking for a hero
for her new novel. Along comes Nino,
a romantic street artist by day and
a peeping tom by night. The perfect
subject, Lily decides to seduce Nino
and turn him into the protagonist of
her book--without his knowing it.
Nino’s close friend Freddy, an ultraorthodox Jew and a gay drag artist,
is Nino’s muse in the same way that
Nino is Lily’s. Lily sees Freddy as a
threat to her manipulation of Nino
and realizes she must make Nino
give him up. The tables begin to turn
on Lily when Nino uncovers her true
motives. For real this time, she finds
herself falling for Nino. Sponsored by
the Austin Film Festival.
9:00 PM REG
THE GERMAN DOCTOR (Wakolda)
Director: Lucía Puenzo
Argentina, France, Spain, Norway, 2013,
Drama, History, Thriller, 93 min.
Spanish, German, Hebrew (subtitles)
This historical drama is based on the
life story of notorious war criminal Josef
Mengele. The thriller follows an Argentinian
family that befriends and entrusts their
young daughter to his care, unaware that he
is among the world’s most wanted men. Set
in 1960, the film depicts Mengele during his
exile in South America. Having adopted a
new identity, he moves into a Patagonian
hotel run by German-speaking Eva and her
husband Enzo, and he becomes particularly
interested in their daughter Lilith. Having
won the family’s trust, Mengele finds a
reawakened interest in human genetic
research. “The German Doctor” is adapted
from Lucía Puenzo’s fifth novel which
traces the years the German SS officer
and Auschwitz physician spent hiding in
South America. Sponsored by Austin Film
Society and supported by Cine las Americas.
Q&A following the film with Lucia Puenzo,
Director of the film via Skype.
7:00 PM REG
Thur., April 3
Thur., April 3
“Based on a true story, this chilling drama
tracks the intersection of a Nazi Doctor,
an Israeli secret agent, and a growing
Argentinian family in 1960s Patagonia.”
Contains Mature Language
Contains Mature Themes
Contains Nudity
Contains Violence
Family Friendly
Special Program following the film
Quotes are from the Selection Committee.
Austin Jewish Film Festival 2014 Committee Members
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
David Goldblatt, AJFF Co-Director
Cindy Pinto, AJFF Co-Director
Wendy Corn, JCAA liaison to the AJFF
David Finkel
Mocha Jean Herrup
David Pinto
Sandy Sack
AUXILIARY COMMITTEE
Sharon Swedlow
Maureen Florence Walker
Cynthia Winer
Joe Winer
Beverly Scarborough Yahiel
Sara Blatt
Judy Cassorla
Sandra Freed
Alon Pdut
Fai Lee Steinberg
C6
| March 2014 | 2014 AJFF GUIDE
REGAL ARBOR
CINEMA 8
The Sturgeon Queens
The Wonders
Under The Same Sun
When Comedy Went To School
9828 Great Hills Tr.
Austin
CITY LIGHTS
420 Wolf Ranch Pkwy.
Georgetown
THE STURGEON QUEENS
Director: Julie Cohen
USA, 2013, Documentary, Comedy
45 min., English
Joel Russ arrived in America in 1907 and
started a business to cater to the throngs
of Jewish immigrants settling in the Lower
East Side of New York City. He began
by schlepping Polish Mushrooms on his
shoulders to support his family. Soon Russ
expanded his operation and sold pickled
herring and Polish Mushrooms from a
pushcart. In 1914, J Russ International
Appetizers opened around the corner from
its current location on Houston Street, thus
beginning the New York institution Russ and
Daughters. Four generations later the family
lox and herring emporium survives and
thrives. Produced to coincide with the 100th
anniversary of the store, this documentary
features an extensive interview with two of
the original daughters for whom the store
was named, now 100 and 92 years old, and
interviews with prominent enthusiasts (Ruth
Bader Ginsburg, Calvin Trillin, and Morley
Safer). Rather than a conventional narrator,
the longtime fans of the store, in their 80s
and 90s, sit around a table of fish reading
the script in the style of a Passover Seder.
Supported by the JCC Seniors Program and
Congregation Havurah Shalom.
2:00 PM CL
Thur., April 3 (Georgetown)
Noon
Fri., April 4
REG
THE WONDERS
Director: Avi Nesher
Israel, 2012, Mystery, 112 min., Hebrew
(subtitles)
Followers believe Rabbi Knafo to be a
modern-day prophet with a direct line to God
that allows him to foresee the future--but he
is missing! Knafo suddenly turns up in an
abandoned Jerusalem apartment, the captive
of sinister ultra-Orthodox thugs. Although
the rabbi is clearly in a repentant mode, his
captors beat and starve him while trying
to extract a written confession with which
they can use to blackmail him. Meanwhile,
menacing private detective Jacob Gittes
monitors Knafo’s plight. Gittes is working on
behalf of Knafo’s sister-in-law who has some
secrets of her own. When Gittes requests the
assistance of a graffiti artist who lives in an
apartment across from where Knafo is being
held, complications ensue as loyalties shift
and revelations surface. “The Wonders” takes
us on a journey to the heart of Jerusalem for
a complex look at both the light and darkness
of the city. Supported by Congregations Agudas
Achim, Beth El, Kol Halev, Shir Ami and Temple
Beth Shalom. Q&A following the film with Avi
Nesher, Director of the film via Skype.
8:30 PM REG
Sat., March 29
“An artist runs across henchmen,
a private investigator, and a
beautiful woman, all seemingly in pursuit
of a disappeared mystic Rabbi.
What’s going on?”
UNDER THE SAME SUN
Director: Sameh Zoabi
Israel, Palestine, USA, 2013, Drama, History
75 min., Arabic, Hebrew, English
(subtitles)
“What if an important Palestinian
Israeli cooperative energy project
could drive Middle East politics
instead of the other way around?”
The AJFF selection committee chose this
film to present on Shabbat as a learning
opportunity for the community. The film
is set in the near future and looks back at
the story of two businessmen (Shaul and
Nizar)--one Israeli and one Palestinian-a story of how peace was made in 2013
between Israel and Palestine. Both men
struggle to set up a solar energy company
and come from societies where there is
strong opposition to cooperating with
the other. Shaul and Nizar eventually
overcome the hostility from their own
families and from the people around
them. By mounting a Facebook campaign
that brings popular support both to their
joint venture and to the peace process
and ultimately changes the political map.
The film was produced by Amir Harel,
an Academy Award-nominated Israeli
producer, and directed by Sameh Zoabi, a
leading Palestinian film-maker. Sponsored
by J Street. Q&A following the film with
Sameh Zoabi Director of the film. Add
Rabbi Kerry Baker, as the moderator:
waiting for his correct title from David G..
6:00 PM REG
Sun., March 29
WHEN COMEDY WENT
TO SCHOOL
Director: Mevlut Akkaya and Ron Frank
USA, 2013, Documentary, Comedy
83 min., English
This documentary features the
Catskill resort comedians and the
comedy laboratory known as the
Borsht Belt, where Jewish immigrants
transformed lush farmland into the
20th century’s largest resort complex.
Modern stand-up comedy began in
the Catskill Mountains--a boot camp
for the greatest generation of JewishAmerican Comedians. Viewers are
given a glimpse of a vanished era of
Jewish life and American comedy,
where future legends earned their
comedy bones. Jerry Lewis, Sid Caesar,
Jackie Mason, Mort Sahl, and Jerry
Stiller make appearances, telling jokes,
telling their stories, and helping to
answer the question: Why are there so
many Jewish comedians? The Catskill
hotels and bungalow colonies provided
the setting for a remarkable group of
young Jewish-American comedians to
hone their craft and become worldwide
legends. “When Comedy Went to
School” is hilariously funny, saucy and
delightfully nostalgic.
2:30 PM REG
Sun., March 30
Visit austinjff.org for festival and ticket information.
Thur., April 3
SHORTS
4:30 PM REG
SATURDAY,
MARCH 29
COMMUNITY DAY
SUNDAY,
MARCH 30
FAMILY DAY
MONDAY,
MARCH 31
FRENCH DAY
TUESDAY,
APRIL 1
BROTHERHOOD
DAY
WEDNESDAY,
APRIL 2
INTERNATIONAL
JEWISH FILM DAY
THURSDAY,
APRIL 3
INTERNATIONAL
JEWISH FILM DAY
FRIDAY,
APRIL 4
PADDLE-BALL (Matka)
Outside a small house surrounded by high mountains, a little girl named Lali happily
plays outside. The autumn and the blowing wind bring along death. Lali, curious and
innocent, finds herself grappling with the death of the grandmother she loved.
“Touching stop-motion animated short about a girl dealing
with the passing of her grandmother.”
First place winner of the 2012 Israeli Documentary Challenge, this fast-paced film takes
a tongue-in-cheek view of the popular Israeli sport including satirical commentary and
impromptu footage of master paddle craftsman Amnon Nissin and his paddle-ball museum.
“Love it or hate it, paddle ball is a fixture of the Tel Aviv beach scene.”
ARCADIA
Director: Joe Mari
Canada, USA, 2012, Short, 10 min., English
Director: Jesse Moritz
USA, 2013, Short Documentary, 7 min., English
This photo narrative, a student film, tells the story of a young women discovering
the beauty of the oceans, forests and brightly lit skies. She is completely alone but not
lonely as she struggles with the murder of her mother. Leaving her abusive home, she
hopes for a better life in a better place.
“Unusual short presentation made by a former Jewish Austinite.”
DON’T TELL SANTA YOU’RE JEWISH
Director: Jody Kramer
Canada, 2011, Animated Short, 4 min., English
In this brightly animated short addressing the anxiety of not fitting in, a sevenyear-old girl sits on Santa’s knee at her hockey league’s Christmas party. She wants a
present and is encouraged by her mom to pretend she’s not Jewish. That’s the catch-she’s got to remember NOT to tell him she’s Jewish!
“Animated not-fitting-in and coming-of-age tale.”
EVAN KAUFMANN: FATHER’S LAND
Director: Robert Labay
Israel, 2013, Short Documentary, 9 min., English
An American Jew and grandson of Holocaust survivors, Evan Kaufmann moved to
Germany to play hockey and ultimately secured a spot on the national team. This finely
drawn short utilizes both archival photos and family interviews to address the conflicts
felt by a young man keenly aware of his heritage but intent on embracing the future.
“What happens when a hockey player returns to the
country that persecuted his grandparents?”
FIVE MORE MINUTES
Director: Tom Yaniv
Israel, 2013, Short, 2 min., Hebrew (with subtitles)
In this animated short, a child’s imagination carries the audience on a journey of
castles, the ocean depths, and outer space as the girl grabs five more minutes on a sw
ing.
“See inside a child’s colorful imagination.”
GEFILTE FISH
Director: Shelly Kling
Israel, 2008, Short, 10 min., English
Contains Mature Themes
Contains Nudity
Contains Violence
Family Friendly
Special Program following the film
Quotes are from the Selection Committee.
Director: Avi Balkin
Israel, 2012, Short Documentary, 7 min., Hebrew (with subtitles)
PIZZA BAGEL
The saga begins when a traditional Italian man offers to make a kosher dinner for
his son’s Jewish girlfriend and her mother. Reality TV in the best comedic style, Pizza
Bagel has fun with the vagaries of ethic cooking, not to mention intercultural dating
and competitive soccer.
“TItalian and Jewish cultures collide in a mash-up.”
TAXI
Director: Roy Del Ruth
USA, 1932, Clip, 1 min., English
In this scene from TAXI! (1932), a Jewish man in New York City can’t figure out why the
policeman doesn’t understand him. The confused cop (Robert Emmett O’Connor) must deal
with this agitated Jewish man speaking only Yiddish. The man needs to go to Ellis Island to
pick up his wife and three children coming from Russia and is trying to make himself seem
important by saying he has a brother who pulls out teeth: a dentist. To the rescue--and what
a surprise-- the taxi driver (James Cagney) understands him and speaks Yiddish!
“This 1932 black and white movie clip shows
James Cagney could act in Yiddish. Go figure!”
THE BASKETBALL GAME
Director: Hart Snider
Canada, 2012, Animated Short, 5 min., English
Nine year old Hart is attending a Canadian Jewish summer camp when he learns
that he and his fellow campers will be participating in a basketball game with the
former students of a notorious local anti-Semite. Based on a true incident, the film
follows a Canadian boy’s first experience with facing his fears and finding common
ground with people whose views are radically different from his own.
“A match between the Jewish camp kids and students of a
Holocaust denier. Is there any hope?.”
THE DEVOTION PROJECT: LISTEN FROM THE HEART
Director: Anthony Osso
USA, 2012, Short Documentary, 10 min., English
This documentary portrait of a special family traces the relationship of Laura Fitch
and Jaime Jenett in Oakland, California. The story begins with their initial meeting and
love affair, through the birth of their child--a boy with a heart condition who enriches
their lives in ways they could never have imagined.
“Portrait of a modern same sex family.”
Gali’s family has a long-lasting tradition. Every woman, engaged to be married, has
to prepare gefilte fish for the wedding party as a virtue for the success of the marriage.
Gali, who is engaged to Yaron, has received from her mother and grandmother a living
carp to be cooked. But, oh dear, the poor creature seems human in her eyes, practically
begging for its life. Gali is torn between the pity she feels towards the fish and the
need to abide by her family tradition. Supported by the JCC Seniors Program and
Congregation Havurah Shalom.
“Generations of pre-wedding family tradition put a
young bride in a tough situation.”
Yael (Debbie Levin), a young woman eager to promote her film, follows Mr. Grossman
(Moni Moshonov) a prestigious producer into a parking garage and engages him in a
Samurai sword match. Although skeptical at first, the producer is won over by the
originality of her “pitch.”
“Dramatic and funny short that breaks the rules about breaking the rules.”
NYOSHA
UNTIL WE’LL FIND A PLACE
Based on the true story of Holocaust survivor Nomi Kapel, Nyosha is the heart-wrenching
adventures of a ten year old girl who dreams of buying a pair of shoes to protect her during
the dark days of Nazi occupation. A range of illustrations and animation techniques meld
together stories of Nyosha’s dreams and her day-to-day life.
“Beautifully animated depiction of a Holocaust survivor’s tale.”
This provocative piece utilizes the theme of musical chairs to chronicle the phases
of life from early childhood to the grave. A compelling and poignant viewing of life and
its seasons.
“Sometimes the winner is really the loser.”
Directors: Yael Dekel and Liran Kapel
Israel, 2012, Short Animated, 13 min., Hebrew (with subtitles)
Contains Mature Language
C7
A THING SO SMALL
Director: Mizmor Watzman
Israel, USA, 2013, Animated Short, 9 min., No Dialogue
GOOD THINGS COME IN
SMALL PACKAGES:
A PROGRAM of SHORTS
March 2014 |
THE PITCH
Director: Mysh (Michael Rozanov)
Israel, 2013, Short Documentary, 7 min., Hebrew (with subtitles)
Director: Renana Kol
Israel, 2013, Animated Short, 3 min., Hebrew (with subtitles)
WHY MOSES HIT THE ROCK
Director: Hart Snider
Canada, 2012, Animated Short, 5 min., English
“Not that I’m complaining”…..The Jews who wandered the desert were no different
than your average Florida retiree. With all the kvetching, can you blame Moses for
hitting the rock?
“Enjoyable comic gag.”
C8
| March 2014 | 2014 AJFF GUIDE
BECOME A “MOVIE GOER” SPONSOR
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Flex Pass (valued at $60) and an invitation to the opening “Reel Reception.”
Check out our website at austinjff.org to become a sponsor.
2014 AUSTIN JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL SPONSORS
Patrons of the Austin Jewish Film Festival whose financial backing assists in underwriting the cost of the festival.
MOVIE LOVERS $180
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CASTING DIRECTORS $1800
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EPSTEIN
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SCREENWRITERS $1000
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FILM FANS $360
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MOVIE GOERS $100
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PINTO
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NEWBERG
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WINKELMAN
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MICHAEL B. KENTOR
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