november 7-21 - Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival

Transcription

FALL
FEST
DIRECTORY OF FILMS AND EVENTS
NOVEMBER
7-21
YEARS
35
| 11
TO LIFE
THANK YOU
TO OUR FALL
FESTIVAL
SPONSORS:
LEONARD AND MADLYN ABRAMSON,
PHYLLIS AND HOWARD FISCHER,
NADINE LIEZ-WEINER AND BART WEINER
35
YEARS
THE GERSHMAN Y
PRESENTS THE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
From The Chair, Phyllis Fischer
1
The Great Debate: What Could be More Jewish? 2
PJFF 35 Sponsors 4
PJFF 35 Supporters
5
Pre-Fest 6
Tickets & Passes
10
Seating Information
11
Fall Fest Program 12
Fall Fest Calendar 34
Venues 36
PJFF Committees
37
PJFF Sponsor and Community Ads
38
YEARS
35
THE 35th PHILADELPHIA
JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL
NOVEMBER 7Ð21, 2015
THE OUTRAGEOUS SOPHIE TUCKER
FROM THE CHAIR | Phyllis Fischer
Dear Friends,
Welcome to the 35th Anniversary Season of The Gershman YÕs Philadelphia Jewish
Film Festival! Thank you for joining us in celebration of this special year. This fall, we are
proud to present to you a smorgasbord of 24 feature films from nine countries Ñ we have
something to please everyoneÕs cinematic palate, from historic docudrama to sci-fi thriller.
The aim of the PJFF is to use the magnificent medium of film as a vehicle for perpetuating
Jewish values, identity, culture, and community. Each of the films presented in our lineup
accomplishes that mission in its own way, as you will see when you view them. You will
witness those fighting for social justice, enduring the Holocaust, dramatizing the shtetl,
eating deli, doing a mitzvah, belt out a song, baking a challah, uniting Palestinians and
Jews, telling a story, falling in love, drawing cartoons, forging friendships, building a
business, performing surgery, challenging the law, making music, and much more.
A festival such as ours, the second one established in the nation and one of the largest
Jewish film festivals in the US, does not happen by itself. We are very fortunate to have
the brilliance and creativity of Olivia Antsis as our PJFF Director, supported by the entire
Gershman Y staff, led by Maxine Gaiber. As Artistic Chair, Dr. Iris Drechsler co-leads (along
with Olivia) our remarkable Screening Committee, which previews hundreds of films to find
just the right ones for our Philadelphia audience. Our PJFF Committee works steadfastly
to develop our audience and our support in the community. And our volunteers and
remarkable young interns form a dedicated corps of people who also lend their valuable
time and energy to help us accomplish our mission.
Hats off to all of our Sponsors, Supporters, Advertisers, and Contributors who have helped
make this season possible! And a special thanks to PJFF Co-Founders Judy Golden and the
late great Archie Perlmutter for creating this festival for all of us to enjoy.
Meet you at the movies,
Phyllis
PJFF.ORG
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215-545-4400
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THE GREAT DEBATE: WHAT COULD BE MORE JEWISH?
ÒWhy did you show this film?Ó the occasional film festival attendee asks. In recent
years the question Ñ once a matter of aesthetic taste Ñ has grown into a more
ideological inquiry.
Jewish Americans pride themselves on their commitment to American values, critical
thinking, and love of learning. We value the arts and the free expression of ideas
that are essential for a truly democratic society. Yet, when confronted with sensitive
issues like nationhood, political loyalty, or religious ideology, the upholding of these
values can prove challenging. As a Jewish film festival screening committee, we are
accustomed to viewing films that give us pause, leading us to ask ourselves the very
same question: Why should we show this film?Ó
Thankfully, such difficult choices are few and far between. In many screening
committee meetings, we are of one mind regarding the merit of including a
particular film. We think about all of you, the members of our loyal audience, and
are confident that celebratory and poignant films like last seasonÕs THE STURGEON
QUEENS or ABOVE AND BEYOND will have you leaving our theaters satisfied and
entertained. Nevertheless, each season there are a few films that demand more of
us; these films we discuss a little longer, debate a little harder, and examine a little
more closely. We are reminded of the challenges we face as a screening committee
to curate a Festival that not only shines light on the life-affirming and inspirational
stories enduring in our midst but also the stories that add dimension and nuance to
our greater understanding of Jewish life around the world.
But how do we distinguish between films that enlighten us to the world outside
our own experience from films that cross a line into condemnation? Consider a film
that depicts an Orthodox Jewish community as uniformly intolerant: coming from
a non-Jewish director, one would perhaps rightfully declare the film anti-Semitic,
but what if the director were raised in an orthodox family and based the film on his
own experiences? Or consider a film that is funded by the State of IsraelÕs cultural
ministry yet is critical of ethnic relations between Jews and Arabs in Israel: is such
a delicate subject only suitable for an Israeli audience or are American audiences
ready to be exposed to the warts-and-all treatment of the difficult issues facing
Israel today? PJFFÕs screening committee wrestles with many stories like these in the
course of paring down dozens and dozens of films to the final selection chosen for
presentation at the Festival.
One thing we always agree on is that it is important to include films that
encourage further contemplation and dialogue.
This season, we came across a film that brings attention to important public policies
regarding the boundaries of artistic expression. In Germany today, the restriction
of Nazi-era propaganda films has led to a debate about public access: can nonhistorians Ñ the general German public Ñ view these films critically? Will wider
access to Nazi-era propaganda films spark forbidden nationalist fires in certain
viewing circles? This yearÕs fascinating FORBIDDEN FILMS Ñ which addresses
this very issueÑchallenges the audience, as well as the German public, to consider
the relationship between film and sentiment, art and ideology, viewership and
citizenship.
2 |
FOR TICKETS AND FULL LINEUP OF SPEAKERS AND SPECIAL GUESTS, PLEASE VISIT PJFF.ORG.
PROJECTIONS OF AMERICA
Our Pre-Fest opening night film, SABENA HIJACKING Ð MY VERSION, while seeking
to document the events surrounding the Black September hijacking of the Belgian
airline in 1972, also gives the hijackers, Palestinian terrorists, an opportunity to
air their grievances. While the film is designed for Israeli viewers, we believe our
audience will be able to respond critically to the assertions made by the hijackers
and challenge any legitimacy to their claims. The film, which has been nominated for
an Academy Award in Israel, has been lauded for its powerful depiction of one of the
most daring rescue missions in IDF history.
SOFT VENGEANCE: ALBIE SACHS AND THE NEW SOUTH AFRICA, the powerful
documentary we selected to close out our fall season, narrates one of the most
fascinating figures to emerge from the epic struggle against apartheid in South
Africa. As our Tikkun Olam Award Winner, Sachs has demonstrated incredible
perseverance and resilience throughout apartheid South AfricaÕs most turbulent
periods. Never allowing controversy to dim his commitment to upholding the ideals
of freedom and equality, never wavering from his beliefs despite their unpopularity
or the personal sacrifices involved, Sachs will be honored as much for his achievements
as for his courage.
Another no brainer for the screening committee is the inclusion of films that make
us laugh and feel good, leading us to the next question we often hear: ÒIs this film
Jewish enough?Ó
Each season we program a few films that contain very little explicit ÒJewishÓ content,
yet are pervasively Jewish Ñ populated by Jewish characters, culture, and spirit. You
may wish to place our Centerpiece selection, VERY SEMI-SERIOUS, in this Jewish
grey area, but we dare you to think of something more ÒJewishÓ than spending the
evening with Roz Chast, one of our nationÕs greatest cartoonists, and gaining a sneak
peek into the wiseacres behind the cartoons of The New Yorker. Do non-observant
Jews have a role to play in our celebration of Jewish culture? Certainly.
Our goal as a Jewish film festival is to go beyond the celebration of all things Jewish
and characterizations that only paint Jews as heroes. Film, at its best, should
question our assumptions about the world and challenge our notions about human
behavior and the meaning of our lives together. As long as our film selections keep
inspiring dialogue, compassion, and understanding, we feel we can contribute to the
rich tapestry of the Jewish experience.
The PJFF Screening Committee is composed of members with diverse backgrounds
and perspectives. When a film inspires healthy debate among our group, we step
back and take this as a good sign that our audience will also have much to consider
once leaving the theater. In this, our 35th Anniversary Season, we hope that the 24
feature films chosen for Pre-Fest and the Festival, as well as the numerous talkbacks,
panels, and receptions, offer all of you ample opportunities to dialogue, debate, and
even disagree Ñ what could be more Jewish?
Ñ A message from the PJFF Screening Committee
PJFF.ORG
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PJFF 35 SPONSORS / SUPPORTERS
FESTIVAL SPONSORS
Leonard and Madlyn Abramson
Phyllis and Howard Fischer
Nadine Liez-Weiner and Bart Weiner
LEAD SPONSORS
An Anonymous Fund of
The Philadelphia Foundation
Elaine, Frank, and Alan Lindy in
memory of Annabel and Phil Lindy
National Museum of American
Jewish History
Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer and
Joseph Neubauer
Seed The Dream Foundation
Constance Smukler
PREMIER SPONSORS
Nancy and David Colman
CRW Graphics
Djerassi Foundation
Steve and Betsy Filton
Jane and Joe Goldblum
The Independence Foundation
Kristin and Michael Karp
The Carole Landis Foundation
for Social Action
Elaine Lindy
Amy and Richard Oller
FILM SPONSORS
Susanna Lachs Adler and Dean Adler
Anonymous Donation in
honor of Judy Golden
Harold Berger
Mickey and Barbara Black
The Louis D. Brandeis Law Society
Center City Film and Video, Helen
and Jordan Schwartz
Harris and Debra Devor
Lee Ducat
Glenmede
Lynne and Harold Honickman
Seth and Ellyn Lehr
Harriet Potashnick and Marshall Levine
Dr. Marcia Sachs Littell
Judy and Bud Newman
Howard and Janet Pack
Ruth Perlmutter in memory
of Archie Perlmutter
David and Helen Pudlin
Schlesingers Delicatessen and
Restaurant & Allan Domb Real Estate
Pam and Tony Schneider
Jan Felman and Harvey Schwartz
4 |
Nancy and Benjamin Shein
Sterling Trustees LLC (Principals
Stanley and Antony Joffe)
Nancy and Stuart Weiss
Renee and Joe Zuritsky &
Parkway Corporation
PRODUCERS
Marvin E. Black
Wayne and Sheree Bloch
Bolden Lipkin PC
Iris and Shlomo Drechsler
Debbie and Bob Fleischman
Flyers Charities
Bob Gelsher
Arlene Halpern and Jim Cooper
Marjorie and Jeff Honickman
Barbara and Bobby Lewis
Susan and David Lipson
Caryn and Jon Liss
Mary Lee Matzkin
Susan and Jim Meyer
Beth and Richard Probinsky
Lyn Ross from the Ross Family Fund
Ronald Rubin
The Sherrie R. Savett Foundation
Ellen Schwartz and Jeremy Siegel
DIRECTORS
William and Nina Albert Foundation
Anonymous
Frances Freedman Blum
Cathy Seller, Brinker Simpson & Co., LLC
Arlene Goldman and Michael Broder
The Brownstein Group
Alan and Debbie Casnoff
Michael and Ellen Singer Coleman
Dr. Marilyn Weisberg Deutsch
Judy and Joel Golden
Robyn and Michael Hirsch
Edward and Susan Hoffman
Julie and Richard Jaffe
Jan and Alan Kanoff
Bebe and Jay Kivitz
Susan and Leonard Klehr
Sandra Kuby
Rosalind and Roy Neff
Lisa Heller and Harry Roth
Alan Sandman
Rebecca and Ed Schulman
Larry and Ann Rosen Spector
Bettyruth Walter, Ph.D.
PJFF 35 SUPPORTERS
ACTORS
Lynda Barness
Penni and Mark Blaskey
Joan Brandeis
Merrill Brotman
Barbara Carocci
Jacob Cohen and Sarah Waxman
Dr. Mark and Lynne Cooper
Julie Curson
Sally and Stewart Eisenberg
Albert and Rosa Esquenazi
Debra Felman
Judith Finkel
Sarita Russ Gocial
Rosalie Goldberg
Jane and Allan Greenspan
Bertram and Adele Aron Greenspun
Jeffrey Greenstein and Iris Gold
Judith Golden and Robert Handler
Mary and Stuart Kahn
Donald R. Kardon
Robin H. Lebow
Ellen Berman Lee
Ruthie Levikoff
Lynn and Joe Manko
Toby Meyer
Rachael and Moshe Porat
Eva Ray
Linda Richardson
Sue and Hal Rosenthal
Bernard and Harriet Rothman
Francyn Elion Sacks
Eric and Marcia Bronstein Salmansohn
Mimi Schneirov
Susie and Mark Schultz
Rita D. Siegle
Barbara Oaks Silver and
Edward W. Silver
Marjorie and Howard Silverman
Mina Smith-Segal
Joan Specter
Sharon Spinrad
Sandy and Paul Steinfield
Joan Tishgart
Jan L. Weinstock
Donor list as of 8-21-15
MAJOR DONORS TO THE
GERSHMAN Y AND PJFF 35
The Joseph and Marie Field Fund
Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation
Elaine Gershman Levitt
Pennsylvania Council on the Arts
Philadelphia Cultural Fund
PJFF 35 EDUCATION FUND DONORS
Djerassi Foundation
Steve and Betsy Filton
Howard and Janet Pack
Bettyruth Walter, Ph.D.
Nancy and Stuart Weiss in memory
of Marcia Wilensky, beloved
Mother of Mary Kahn
PJFF 35 DONORS
Anonymous
Suzanne and Norman Cohn
Debra Malinics and Bernard Fetchko
Lisa Kasser and Robert W. Freedman
Arlene Goldman
Hon. Anne Lazarus and Mitchell Klevan
Shelley and David Lerman
Maxwell Strawbridge Charitable Trust
Ilene and Joseph McCaffrey
Steven and Rochelle Nisenfeld
Jayne Perilstein
Caro and Robert Rock
Aileen and Melvyn Rothbard
Andrew and Bryna Scott
Leslie Seitchik
Beth and Mike Shor
SaraKay and Stanton Smullens
Andrea Snyder
Sharon Spinrad in memory of
Marcia Wilensky, beloved Mother
of Mary Kahn
Marlyn Vogel
PJFF.ORG
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PRE-FEST: OCTOBER 10,11 & 12
SABENA HIJACKING-MY VERSION | SAT, OCT. 10 | 7:30 PM | THE GERSHMAN Y
DIRECTOR: Rani SaÕar
GENRE: Docudrama
COUNTRY: Israel
YEAR: 2014
RUNNING TIME: 100 min
LANGUAGE: Hebrew with
English subtitles
SUBJECTS: Black September,
courage, hijacking, hostages, Israeli
security, Palestinian-Israeli conflict,
rescue, terrorism
FOR FANS OF: Air Force One,
Executive Decision, Flight, Munich,
Operation Thunderbolt, United 93
6 |
Recounting the dramatic events of May 8, 1972,
SABENA HIJACKING Ð MY VERSION is the true
story of the hijacking of the Vienna-to-Tel Aviv
Sabena flight 571 by four armed Palestinian
ÒBlack SeptemberÓ terrorists (the same terrorist
group that would go on to massacre eleven Israeli
Olympic team members and one German police
officer four months later in Munich). For thirty
nerve-wracking hours, the passengers and crew
of Sabena 571 were held hostage in their seats,
threatened to be blown to pieces if Israel refused
LOST over
TOWN
to cooperate with demands to release
300
Palestinian prisoners. Based on Sabena pilot
Reginald LevyÕs first-person account as well as
the testimony of several passengers who survived
the harrowing ordeal, SABENA HIJACKING Ð
MY VERSION presents a compelling cinematic
reenactment of the events, weaving genuine
archival material and exclusive interviews with
three revered Israeli political leaders who were
in charge of the rescue effort. Suspenseful and
riveting, this fast-paced docudrama is a finalist for
the 2015 Ophir Awards (Israeli Academy Awards).
PJFF PRE-FEST
BRUNDIBAR REVISITED | SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11 | 1 PM | TEMPLE SINAI
The childrenÕs opera Brundibar was performed over 50 times between 1943 and 1944 by
Jewish children in the Theresienstadt concentration camp. An allegory of the struggle
against evil, these performances were exploited as propaganda by the Nazis. Later, most
of these children were sent to Auschwitz and Treblinka.
DIRECTOR: Douglas Wolfsperger
GENRE: Documentary
COUNTRY: Germany, Czech Republic
YEAR: 2014
LANGUAGE: German with
English subtitles
SUBJECTS: Advocacy, Brundibar
opera, compassion, education,
German society, German teenagers,
Holocaust, Jewish history, theater,
understanding
FOR FANS OF: Brundibar opera,
documentary, German culture,
Holocaust cinema, theater as a
vehicle for healing
BRUNDIBAR REVISITED is the touching story of
Hans KsaÕs famous opera as reinterpreted by the
contemporary Berlin-based youth theater group,
Die Zwiefachen. Kids of various ages and ethnic
backgrounds, living on the fringes of society,
make up this ragtag group of amateur actors.
While rehearsing Brundibar, they are confronted,
many for the first time, with the legacy of Nazi
Germany. Interviewed about what it means to be
a young 21st century German in a country with
such a complex and tumultuous past, they are
encouraged to explore their feelings even further
after spending time with the charismatic Greta
Klingsberg, a Holocaust survivor who had been
cast as the lead actor in the original production of
Brundibar decades earlier. BRUNDIBAR REVISITED
exemplifies the notion that Òwe must never forgetÓ
and demonstrates how important it is to document
the experience of survivors while they are still
among us.
PJFF.ORG
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215-545-4400
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PJFF PRE-FEST
TO LIFE! AUF DAS LEBEN! | SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11 | 7:30 PM
CONGREGATION BETH OR
DIRECTOR: Uwe Janson
GENRE: Narrative
COUNTRY: Germany
YEAR: 2014
English subtitles
SUBJECTS: Cabaret, depression,
friendship, Germany, Holocaust
memories, illness, recovery,
relationships, therapy
FOR FANS OF: German cinema,
German-Jewish history, Harold and
Maude, love stories, stories about
odd couples
8 |
Uwe JansonÕs AUF DAS LEBEN! introduces us
to the evocative and complex Ruth Weintraub
(Hannelore Elsner), a retired Yiddish cabaret singer
who repairs musical instruments for a living. Upon
being evicted from her longtime apartment and
forced into a retirement complex, Ruth meets Johan
(Max Riemelt), a young German laborer on the run,
who is tasked with moving her possessions. Bearing
a strong resemblance to someone Ruth used to
know, Johan brings back vivid memories for Ruth,
memories that are still painful to recall. In turn, there
is something about Ruth that intrigues Johan and
piques his curiosity. After an incident which could
have ended very badly for Ruth if not for JohanÕs
intervention, the two develop a powerful bond that
gradually changes the way both see their future.
With intensely moving renditions of Jewish music
classics that have been re-recorded and newly
interpreted for this film, AUF DAS LEBEN is an
emotional powerhouse that will grip viewers even
after leaving the theater.
PJFF PRE-FEST
PJFF FILM POSTER EXHIBITION | MONDAY, OCTOBER 12 | 5:30 - 7 PM
THE GERSHMAN Y | 3RD FLOOR (IN FOYER LEADING TO AUDITORIUM)
FREE EVENT
Kathleen (Kit) Kazmier is a senior Illustration major at Moore College of Art.
As part of her 2015 summer internship at the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival, this talented
graphic artist was tasked with designing two dozen film poster illustrations to promote the
films shown at this season's Festival. In order to conceptualize each poster's illustration,
Kit not only had to watch and take notes on each of the films, but sketch preliminary ideas
so that she and the Director of the Festival could determine what direction would best
communicate the message of the film.
IMBERÕS LEFT HAND | MONDAY, OCTOBER 12 | 7:30 PM | GERSHMAN Y
DIRECTOR/WRITER: Richard
Goldgewicht, Jeremy Goldscheider
GENRE: Documentary Feature
COUNTRY: USA
YEAR: 2012
LANGUAGE: English
SUBJECTS: ALS, art as therapy, art
education, family, friendship, illness,
Jon Imber, painting, relationship,
the will to live
FOR FANS OF: Art documentaries,
biopics, films depicting the artistic
process, Jon Imber, inspirational
movies, inspirational people, painting
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
Documenting
the final months of a Jewish painter stricken with
ALS, IMBERÕS LEFT HAND follows Jon Imber as he
refuses to give up what he loves regardless of his
physical limitations. When he loses use of his right
hand, he begins to paint with his left. As the left
starts to go, he uses both hands held at his waist as
the degenerative condition progresses. Surrounded
by loved ones and refusing to give up, Imber paints
over 100 illustrative portraits of friends and family
over several months, all the while keeping his wits
and wicked sense of humor about him. DonÕt miss
this deeply moving and inspirational documentary
that took home the Audience Award at the Boston
Jewish Film Festival this past season.
PJFF Film Poster Exhibition and IMBERÕS
LEFT HAND are presented in conjunction with
DESIGNPHILADELPHIA, a festival dedicated to
demonstrating PhiladelphiaÕs re-emergence as a
21st century city shaped by design, technology, and
collaborative business practices.
PJFF.ORG
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TICKETS & PASSES
PRE-FEST FILMS | OCT. 10, 11 & 12
$35 PRE-FEST PASS
Includes admission to all four films
$10 General Admission (no discounts)
FESTIVAL PASSES | NOVEMBER 7-21
$295 VIP FESTIVAL PASS
(All Access Pass to Festival Films and
special events)
VIP Pass Holders must pre-register at least
24 hours in advance for limited-seating
screenings and limited-seating special
events in order to be guaranteed admission.
No exceptions will be made. All reserved
seats will be held until five minutes after
printed film start time. See next page for
more information.
$195 FESTIVAL PASS
(Includes all Festival Films, plus Opening
Night Film and Spotlight Film)
All other special event tickets must be
purchased separately. Festival Pass Holders
must pre-register at least 24 hours in
advance for limited-seating screenings in
order to be guaranteed admission.
SPECIAL FILMS & EVENTS
NOVEMBER 7, 12, 14, 17, 19 & 21
11/7
$15 OPENING NIGHT FILM: DOUGH
Director John Goldschmidt and star
Jerome Holder in attendance.
11/12
$25 SPECIAL EVENT: DELI MAN
Film & Deli Lunch
11/14
$25 CENTERPIECE EVENT:
A VERY SEMI-SERIOUS EVENING
WITH ROZ CHAST
Screening of VERY SEMI-SERIOUS,
Conversation with Roz Chast,
Q & A, and Book Signing Reception
(Includes post-film reception for any ticket
holder who brings a book or purchases a
book for Roz Chast to sign)
11/17
$25 / $60 SPOTLIGHT FILM:
EAST JERUSALEM / WEST JERUSALEM
with DAVID BROZA
$25 Film & (3-5 song) performance by
David Broza
$55 FIVE-FILM PASS
(Includes only General Admission Films)
$60 Private Pre-Film Cocktail Reception
with David Broza (includes ticket to film)
5-Film Pass Holders must pre-register
at least 24 hours in advance for all
limited-seating screenings in order to be
guaranteed admission.
11/19
$25 SPECIAL EVENT: RED LEAVES
Film & Ethiopian Brunch and Performance
FESTIVAL FILMS | NOVEMBER 7-21
$13 General Admission
$11 Seniors
$7 Students
(Must present a full-time student ID
at box office)
Advance ticket holders must be seated no
later than five minutes after printed film
start time in order to be guaranteed seating.
10 |
11/21
$35 CLOSING NIGHT EVENT: AN EVENING
WITH THE HONORABLE ALBIE SACHS
Screening of SOFT VENGEANCE: ALBIE
SACHS AND THE NEW SOUTH AFRICA,
Tikkun Olam Award Ceremony, Conversation
with Albie Sachs and Director Abby
Ginzberg, Q & A, and Closing Night Party
(Includes film program and one admission
to Closing Night Party)
Tickets for this event must be purchased
through Kimmel Center for Performing Arts
300 South Broad St., Philadelphia
Box office: 215-893-1999
SEATING INFORMATION
LIMITED-SEATING SCREENINGS
PRE-REGISTRATION
11/8
GITEL @ Hiway Theater
Pre-registering for limited-seating PJFF films
and special events is easy! The three ways to
guarantee your seat at limited-seating films
and events are:
11/11
PROJECTIONS OF AMERICA @ National
Museum of American Jewish History
11/11
THE FREE VOICE OF LABOR: THE JEWISH
ANARCHIST @ National Museum of
American Jewish History
11/12
A BLIND HERO: THE LOVE OF OTTO
WEIDT @ Ritz East
11/15
@ National Museum of American Jewish
History
11/15
TO LIFE! @ Reel Cinemas Narberth 2
11/19
NATASHA @ Ritz East
1. Drop by The Gershman Y during Box Office Hours (Monday through Friday,
10 am to 4 pm) and pre-register with a Gershman Y staff member.
2. Call The Gershman Y at 215-545-4400
to pre-register by phone.
3. E-mail your pre-registration to
[email protected] with the following information:
¥ The name of the film for which you
are pre-registering
¥ The name you used to purchase your ticket, pass, supporter level, or sponsorship package.
¥
If you are a Supporter or Sponsor and
you are entitled to two tickets, please indicate whether you will be using one
or both tickets.
LIMITED-SEATING SPECIAL EVENTS
11/12
DELI MAN
Film & Deli Lunch
@ The Gershman Y
11/19
RED LEAVES
Film & Ethiopian Brunch and Performance
@ The Gershman Y
11/21
SOFT VENGEANCE: ALBIE SACHS AND
THE NEW SOUTH AFRICA
@ Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
NEW!
LATE ARRIVAL AND RUSH LINE POLICY
For limited-seating films and limited-seating
special events, all pre-registered ticket and
pass holders will have their seats held until
five minutes after the printed screening
time. At that time, seats will be released
to those waiting in the rush line. PJFF will
accommodate as many people waiting in
the rush line as possible. Rush tickets will
be sold to patrons in order of arrival.
Refunds will only be given if a program is
canceled or in case of documented illness
or injury.
PJFF.ORG
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DOUGH
JEROME HOLDER, SPECIAL GUEST OPENING NIGHT
12 |
FALL FEST OPENING NIGHT
DOUGH
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7 | 7:30 PM | THE GERSHMAN Y
Award-winning actor Jonathan Pryce (Brazil, Evita, Game of Thrones, Glengarry Glen Ross,
Pirates of the Caribbean) stars as an aging Jewish baker desperate to save his century-old
family business from being bought out by a greedy real-estate developer in the British
dramedy DOUGH.
DIRECTOR: John Goldschmidt
GENRE: Narrative
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
YEAR: 2015
LANGUAGE: English
SUBJECTS: Baking, comedy, culture
clash, family, friendship, generational
differences, Jewish traditions,
marijuana, odd couples, romance
FOR FANS OF: Buddy movies, feel
good stories, Smiley Face, St. Vincent
SPONSORED BY: Steve and Betsy
Filton, Glenmede, Elaine Lindy,
Harriet and Larry Weiss/CRW Graphics
SPECIAL GUESTS: Director John
Goldschmidt and star Jerome Holder
in attendance
Recently widowed and misunderstood by his own
family, Nat Dayan (Jonathan Pryce) is trying to
keep his business afloat in LondonÕs East End. With
his best customers dying off, his assistant leaving
to work for his greedy competitor Sam Cotton
(Philip Davis), and his son refusing to take over
the bakery, it is up to Nat to preserve his fatherÕs
legacy. Out of options, Nat reluctantly enlists the
help of his housekeeperÕs teenage son, Ayyash
(Jerome Holder), a Muslim refugee from Darfur.
Ayyash, desperately trying to get himself and his
mother out of poverty, takes the job as a front to
sell cannabis for a tough neighborhood marijuana
dealer (Ian Hart). What happens next is a comedy
of errors that attracts a whole new clientele to
the bakery and changes both NatÕs and AyyashÕs
life forever.
Entertaining and humorous, DOUGH is a
warmhearted story about friendship, overcoming
prejudices, and finding value in the things that
matter most.
Official Selection of Atlanta Jewish Film Festival,
San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, and Toronto
Jewish Film Festival
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THEODORE BIKEL: IN THE SHOES OF
SHOLOM ALEICHEM
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8 | 11 AM | THE GERSHMAN Y
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE THEODORE BIKEL: IN THE SHOES OF SHOLOM ALEICHEM
brings together two beloved Jewish cultural icons in a humorous and performance-laden
celebration of Yiddish song and storytelling. Sholom Aleichem (1859-1916), recognized as
a pioneer of modern Jewish literature and the foremost chronicler of late 19th/early 20th
century Jewish shtetl life, is best known for his ÒTevye the MilkmanÓ short stories. In his
long and varied career, the recently deceased Theodore Bikel (1924-2015) played Tevye on
stage in Fiddler on the Roof more than 2,000 times, was cast in more than 150 screen roles
(including an Oscar-nominated turn in The Defiant Ones), and co-founded the Newport
Folk Festival.
DIRECTOR: John Lollos
GENRE: Documentary
COUNTRY: USA
YEAR: 2014
LANGUAGES: English and Yiddish
with English subtitles
SUBJECTS: Sholom Aleichem,
American Jewish history, Theodore
Bikel, biography, literature, music,
theater, Yiddish culture
FOR FANS OF: Sholom Aleichem,
Theodore Bikel, Broadway, Fiddler on
the Roof, folk music, one-man shows,
Yiddish culture
In this immensely charming documentary narrated
by Emmy Award-winning actor Alan Alda, Bikel
demonstrates why Sholom AleichemÕs tragicomic
stories continue to resonate with modern audiences
through select monologues and songs from his
Yiddish stage show, Sholom Aleichem: Laughter
Through Tears. Audiences will appreciate additional
insight from such notables as Fyvush Finkel, Gilbert
Gottfried, and Doctor Ruth.
Sold out World Premiere at the San Francisco
Jewish Film Festival, Castro Theater (1400 seats)
Official Selection of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival,
Haifa International Film Festival, Warsaw Jewish
Film Festival, and Washington Jewish Film Festival
SPONSORED BY: Harris and Debra
Devor, Lynne and Harold Honickman,
Michael and Kristin Karp, and National
Museum of American Jewish History
14 |
JEWISH SHORTS
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8 | 3 PM | THE GERSHMAN Y
This yearÕs program of comedic and dramatic shorts promises to be our best
yet! Check out our website PJFF.org for a complete list of featured shorts.
GITEL
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8 | 7:30 PM | HIWAY THEATER
DIRECTOR: Robert Mullan
GENRE: Narrative
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
YEAR: 2014
LANGUAGES: Russian and
Lithuanian with English subtitles
SPECIAL GUEST: Director
Robert Mullan in attendance
SUBJECTS: First-generation survivorÕs
guilt, forgiveness, ghosts, Holocaust,
Lithuania, redemption, romance,
Russia
FOR FANS OF: Emotional Arithmetic,
SophieÕs Choice, To Life! Auf Das
Leben!
ItÕs 1969. Concert
violinist Gitel Bargman (Marija Korenkaite) lives
within the confines of her Lithuanian Soviet
community and the brutal memories of the Nazi
massacre in Kovno, Lithuania, which claimed
the lives of her parents and two older sisters.
Privy to GitelÕs inner torment and concerned
for her welfare, her older brother Chaim
(Gediminas Storpirstis) Ñ who also survived the
war Ñ attempts to set Gitel up with Lev (Nikolaj
Antonov), a bookish older man he envisions
would be a good catch for his little sister. In
fact, in ChaimÕs overzealous mind, his beautiful
and talented sister, having just turned 33, is ripe
for the taking Ñ at least when not lost in her
own head, harboring intense feelings of guilt
for being alive at all. Will Lev, a man battling
his own demons, be able to break through the
stronghold of GitelÕs self-perpetuating purgatory?
Will the promise of love be enough for Lev to
finally forgive his own mistakes and missteps?
Thoroughly engaging and beautifully shot on
location in Russia and Lithuania, Robert MullanÕs
GITEL plays like an epic Russian melodrama seen
through a Jewish lens.
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SURPRISE FILM
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9 | 11 AM | THE GERSHMAN Y
Will it be a comedy from Argentina? A psychological thriller from France? A drama from
Israel? PJFF is holding this slot open so that we can show a fabulous new release that
was not available at the time of booking our Festival line-up. Good things come to those
who wait. Check out our website PJFF.org for our Surprise Film announcement in the
days leading up to the Festival.
FORBIDDEN FILMS
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9 | 7:30 PM | INTERNATIONAL HOUSE
DIRECTOR: Felix Moeller
GENRE: Documentary
COUNTRY: Germany
YEAR: 2014
LANGUAGES: German, French,
Hebrew, and English with
English subtitles
SPECIAL GUESTS: Noah Isenberg,
film scholar and director of Screen
Studies at the New School, and Nora
Mandel, NY film critic, MavenÕsNest
SUBJECTS: Anti-Semitism, archival
film, censorship, debate on mediaÕs
influence, Nazis, propaganda
FOR FANS OF: A Film Unfinished,
film preservation, Harlan: In the
Shadow of Jew Suss, Propaganda
SPONSORED BY: Dr. Marcia Sachs
Littell and Helen and Jordan
Schwartz/Center City Film and Video
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE Before GermanyÕs
government fell in 1945, the Nazis made over 1,200
feature films under the aegis of Joseph GoebbelsÕ
Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda.
Forty of them are still considered ÒdangerousÓ and
are banned in Germany and many other countries to
this day. But should they be?
This is the key question director Felix Moeller
grapples with in his provocative and thoughtprovoking documentary, FORBIDDEN FILMS.
Moeller aims the spotlight onto some of the most
contested films in the Nazi canon, while local and
international experts Ñ ranging from journalists,
historians, and political scientists to the children of
the infamous Nazi film stars and former neo-Nazis Ñ
attempt to contextualize the argument either for or
against the outlawing of these inflammatory films.
As weÕve seen with the recent Charlie Hebdo
attack in Paris, the debate on dangerous ideas and
their availability to the public is as fresh now as
when these Nazi films were made during the Third
Reich. The question of whether the films should
or shouldnÕt be released remains debatable, but
with this rare opportunity to view extensive clips of
some of the worldÕs most anti-Semitic films (many
of which are ÒHollywood qualityÓ), Moeller invites
audiences to make up their own minds.
Official Selection of the Jerusalem International
Film Festival, New York Jewish Film Festival, and
Toronto Jewish Film Festival
ÒTimely and even vital . . . a thoughtful and
sensitive addition to the debate surrounding
censorship that continues to complicate
our ideas concerning freedom and selfexpression in the modern world.Ó
Ñ Oleg Ivanov, Slant Magazine
16 |
PROJECTIONS OF AMERICA
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11 | 5 PM
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY
During the darkest days of World War II, Academy Awardwinning screenwriter Robert Riskin (It Happened One Night, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town) was
asked to lead a secret film unit by the U.S. Office of War Information. His mission was to
produce short documentary films, not about the war, but about the ideals of America.
RiskinÕs shorts depicting ÒrealÓ Americans going about their everyday lives Ñ school children,
farmers, car manufacturers, window washers, even American cowboys Ñ were featured in the
immensely popular series, Projections of America. RiskinÕs shorts were translated into over
20 languages and screened mainly in EuropeÕs American-occupied territories. While highly
romanticized and utopian in spirit Ñ these were propaganda films, after all Ñ they present
a fascinating look at America and democracy, especially in contrast to the devastation and
confusion seizing the vast majority of Europe at the time. After the war, Projections was
shuttered, and the films themselves virtually disappeared, languishing unseen in government
archives.
DIRECTOR: Peter Miller
GENRE: Documentary
COUNTRY: USA
YEAR: 2014
LANGUAGE: English
SPECIAL GUEST: Director Peter Miller
in attendance
SUBJECTS: AmericaÕs image overseas,
film preservation, Office of War
Information, propaganda, WWII
Narrated by John Lithgow, PROJECTIONS OF
AMERICA is told through extensive use of archival
footage, including new cleaned-up transfers of the
films themselves, and rounded out by commentary
from filmmakers, critics, and audience members.
It is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at a
lesser-known facet of AmericaÕs all-encompassing
war effort.
PROJECTIONS OF AMERICA will follow
a screening of the 9-minute short film
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A JEEP, directed by Irving
Lerner for the Projections of America series.
FOR FANS OF: Above and Beyond,
Band of Brothers, Frank Capra,
Forbidden Films, John Lithgow,
propaganda, Robert Riskin, vintage
newsreel footage, WWII stories
SPONSORED BY: National Museum
of American Jewish History
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THE FREE VOICE OF LABOR:
THE JEWISH ANARCHISTS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11 | 8 PM
DIRECTORS: Steven Fischler and
Joel Sucher
GENRE: Documentary
COUNTRY: USA
YEAR: 1980
LANGUAGES: English and Yiddish
SPECIAL GUESTS: Anna Elena Torres,
University of California, Berkeley
SUBJECTS: American Jewish history,
anarchism, Freie Arbeiter Stimme,
immigration, labor unions, NYC history,
protest, Yiddish
FOR FANS OF: Anarchism in America,
Hester Street, Jewish immigrant
history, NYC history, Yiddish
of American Jewish History and
Amy and Richard Oller
ÒThe Free Voice of Labor: The
Jewish Anarchists... is a wonderful
evocation of the radical political
past and what has become of its
activists in their old age... They
have aged gracefully, with their
sentiments unchanged, but with
their world different in ways they
would never have dreamed of
years ago.Ó
In honor of the 35th anniversary of the
Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival, we are proud
to reprise THE FREE VOICE OF LABOR: THE
JEWISH ANARCHISTS, a noteworthy 1980
documentary which screened with the first
JFF U.S. National Tour organized by the San
Francisco Jewish Film Festival.
THE FREE VOICE OF LABOR: THE JEWISH
ANARCHISTS introduces us to the Jewish
sweatshop workers who made up the Jewish
Anarchists Movement at the turn of the
twentieth century in New York City. Comprising
Russian and other Eastern-European Jews who
immigrated to America in search of freedom
and opportunity, the Jewish Anarchists rejected
being shunned as outsiders by a society
that only saw them fit to serve as Ògrist for
the capitalist machine.Ó In 1890, they banded
together and took their grievances to the streets
by publishing and distributing the seminal
Yiddish-language newspaper, Freie Arbeiter
Stimme.
This enlightening documentary directed by
Steven Fischler and Joel Sucher is packed with
vibrant, funny, and poignant conversations
with Jewish labor firebrands like Sol Yanowsky,
Joseph Cohen, and Ahrne Thorne, as well as
fascinating behind-the-scenes footage of the
elderly and engaging staff of the 87-year-old
newspaper, Freie Arbeiter Stimme, which at the
time of the documentaryÕs taping was producing
its very last issue.
Ñ Richard F. Shepard, The New York Times
18 |
DELI MAN
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12 | 11 AM | THE GERSHMAN Y
DIRECTOR: Erik Greenberg Anjou
GENRE: Documentary
COUNTRY: USA
YEAR: 2014
LANGUAGE: English
community, delicatessens, family,
food culture, immigrant culture,
Jewish traditions
FOR FANS OF: American Jewish
history, delicatessens, food culture,
Jiro Dreams of Sushi, The Klezmatics On Holy Ground, The Sturgeon Queens
SPONSORED BY: Schlesingers
Delicatessen and Restaurant &
Allan Domb Real Estate
SPECIAL EVENT: Film followed by deli
lunch and discussion with Deli Man
director Erik Greenberg Anjou and
PhiladelphiaÕs top deli restaurateurs
ÒYou can taste the diaspora,Ó says David
ÒZiggyÓ Gruber, a third generation deli man,
and owner of Kenny & ZiggyÕs New York
Delicatessen in Houston, Texas. Though the
affable Gruber and his story are the main
focus of this tantalizing new documentary
by PJFF alumnus Erik Greenberg Anjou (The
Klezmatics: On Holy Ground), we are also
treated to a pastrami sandwich-sized serving
of both delicatessen and American Jewish
history.
Interviewing both veterans and newcomers
to the deli scene, Anjou travels the country
sampling traditional Jewish deli fare and
chatting with regulars about their favorite
dishes, while back home in NYC, old-style
deli connoisseurs like Fyvush Finkel, Jerry
Stiller, and Larry King emphatically share
what it is that brings them back, year after
year. What makes DELI MAN even more
entertaining is that rather than bemoaning
the ever-shrinking kosher deli scene, it
celebrates these uniquely American Jewish
institutions and their enduring resonance for
Americans today.
ÒThere are two types of people in the world: those who love delis
and those you shouldn't associate with.Ó
(Sign inside Kenny & ZiggyÕs New York Delicatessen)
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A BLIND HERO: THE LOVE OF OTTO WEIDT
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12 | 7:30 PM | RITZ EAST
DIRECTOR: Kai Christiansen
GENRE: Docudrama
COUNTRIES: Germany
YEAR: 2014
English subtitles
SUBJECTS: German Jewish Holocaust
survivors, Holocaust testimony, love,
Nazi-occupied Germany, rescue,
the Righteous Among the Nations,
survival
FOR FANS OF: German Jewish
history, love stories, NickyÕs Family,
SchindlerÕs List, stories depicting
heroism
SPONSORED BY: Janet and Howard
Pack and Nancy and Stuart Weiss
SPECIAL EVENT: Post-film Happy
Hour at Positano Coast (212 Walnut
Street, 2nd floor) with complimentary
appetizers and drink specials
20 |
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE A powerful and
moving docudrama, A BLIND HERO: THE LOVE
OF OTTO WEIDT is based on the true story of Otto
Weidt, a middle-aged German broom industry
magnate who used his factory to save the lives of
dozens of Berlin Jews from the Gestapo. Willing
to work the system no matter how dangerous
the stakes, Weidt bribed Gestapo agents with
cigars, perfume, and other hard-to-find items in
exchange for allowing his employees refuge in his
factory. In 1943, when Berlin was decreed to be
ÒJew-free,ÓWeidt made one last attempt to hide
his remaining employees (most of whom, like him,
were blind). While he was unable to save them all,
he continued his heroic efforts throughout the Nazi
occupation and later established an orphanage for
survivors of the concentration camps.
Based largely on the memories and eyewitness
account of his young secretary, Inge Deutschkron,
the acclaimed German-Jewish writer whom Weidt
helped survive the roundup, as well as through the
correspondence of his paramour, Alice Licht, with
Yad Vashem, A BLIND HERO: THE LOVE OF OTTO
WEIDT is a poignant testament to the Talmudic
notion that he who saves one life is considered to
have saved the entire world.
CENTERPIECE
A VERY SEMI-SERIOUS
EVENING WITH ROZ CHAST:
FEATURING VERY SEMI-SERIOUS
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14 | 7:30 PM | THE GERSHMAN Y
DIRECTOR: Leah Wolchok
GENRE: Documentary
COUNTRY: USA
YEAR: 2015
LANGUAGE: English
SUBJECTS: Cartooning, cartoonists,
New Yorker cartoons, Roz Chast,
Robert Mankoff, political humor,
topical humor
FOR FANS OF: Cartoonists, Roz Chast,
Robert Mankoff, New Yorker cartoons,
The New Yorker
SPONSORED BY: Barbara and
Mickey Black, Nancy and David
Colman, Ellyn and Seth Lehr, Ruth
Perlmutter in memory of Archie
Perlmutter
SPECIAL EVENT: Conversation with
Roz Chast, Author/Illustrator of CanÕt
We Talk About Something More
Pleasant? Q & A will be followed by
book signing and reception.
VERY SEMI-SERIOUS provides a humorous and
illuminating window into the quirky and endearing
world of The New YorkerÕs iconic single-panel
cartoons. While the documentaryÕs chief subject is
the magazineÕs cartoon gatekeeper, Editor Robert
Mankoff, a charming and affable character whose
engaging story could easily take up an entire film,
first-time filmmaker Leah Wolchok takes care to
highlight some of The New YorkerÕs other freelance
cartoonists Ñ an awesomely eccentric mix of crusty
vets and newbies, young and old, male and female.
Featuring interviews with notables like Roz Chast,
Mort Gerberg, Emily Flake, and George Booth, and
newcomers the likes of Ed Steed and Liana Finch,
Wolchok hones in on what inspires each to run
MankoffÕs gauntlet of rejection week after week in
hopes of making the cut.
ÒWolchok copiously peppers the interviews
with images of the subjects Ñ cartoons
Ñ with the drawing appearing first, then
the caption. Her film, consequently, has
precisely that pitch-perfect balance of truth
and comedy that makes for a great New
Yorker cartoon. It also makes for a seriously
excellent documentary.Ó
Ñ Benjamin Sutton, Hyperallergic
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15 | 11 AM |
DIRECTOR: William Gazecki
GENRE: Documentary
COUNTRY: USA
YEAR: 2014
LANGUAGE: English
SPECIAL GUEST: Author Lauren
Rebecca Sklaroff
cabaret stars, Jewish icons, music
history, NYC theater, popular culture
Sophie Tucker, vaudevillians
FOR FANS OF: Biopics, Cabaret,
Chicago, music history, popular
culture, Sophie Tucker, vaudeville
of American Jewish History,
Renee and Joe Zuritsky and
Parkway Corporation
ÒFor a younger generation who
think that Madonna and Lady
Gaga represent the heights of
outrageousness, The Outrageous
Sophie Tucker stands as a much
needed reminder that they have a
very large debt to pay.Ó
Sophie Tucker
may not be a household name in 2015, but make
no mistake: sheÕs one of the most remarkable and
highly regarded performers of the 20th century. An
iconic Jewish singer/performer who spanned the
eras of vaudeville, radio, film, and television, her
career began at a vaudeville amateur night in 1907
and didnÕt end until her death almost 60 years later.
While her robust physique and unconventional
looks didnÕt initially mark Tucker for stardom, her
ability to captivate audiences with her uniquely
strong voice, outrageous sense of humor, brassy
personality, and penchant for bawdy lyrics earned
her the nickname, “The Last of the Red Hot Mamas.”
This crowd-pleasing documentary by Academy
Award-nominated director William Gazecki draws
much of its archival material from the 400+ lifespanning personal scrapbooks Tucker kept, as
well as TuckerÕs many friends, who enthusiastically
contribute their memories, including Barbara
Walters, Tony Bennett, Carol Channing, Shecky
Greene, Paul Anka, Mickey Rooney, and Mamie
Van Doren, among many other notables. THE
OUTRAGEOUS SOPHIE TUCKER is a film brimming
Ñ much like the lady herself Ñ with uncontainable
personality, passion, and an immense zest for life.
Ñ Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter
22 |
DOUBLE FEATURE
ALMOST FRIENDS
& PARTNER WITH THE ENEMY
ÒAlmost Friends is a
documentary about a human,
simple, innocent issue, which
only the two heroines see as
such, and a complex political
film, but only if youÕre an adult.Ó
Ñ Haaretz
DIRECTORS: Barak Heymann and
Nitzan Ofir
GENRE: Documentary
COUNTRY: Israel
YEAR: 2014
LANGUAGES: Hebrew and Arabic
SPECIAL GUEST: Author Ranen
Omer-Sherman
SUBJECTS: Breaking cycles, bridging
differences, education, friendship,
nationalistic ideologies, PalestinianIsraeli conflict, peace efforts, pen pals
Through a new
Israeli education initiative, students from two
very different Israeli towns begin communicating
online before eventually meeting in person.
ALMOST FRIENDS focuses on Samar, a 12-yearold Arab Israeli girl from the rough-and-tumble
integrated city of Lod, and Linor, an 11-year-old
Jewish girl from the religious settlement of Tlamim.
Geographically, only 42 miles separate these
girls from each other, but cultural and ideological
differences make this distance seem even wider
and much more difficult to bridge. Can these
hopeful pre-teens forge a lasting friendship after
meeting and hitting it off? And will their respective
families, each with strong feelings about the Òother
sideÓ even allow it?
ALMOST FRIENDS is a complex, yet thoroughly
engrossing story about challenging the
preconceived notions that separate us.
Official Selection of Docaviv International
Documentary Film Festival, Other Israel Film
Festival, and Washington Jewish Film Festival
FOR FANS OF: Arranged, Circus Kids,
movies about building bridges
for peace and reconciliation,
My So-Called Enemy
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DIRECTORS: Duki Dror and
Chen Shelach
GENRE: Documentary
COUNTRY: Israel
YEAR OF PRODUCTION: 2014
LANGUAGES: Hebrew and Arabic
SPECIAL GUEST: Author Ranen
Omer-Sherman
SUBJECTS: Breaking cycles, bridging
differences, bureaucracy, friendship,
Palestinian-Israeli conflict, peace
efforts, war, womenÕs empowerment,
women in industry
FOR FANS OF: Arranged, Circus Kids,
movies about building bridges
for peace and reconciliation,
My So-Called Enemy
24 |
DOUBLE FEATURE
PARTNER WITH THE ENEMY
& ALMOST FRIENDS
In this spirited
and moving documentary by PJFF alumnus Duki
Dror (Incessant Visions) and Chen Shelach, two
middle-aged matriarchs Ñ Anat Shelach, an Israeli
kibbutznik, and Rola Srouji, a Palestinian resident
of Ramallah Ñ form an unlikely partnership in a
male-dominated industry. Set against the backdrop
of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Anat and Rola
launch a logistics and shipping business whose
main objective is to make it easier for clients to
get their shipments from Israeli ports to the West
Bank. Amidst prevailing security concerns, endless
red tape, and the challenges of securing new
clientele, these newfound business associates grow
closer and even introduce their families to one
another. But, as the threat of war intensifies and
the pressures of work increase, Anat and Rola must
face their biggest challenge yet: overcoming their
inherent mistrust of Òthe other.Ó
TO LIFE (Ë LA VIE)
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15 | 7:30 PM | REEL CINEMAS NARBERTH 2
DIRECTOR: Jean-Jacques Zilbermann
GENRE: Narrative
COUNTRY: France
YEAR: 2014
LANGUAGES: French with
English subtitles
SUBJECTS: Friendship, Holocaust
memories, overcoming tragedy,
reconnection, relationships, women
FOR FANS OF: Beaches, Fried Green
Tomatoes, Holocaust cinema, My Best
Holidays, movies about female friends
ÒIt is rare to leave a film feeling
fully satiated. But Ë La Vie offers
up a full helping of artistry and
then some. It is easily the best
film I have seen so far this year.Ó
Director JeanJacques ZilbermannÕs TO LIFE (Ë LA VIE) is a
poignant dramedy about three strangers-turnedfriends who helped each other survive Auschwitz.
Following the liberation of the camp in 1945,
Hlne (Julie Depardieu), Lili (Johanna ter Steege),
and Rose (Suzanne Clment) go their separate
ways before reuniting 15 years later. In the French
beach town of Berck-Plage, they finally meet again
for a week of reconnection and soaking up the sun.
Attaining respite from their usual lives and roles,
the women share their first true meal together,
confide in one another about their lovers and
romantic aspirations, and help one another come
to terms with their own tragic experience at
the camp.
Perhaps what is most endearing about TO LIFEÕs
three protagonists is their sincere desire to be
recognized as survivors, rather than victims. With
the aid of ZilbermannÕs breezy sixties French
aesthetic, we canÕt help but take pleasure in
watching these women lose themselves to the
moment, celebrating their summer of reinvention
and love.
Ñ Paul Dervis, The Arts Fuze
Official Selection of the San Francisco Jewish
Film Festival, Toronto Jewish Film Festival, and
Washington Jewish Film Festival
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ZEMENE
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16 | 11 AM | THE GERSHMAN Y
DIRECTOR: Melissa Donovan
GENRE: Documentary
COUNTRY: USA
YEAR OF PRODUCTION: 2014
LANGUAGES: English and Amharic
SPECIAL GUEST: Director Melissa
Donovan in attendance
SUBJECTS: Education Ethiopia, health
care, human rights, poverty, success
stories, twists of fate, Zemene
FOR FANS OF: Health advocacy
documentaries, I Am Because We
Are, The Flying Doctors of East Africa,
inspirational movies, Make Me A
New Face: Hope for AfricaÕs Hidden
Children
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE A documentary
with a heart as big as Africa, Melissa DonovanÕs
Kodak Cinematography Award Winner, ZEMENE,
introduces us to a wise-beyond-her-years, 10-yearold Ethiopian girl suffering from severe Kyphosis
(a painful and often fatal spine defect). After
ZemeneÕs mother dies from a fatal mosquito
bite, Zemene is sent to live with her uncle and
grandparents in a small remote village in the
beautiful but impoverished highlands of Ethiopia.
When her loving uncle, Menormelkam, takes her
to the city to be examined, doctors there tell them
there is no cure for ZemeneÕs condition. Despite
her bleak prognosis, a chance encounter on the
street with Rick Hodes, an American-Jewish doctor
treating spinal injury patients in Ethiopia, changes
ZemeneÕs life forever. ZEMENE is a testament to
the power of the human spirit and offers proof that,
even against the odds, a determined individual can
make a difference.
SPONSORED BY: Harriet Potashnick
and Marshall Levine
26 |
THE LAW (LA LOI)
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16 | 7:30 PM | INTERNATIONAL HOUSE
DIRECTOR: Christian Faure
GENRE: Narrative
COUNTRY: France
YEAR: 2014
LANGUAGE: French with
English subtitles
SUBJECTS: Feminism, French history,
French law, French politics, Jewish
icons, reproductive rights, Simone Veil,
womenÕs rights
FOR FANS OF: Courtroom dramas,
Erin Brockovich, French politics, From
Danger to Dignity: The Fight for Safe
Abortion, Simone Veil, Vera Drake,
When Abortion Was Illegal
SPONSORED BY: The Louis D.
Brandeis Law Society
Based on a true
story, this racy and riveting courtroom drama will
have audiences on the edge of their seats through
its closing credits.
In the fall of 1974, Simone Veil, the French health
minister under President Valry Giscard d'Estaing,
was charged with the thankless job of pushing
for the passage of a law legalizing abortion in
France. As portrayed by Emmanuelle Devos in
a career-defining role, this taut political thriller
follows Veil as she fights for THE LAW on behalf
of all French women during a harrowing three-day
parliamentary debate. Against the objections of
the opposition party, the Catholic Church, and even
amongst some in her own party, Veil, a survivor of
both Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen, refuses to back
down. As the stakes are raised and Veil is forced
to confront increasingly vile personal attacks, she
intensifies her efforts to upend societyÕs dangerous
misconceptions about abortion and a womanÕs
right to choose.
CLE credit availableÑBrandeislawsociety.org
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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17 | 7:30 PM | THE GERSHMAN Y
DIRECTORS: Henrique Cymerman
and Erez Miller
GENRE: Documentary
COUNTRY: Israel
YEAR: 2014
LANGUAGES: English, Hebrew and
Arabic with English subtitles
SUBJECTS: David Broza,
collaboration, cultural divide, Steve
Earle, friendship, Jerusalem, music,
Palestinian-Israeli conflict, peace,
recording sessions
FOR FANS OF: David Broza, Steve
Earle, Monterey Pop, The Last Waltz,
Under African Skies
SPECIAL EVENT: Singer-Songwriter
David Broza will play 3 to 5 songs
following the audience Q & A. The
evening will conclude with a CD
signing by Broza. East Jerusalem /
West Jerusalem CDs will be available
for pre-purchase online, as well as
after the show.
SPOTLIGHT SCREENING
EAST JERUSALEM / WEST JERUSALEM
ÒWhatÕs so funny
Õbout peace, love, and understanding?Ó asks
David Broza, an Israeli singer-songwriter and
humanitarian, who cut the famed Nick Lowe cover
in a Palestinian recording studio with the Jerusalem
Youth Choir, a group consisting of both Israeli
and Palestinian teenagers. The song appears on
his album, East Jerusalem / West Jerusalem, a
co-production conceived by Broza and American
recording artist Steve Earle, which features guest
vocals by session musicians from all over Israel. For
eight days and eight nights, Broza, Earle, and his
talented cohorts Ñ including the sensational Arab
Israeli singer-songwriter Mira Awad and the rap
duo G-Town Ñ jammed, recorded, and shared their
stories in the tight confines of East JerusalemÕs
famed Sabreen Studio.
More than just a chronicle of an album being made,
CymermanÕs and MillerÕs incredible behind-themusic documentary, EAST JERUSALEM / WEST
JERUSALEM, is the story of bridge building across
so-called enemy lines. Whether itÕs Broza waxing
philosophical at a longtime friendÕs East Jerusalem
home, or teaching kids how to play drums on
upside-down buckets in the Shuafat refugee camp,
EAST JERUSALEM / WEST JERUSALEM shows
what can happen when art is allowed to
transcend politics.
ÒWhile collaborations like this arenÕt unprecedented, the timing and scope
of this project has far-reaching effects. The album is good; the making-of
documentary is extraordinary.Ó
Ñ Jordan Hoffman, Vanity Fair
28 |
THE INCIDENT (EL INCIDENTE)
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18 | 7:30 PM | THE GERSHMAN Y
DIRECTOR: Isaac Ezban
GENRE: Sci-fi, psychological thriller
COUNTRY: Mexico
YEAR: 2014
LANGUAGE: Spanish with
English subtitles
SPECIAL GUESTS: Dr. Mark Leuchter,
Director of Jewish Studies, Temple
University
SUBJECTS: Aging, alternative worlds,
fantasy/reality, living with your choices,
redemption, regrets, sci-fi, time
FOR FANS OF: Phillip K. Dick, films
about time, Groundhog Day, Inception,
Alejandro Jodorowsky, Memento,
Mexican cinema, Christopher Nolan,
philosophical films, science-fiction
stories, Timecrimes, Guillermo Del
Toro, The Twilight Zone
THE INCIDENT may be Mexican Jewish director
Isaac EzbanÕs first feature-length film, but critics
see EzbanÕs gripping and assured directorial debut
as continuing in the tradition of TarkovskyÕs Solaris,
KubrickÕs 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Christopher
NolanÕs Inception.
This haunting sci-fi thriller, which first screened in
the 2014 March du Film at the Festival de Cannes,
entangles two stories with people trapped in
illogical endless spaces: a pair of criminally-minded
brothers and a police detective locked in an infinite
Mbius strip-like stairwell, and a family stranded on
an infinite road to nowhere. As 35 years go by and
the scenes of their temporal imprisonments never
change, the characters continue to age and adapt
to their individual purgatories. Just try to imagine
what your life would be like if you were stuck in a
space that never gets bigger, surrounded by all of
the things you consume on a daily basis to survive,
building up ad infinitum. THE INCIDENT is definitely
not for the faint of heart, as Ezban proves that a
personÕs consciousness and perception of reality can
be just as frightening as any monster.
ÒTHE INCIDENT is a surrealistic sci-fi vision that uses the idea of infinite
loops to explore both the frailty of human life and broader metaphysical
concepts. EzbanÕs influences, which range from Philip K. Dick to Rod Serling,
are readily apparent, but there is a very original vision at work here.Ó
Ñ Fantastic Fest
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RED LEAVES
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19 | 11 AM | THE GERSHMAN Y
DIRECTOR: Bazi Gete
GENRE: Narrative
COUNTRY: Israel
YEAR: 2014
LANGUAGES: Amharic and
Hebrew with English subtitles
SUBJECTS: Aging, assimilation,
cultural values, Ethiopian Jews in
Israel, family, identity, immigration,
tradition vs. modernity
FOR FANS OF: Ethiopian Jewry,
family dramas, foreign films, Israeli
cinema, King Lear, Live and Become,
Tokyo Story
SPECIAL EVENT: Film followed
by Ethiopian brunch and
musical performance
30 |
Mesaganio Tadela (Debebe Eshetu) immigrated to
Israel from Ethiopia almost 30 years ago. Recently
widowed, he decides to sell his apartment and live
part of the year with each of his children. Refusing to
assimilate since settling in Israel, Tadela speaks little
Hebrew and rarely interacts outside the comfort and
safety of his Ethiopian Jewish community. However,
upon moving in with each of his sons, Tadela realizes
that intergenerational differences are not solely
responsible for the rising tension between them.
Will TadelaÕs rigid devotion to the traditions of his
ancestral home keep him from making the strides
necessary to connect with the world around him?
RED LEAVES is only the second Israeli feature
film to realistically depict the Israeli-Ethiopian
community, now numbering over 120,000. It's
also timely, as Israeli-Ethiopians have become
increasingly vocal regarding the perceived
prejudice against them in their adopted home.
NATASHA
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19 | 7:30 PM | RITZ EAST
DIRECTOR: David Bezmozgis
GENRE: Narrative
COUNTRY: Canada
YEAR: 2015
LANGUAGES: Russian and English
SPECIAL GUEST: Director David
Bezmozgis in attendance
SUBJECTS: Assimilation, Canadian
life, coming of age, dysfunction,
family strife, forbidden romance,
Russian immigrants, teens living on
the edge
FOR FANS OF: American Beauty,
arthouse cinema, David BezmozgisÕ
stories, Canadian cinema, coming of
age films, Goodbye First Love, Lolita
SPECIAL EVENT: Post-film Happy
Hour at Prime Stache (110 Chestnut
Street) with appetizer and drink
specials
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE Adapted from
the title story in his acclaimed collection, Natasha
and Other Stories, David BezmozgisÕ NATASHA
centers on a Soviet-era Latvian Jewish immigrant
family and their new life in suburban Toronto.
Sixteen-year-old Mark Berman is a shy bookworm
and smalltime ÒweedÓ dealer with a fondness
for Nietzsche, shiftlessness, and porn. When his
uncle comes home with a new Russian bride and
her daughter, Mark not only gains a new aunt and
cousin, but a wild companion with a mysterious
past. With little interest in holding down a regular
summer job, MarkÕs mom tasks him with keeping
his new Òcousin,Ó Natasha, company. Proving
increasingly difficult due to both NatashaÕs
precociousness and his own raging teenage libido,
the young lovers begin a forbidden romance that
can only end one way.
ÒPeople have a fascination with the
tragic love story of Mark and Natasha.
I admit that I still do, too. There is
something mysterious at its core that
IÕve never worked out. ItÕs a mystery
that, ultimately, canÕt be worked out Ñ
which is true of lifeÕs most persistent
mysteries.Ó
Ñ David Bezmozgis
PJFF.ORG
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CLOSING NIGHT
AN EVENING WITH THE
HONORABLE ALBIE SACHS
SOFT VENGEANCE: ALBIE SACHS
AND THE NEW SOUTH AFRICA
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21 | 7:30 PM |
KIMMEL CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
DIRECTOR: Abby Ginzberg
GENRE: Documentary
COUNTRIES: USA, South Africa
YEAR: 2014
LANGUAGE: English
SUBJECTS: Activism, apartheid,
freedom fighters, human rights,
imprisonment, law, social change,
South Africa, war
FOR FANS OF: Freedom fighters,
human rights documentaries,
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,
Red Dust, Albie Sachs, South African
history, Tsotsi
SPONSORED BY: The Carole Landis
Foundation for Social Action,
David and Helen Pudlin, Pam and
Tony Schneider, Sterling Trustees LLC
SPECIAL EVENT: Introduction by the
Honorable Albie Sachs; film followed
by Tikkun Olam Award Presentation
and discussion with Sachs and director
Abby Ginzberg. All guests are then
invited to attend PJFFÕs Closing Night
Party at Hamilton Hall, The University
of the Arts.
32 |
We close out this year's PJFF Fall Fest with the 2015
Peabody Award-Winner, SOFT VENGEANCE:
ALBIE SACHS AND THE NEW SOUTH AFRICA.
In this powerful documentary about the fall of
apartheid and the rise of a free South Africa,
Director Abby Ginzberg takes a different, but no
less rewarding, route than most who have tackled
the subject. A great many apartheid-related
documentaries tend to focus on the larger-than-life
Nelson Mandela, while simultaneously simplifying
the conflict into a Òblacks are good; whites are
badÓ scenario. Ginzberg moves this film in a
more compelling direction, introducing us to the
incredible true story of Albie Sachs.
Sachs, a Jew of Lithuanian descent, was born in
South Africa and as a young man used his law
degree to help those suffering under South Africa's
harsh racial laws. This made him a marked man to
authorities, which directly led to his imprisonment,
exile, and a brutal near-death experience. But this
was only the beginning of SachsÕ life-affirming
journey, which is told by Sachs himself, along with
other notables, including Desmond Tutu and Ruth
Bader Ginsburg.
Official Selection of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival,
Australia Jewish International Film Festival, DocNYC,
International WomenÕs Film Forum, Movies That
Matter Film Festival, Palm Beach Jewish Film
Festival, Reframe Film Festival, South African Jewish
Museum Ñ Cape Town, Toronto Jewish Film Festival
SOFT VENGEANCE: ALBIE SACHS AND THE NEW SOUTH AFRICA
PJFF.ORG
|
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FALL FEST WEEK 1 | NOVEMBER 7-14
GENERAL ADMISSION
SAT. NOV. 7
LIMITED SEATING
SUN. NOV. 8
11 AM
THEODORE
BIKEL
Documentary
USA
@ Gershman Y
3 PM
JEWISH
SHORTS
@ Gershman Y
MON. NOV. 9
SPECIAL EVENT
WED. NOV. 11
SURPRISE FILM
@ Gershman Y
LIMITED SEATING/SPECIAL EVENT
THURS. NOV. 12
SAT. NOV. 14
DELI MAN
Documentary
USA
@ Gershman Y
PROJECTIONS
OF AMERICA
Documentary
USA
@ NMAJH
5 PM
6 PM
7:30 PM OPENING
NIGHT
DOUGH
Narrative
UK
@ Gershman Y
8 PM
GITEL
Narrative
UK
@ Hiway
Theater
FORBIDDEN
FILMS
Documentary
Germany
@ International
House
A BLIND HERO:
THE LOVE OF
OTTO WEIDT
Docudrama
Germany
@ Ritz East
CENTERPIECE:
VERY SEMISERIOUS
Documentary
USA
@ Gershman Y
THE FREE
VOICE OF
LABOR: JEWISH
ANARCHISTS
Documentary
USA
@ NMAJH
9 PM
10 PM
34 |
HAPPY HOUR
@ Positano Coast
FALL FEST WEEK 2 | NOVEMBER 15-21
SUN. NOV. 15
THE
OUTRAGEOUS
SOPHIE TUCKER
Documentary
USA
@ Gershman Y
MON. NOV. 16
TUES. NOV. 17
WED. NOV. 18
ZEMENE
Documentary
USA
@ Gershman Y
THURS. NOV. 19
SAT. NOV.21
RED LEAVES
Narrative
Israel
@ Gershman Y
ALMOST FRIENDS
+ PARTNER WITH
THE ENEMY
Documentaries
Israel
@ Gershman Y
TO LIFE
Narrative
France
@ Reel Cinemas
Narberth 2
THE LAW
Narrative
France
@ International
House
SPOTLIGHT:
E. JERUSALEM/
W. JERUSALEM
Documentary
Israel
@ Gershman Y
THE INCIDENT
Narrative
Mexico
@ Gershman Y
NATASHA
Narrative
Canada
@ Ritz East
CLOSING
NIGHT: SOFT
VENGEANCE
Documentary
USA
South Africa
@ Kimmel
HAPPY HOUR
@ Prime Stache
PJFF.ORG
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FILM VENUES & RECEPTIONS
CENTER CITY VENUES
UNIVERSITY CITY VENUE
THE GERSHMAN Y
INTERNATIONAL HOUSE
October 10 & 12
November 7, 8, 9, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19
401 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia
215-545-4400
November 9 & 16
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia
Handicap Accessible
No Assistive Listening Devices
KIMMEL CENTER FOR THE
PERFORMING ARTS
November 21
215-670-2388
Handicap Accessible
DORRANCE HAMILTON HALL,
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS
November 21 (Closing Night Party only)
215-717-6030
OLD CITY VENUES
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF
AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY
November 11 & 15
101 S. Independence Mall E., Phila.
215-923-3811
Handicap Accessible
LANDMARK THEATERS RITZ EAST
November 12 & 19
125 S. 2nd Street, Philadelphia
215-925-7900
Handicap Accessible
Assistive Listening Devices
Handicapped Accessible
Assistive Listening Device
SUBURBAN VENUES
TEMPLE SINAI
October 11
Limekiln Pike and Dresher Woods Drive,
Dresher
215-643-7372
Handicap Accessible
CONGREGATION BETH OR
October 11
239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen
215-646-5806
Handicap Accessible
HIWAY THEATER
November 8
212 Old York Road, Jenkintown
267-864-0065
Handicap Accessible
REEL CINEMAS NARBERTH 2
November 15
129 North Narberth Avenue,
Narberth
610-667-0115
Handicap Accessible
Assistive Listening Devices
POSITANO COAST
November 12 (post-film Happy Hour only)
212 Walnut Street, 2nd Floor, Phila.
215-238-0499
PRIME STACHE
November 19 (post-film reception only)
110 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia
267-886-8354
36 |
PJFF COMMITTEES
PJFF COMMITTEE
Phyllis Fischer
Chair
Iris Drechsler
Artistic Chair
Judy Golden
Chair Emeritus
Ruth Perlmutter
Artistic Director Emeritus
Olivia Antsis
Director, PJFF
Barbara Black
Jason Breinin
Jay Caplan
Julie Curson
Lee Ducat
Betsy Filton
Judy Finkel
Debbie Fleischman
Frances Freedman-Blum
Robert Gelsher
Adele Greenspun
Arlene Halpern
Libby Harwitz
Ed Hoffman
Julie Jaffe
Sandy Kuby
Ellyn Lehr
Hilary Levine
Nadine Liez-Weiner
Caryn Liss
Marcia Littell
Mary Lee Matzkin
Naomi Prusky
Eva Ray
Sue Rosenthal
Francyn Sacks
Rebecca Schulman
Nancy Shein
Nancy Weiss
PJFF SCREENING
COMMITTEE
Olivia Antsis
Ilana Blumenthal
Jason Breinin
Molly Crane
Scott Dinsmore
Iris Drechsler
Judy Finkel
Libby Harwitz
Nadine Liez-Weiner
Alain Luxembourg
Debra Malinics
Edward Meisarosh
Ruth Perlmutter
Elliot Ratzman
Nan Wakefield
Dajana Denes Walters
PJFF INTERNS
Josh Freimark
Alex Hansen
Kathleen Kazmier
Eric OÕHara
Nan Wakefield
Rachel Zahavi
PJFF VOLUNTEERS
Sarah Accord
Penny Aronson
Shirley Brown
Jay Caplan
Nancy Fazio
Phyllis Fertik
Judy and Joel Gerstyl
Eddie Greenberg
Sandy and Jack Jacobowitz
Estelle Maisel
Robin Malamud
Robert Mellin
Melissa Puchek
Barbara Rabinowitz
Robert Shenker
Lois Shestack
Sarah Victor
Barbara Wilk
Charlotte Wilson
THE GERSHMAN Y STAFF
Maxine Gaiber
Executive Director
Kristen Evans
Associate Director
Olivia Antsis
Director, Philadelphia Jewish
Film Festival
Tracy Segal
Director of Development
Sahar Oz
Director of Programs
Jason Henn
Communications Associate
Max Prown
Facilities and Systems
Administrator
Keith Jenkins
Maintenance
THE GERSHMAN Y
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Arthur Ellis
Co-Chair
Honorable Anne Lazarus
Co-Chair
Elaine Levitt
The Gershman Y Benefactor
and Board Vice President
Phyllis Fischer
Board Vice President
Debbie Fleischman
Secretary
Richard Lee
Treasurer
Jacob Cohen
Harris Devor
Sarita Gocial
Sayde Ladov
Eric Lamar
Elaine Lindy
Ben Oller
PJFF.ORG
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MAZEL TOV
TO THE PJFF ON ITS
TH ANNIVERSARY
35
Bravo and Thanks to
our Supporters,
our Sponsors,
Olivia Antsis, Iris Drechsler,
the Committees,
our Volunteers,
and The Gershman Y Staff
and Board!
Phyllis and Howard Fischer
38 |
PJFF
We are proud to support the
as it enters its 35th year.
We are grateful to have such a
wonderful forum that brings to
our community the little known
and forgotten stories of our culture,
history and religion. The films
are creative, informative
and entertaining, and illustrate
the many facets of Jewish life
throughout the world.
Nadine Liez-Weiner
and Bart Weiner
PJFF.ORG
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THE
PHILADELPHIA
JEWISH
FILM
FESTIVAL
has inspired and educated
the community for 35 years!
We are proud to be
among its supporters!
Leonard and Madlyn Abramson
40 |
Jeanette Lerman Neubauer & Joe Neubauer
SALUTE
The Gershman YÕs
PHILADELPHIA
JEWISH
FILM
FESTIVAL
for 35 years of engaging
films that celebrate the
diversity of Jewish culture
and experience
PJFF.ORG
|
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| 41
In loving memory of their parents
Annabel and Phil Lindy
Elaine, Frank, and Alan Lindy
are pleased to support the
PHILADELPHIA
JEWISH
FILM
FESTIVAL
and its chair Phyllis Fischer
and all of the wonderful
programs of the Gershman Y
42 |
CONSTANCE
SMUKLER is proud to support the
35th Annual
PHILADELPHIA
JEWISH
FILM
FESTIVAL
PJFF.ORG
|
215-545-4400
| 43
Seed the Dream Foundation
Marcy Gringlas and Joel Greenberg
are proud to support
THE GERSHMAN YÕS
PHILADELPHIA JEWISH
FILM FESTIVAL
44 |
Where can you see
STEVEN SPIELBERG’S
FIRST CAMERA?
Only in America
The FREE first floor gallery.
Camera of Steven Spielberg
Courtesy of Steven Spielberg
Karl Seifert
Corner of 5th and Market Streets
215.923.3811 | NMAJH.org
PJFF.ORG
|
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| 45
is proud
to support
the 35th Annual
PHILADELPHIA
JEWISH
FILM
FESTIVAL
Amy & Richard Oller
Dana & Benjamin Oller
Rebecca Oller & Bryan Rodner
PHILADELPHIA
JEWISH
FILM
FESTIVAL
and all the good works of the Gershman Y
ÒNo art passes our conscience in the way film does,
and goes directly to our feelings, deep down into the
dark rooms of our souls.Ó
ÑIngmar Bergman
46 |
Glenmede is proud to support
ideas
ideals
impact
THE PHILADELPHIA
JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL
Glenmede was created as an independent
trust company nearly 60 years ago to serve
as investment manager and trustee of the
Pew family’s charitable interests. Today,
we manage $30 billion for high-net-worth
individuals and families, endowments,
foundations and institutional clients.
Please contact Chris Poch at 215-419-6102
or [email protected] for a
personal conversation.
@glenmede
glenmede.com
/company/glenmede
35
On the
th Anniversary of the
Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival
Mazel Tov to Founders Ruth Perlmutter
and Judy Golden
In Loving Memory of Archie Perlmutter
With Thanks and Admiration for
Olivia Antsis, Phyllis Fischer and Iris Drechlser
Ñ Nancy and David Colman
PJFF.ORG
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| 47
Jane and Joe Goldblum
PHILADELPHIA
JEWISH
FILM
FESTIVAL
and honor its marvelous Chair
PHYLLIS
FISCHER
Michael and Kristin Karp
are proud to support
the 35th Anniversary
Season of the
48 |
PHILADELPHIA
JEWISH
FILM
FESTIVAL
CAROLE LANDIS
FOUNDATION
FOR SOCIAL ACTION
HONORS
ALBIE SACHS
who fought for freedom and equality for all South Africans
and
ABBY GINZBERG
who directed Soft Vengeance…his vision.
CAROLELANDISFOUNDATION.ORG
MAZEL TOV
35
to Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival
for
great years of film!
ÑSteve and Betsy Filton
PJFF.ORG
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| 49
We salute the
Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival
on their 35th Season
We applaud your mission to preserve Jewish
values, culture and community through the
transforming power of film
Lynne and Harold Honickman
50 |
PJFF.ORG
|
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| 51
Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe
Our study tours are a great way to deepen your
understanding of the global Jewish community and
its rich history. All our programs are led by outstanding
Judaic Studies scholars. You can count on JEWISH
EXPLORATIONS educational travel programs to be
enlightening, meticulously executed and enjoyable.
Our Upcoming Study Tours
Jerusalem, Israel
Jerusalem, Israel
Seville, Spain
By: Edmund Gall, via flickr
The Origins of Israel: 1882 –1948
Rabbi David Starr, Ph.D.
Tzion
Departing March 21, 2016
Jewish Yearnings for the Land of
Israel in the Medieval Period
David Wachtel
The Jewish Theological Seminary
Departing May 12, 2016
Savannah, Georgia
Beit She’an, Israel
By: Chris Morris, via flickr
By: Itamar Grinberg, via flickr
The Jews of the American South
Hasia Diner, Ph,D.
New York University
Departing June 12, 2016
The Golden Age of Spain
Jonathan Ray, Ph.D.
Georgetown University
Departing May 26, 2016
Sepphoris, Israel
The Bible in Its Land: Biblical
Archaeology in Israel
Gary Rendsburg, Ph.D.
Rutgers University
The Birth of Judaism: The Rise of the
Rabbis in Classical Israel
David Kraemer, Ph.D.
Cordoba, Spain
Troyes, France
Barbados, Caribbean
By: Elliott Brown, via flickr
By: Christian Guthier, via Commons
By: David Berkowitz, flickr
In the Footsteps of Maimonides: The
Journey of A Medieval Jewish Icon
Elisha Russ-Fishbane, Ph.D.
New York University
Departing January 2, 2017
In the Footsteps of Rashi: Medieval
French Jewry
Robert Harris, Ph.D.
Tropical Synagogues: The Jewish
Experience in the Colonial
Caribbean
Ronnie Perelis, Ph.D.
Yeshiva University
For more information
IN COLLABORATION WITH
www.jewish-explorations.com • 1-800-223-3855
We can create custom-made study tours for your organization or group.
Contact Moshe Margolin, Director of JEWISH EXPLORATIONS, at
[email protected] • 1-866-898-0037.
Gil Travel | 1511 Walnut Street, Philadelphia PA 19102 | www.giltravel.com
52 |
When our
community thrives,
we all prosper.
Prosperity is about so much more than money. It’s about
living well in a community that is healthy and stable. At
Morgan Stanley, we feel fortunate to live in a place that is
supported by so many worthy service organizations. Their
good deeds make everyone’s life richer.
Eric Salmansohn CIMA®
Family Wealth Director
Executive Director
Financial Advisor
1650 Market St, 42nd Fl
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215-854-6272
eric.salmansohn@
morganstanley.com
www.morganstanleyfa.com/
libertywealthmanagementgroup
© 2013 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC.
CRC588395 (12/12) CS 7338778 SUP031C 04/13
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54 |
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56 |
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o r g a n i z i n g ,
e t c .
b y ellen treu cohen
A s a n
E x p e r i e n c e d O r g a n i z e r
& I n t e r i o r D e c o r at o r ,
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267-273-1597
[email protected]
etcorganizing.com
www.judygolden.foxroach.com
58 |
19th & Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, ph: 215-567-4662
PJFF.ORG
|
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| 59
Philly’s Finest Coffee
since
1990
Coffee
Roasters
g
dg
Pas s e r o s c o f f e e.c om
60 |
LIKE WHAT YOU SEE?
Become a PJFF 35th Anniversary Supporter
ACTOR $350 PER PERSON
¥ One ticket to each Fall Festival screening (November 7-21, 2015)
¥ One ticket to private Opening Night Party for Sponsors and Supporters
¥ Name listed in film program and on PJFF website
¥ One complimentary guest ticket for any Fall Festival film at The Gershman Y*
DIRECTOR $500 PER PERSON
¥ One ticket to each Film Festival screening throughout the year (November - June)
¥ One ticket to private Opening Night Reception for Sponsors and Supporters
¥ Name listed in film program and on PJFF website
¥ Two complimentary guest tickets for any Fall Festival film at The Gershman Y*
PRODUCER $1000 PER PERSON
¥ One ticket to each Film Festival screening throughout the year (November - June)
¥ One ticket to private Opening Night Reception for Sponsors and Supporters
¥ One complimentary guest ticket to Opening Night Film and Reception for Sponsors and Supporters
¥ Name listed in film program, on PJFF website, and on festival trailer
¥ Four complimentary guest tickets for any Fall Festival film at The Gershman Y*
¥ Reserved name seating for all Saturday Night screenings**
¥ Invitation for one to special film screening and reception in a private home
*Does not include admission to Opening Night Reception or Closing Night Party
**Reserved Named Seats will be held until 5 minutes after the filmÕs printed
show time.
The Gershman Y is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your contribution is taxdeductible to the extent allowed by law. The exact amount of your contribution
that is tax-deductible will be communicated to you when PJFF's final program has
been determined.
DESIGN: Denise Avayou | www.avayoudesign.com
See reverse side for Supporter form4
PJFF.ORG
|
215-545-4400
| 61
PJFF35 SUPPORTER FORM
YES! I/we will be a part of the 35th Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival at The
Gershman Y, November 7-21, 2015, at the following level:
PLEASE INDICATE YOUR ROLE/ROLES IN THE PJFF 35 SEASON.
Actor ($350)
Two Actors ($700)
Director ($500) Two Directors ($1000)
Producer ($1000) Two Producers ($2000)
In addition, I/we will contribute $250 for a class of 30 students to
attend a PJFF film event for free.
I/we are unable to attend, but please accept this contribution of: $
Total amount: $
Name(s) as it/they should appear on materials
Contact person Company name
Address
City/State/Zip
Phone E-mail
If you have any questions, please contact Tracy Segal at [email protected]
or at 215-446-3021.
PAYMENT OPTIONS:
Please make checks payable to The Gershman Y.
CREDIT CARDS:
Amount charged:
Visa
MC
Amex
Discover
Name on card
Card number
Expiration Date Security Code
Return this form to:
The Gershman Y / PJFF
401 S. Broad St.
Philadelphia, PA 19147
62 |
TELL YOUR
FRIENDS
Cover Image: From Very Semi-Serious
about the extraordinary lineup of films featured
this year at the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival.
Buy tickets at www.pjff.org or call 215-545-4400.
f at www.facebook.com/PhiladelphiaJewishFilmFestival
Follow us on l at http://twitter.com/PJFF
Like us on
The Gershman Y receives
state arts funding support
through a grant from the
Pennsylvania Council on the
Arts, a state agency funded
by the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania and the
National Endowment for
the Arts, a federal agency.
401 S. Broad Street | Philadelphia, PA 19147

november 7-21 - Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival

Transcription

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