San Francisco Jewish Film Festival 27

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F E ST I V A L OF L I G H T

Board of Directors Doug Okun President

Shana Penn vice president

Frederick Hertz Treasurer

Dana Doron Secretary

Michael Bernstein Ron Blatman Pamela Burdman Susie Coliver* Gail Dolgin Nancy Goldberg Jane Gottesman Cary Kletter Lenny Lieberman Reed Maltzman Iris Metz Sara Newman Pam Rorke Levy Scott Rubin Lela Sarnat* Marian Sofaer* Stephen H. Swire Dan Wohlfeiler *terms ending Spring 2007

Staff Peter L. Stein Executive Director

Elizabeth Jouan Greene Administrative Director

Nancy K. Fishman Program Director

Allyson Halpern Development Director

Welcome to the 27th San Francisco Jewish Film Festival!

The cover image on our program guide shows a shining light in motion, an unseen hand projecting something brilliant in the darkness. It captures the essence of why we love to present, curate and attend our festival: to be ignited by a spark from the infinite world of Jewish culture, history, issues and ideas…a spark refracted through the lens of remarkable filmmakers.

This year’s festival provides plenty of spark and sparkle: we bring you 54 films from 13 countries, shown in 5 Bay Area venues in 99 screenings (a record for us!). We open our San Francisco run with one of the year’s finest dramatic films, Sweet Mud, a poignant tale of a boy growing up on a kibbutz, and end it on a hilarious note with Making Trouble, a tribute to Jewish women comedians, including a live performance by comic Judy Gold.

Also making us laugh—and simultaneously howl, cringe, gasp and applaud—is the inimitable Dani Levy, who returns to SFJFF to premiere his irreverent satire My Fuehrer: The Truly Truest Truth About Adolf Hitler and to receive our Freedom of Expression Award. Levy’s films often deal with Jewish identity and culture in contemporary Europe, a theme echoed in a number of selections this year, including Just an Ordinary Jew, Gorgeous! and Yiddish Soul. The latter is among a spate of terrific musical offerings, highlighted by a live performance of Paul Shapiro’s new jazz-klezmer score for the silent 1925 Jewish boxing classic His People, which screens as part of our special program on Jewish Boxers. In that series you’ll enjoy the premiere of Orthodox Stance, profiling a remarkable 24-year-old Orthodox prizefighter, as well as retrospective films and discussions elucidating the long involvement of Jews in “the sweet science” of boxing.

2007 has seen film production in Israel continue to excel and thrive, and this year we feature more than two dozen dramas, documentaries and shorts produced or co-produced in Israel, paying special attention to recent documentary films by veterans Nurit Kedar and Duki Dror. In addition to the best new Israeli features (including Sweet Mud, Aviva My Love and The Bubble), we showcase documentaries that shine a light on the complex relationship between Jews and Palestinians (9 Star Hotel, Hot House, I Am You Are and Knowledge Is the Beginning) and between Israel and Lebanon (Borders, Lebanon Dream and Wasted). And this year, bringing back a popular SFJFF tradition that started in the 1990s with Florentine, we are screening a new television series in its entirety: Israel’s latest, hottest TV drama, A Touch Away, screens in a special two-part showing at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco.

So whether you come to the festival to find your soul or your soul mate, for a good time or a good argument, at some point we think you’ll see that spark in the darkness: something enlightening, perhaps dazzling, occasionally brilliant, always illuminating. Enjoy!

Leo Wong Program Coordinator

Classic

Family Relationships

Body and Soul His People My Son, the Hero

Aviva My Love Bad Faith The Cemetery Club Gorgeous!

Jonathan My Mexican Shivah Naturalized Orders of Love Praying with Lior Three Mothers A Touch Away Your Younger Daughter Rachel

Comedy Bad Faith Gorgeous!

I’m Charlie Chaplin Making Trouble: Three Generations of Funny Jewish Women My Fuehrer: The Truly Truest Truth About Adolf Hitler My Mexican Shivah Naturalized

Drama The Bubble The Giraffe Gorgeous!

His People Jews in Shorts Just an Ordinary Jew My Mexican Shivah My Son, the Hero Sweet Mud Three Mothers A Touch Away Your Younger Daughter Rachel

Faith & Spirituality Addes The Chosen Ones Ezekiel’s Wheels Film Fanatic Just an Ordinary Jew The Longing: The Forgotten Jews of South America A Touch Away Yoel, Israel & the Pashkevils

Grace Lee Development Associate

Kerri Gawryn Administrative Coordinator

Gay/Lesbian The Bubble Jonathan

German/Jewish Relations The Giraffe Just an Ordinary Jew My Fuehrer

History Between Two Notes Borders The Cemetery Club Just an Ordinary Jew Lebanon Dream Making Trouble: Three Generations of Funny Jewish Women So Long Are You Young Yiddish Soul

Interfaith/ Intercultural Bad Faith The Bubble The Chosen Ones The Giraffe Just an Ordinary Jew So Long Are You Young Sweet Mud

Israeli/Palestinian Relations 9 Star Hotel Borders The Bubble Hot House I Am You Are Knowledge Is the Beginning Sidewalk Yedidiah’s Collection

Latin America The Longing: The Forgotten Jews of South America My Mexican Shivah

Music Between Two Notes The Chosen Ones His People Knowledge Is the Beginning Ladino Three Mothers Yiddish Soul

Russia/Former Soviet Union Naturalized Orthodox Stance Tolya A Touch Away Weitzman Street No. 10

Literature & Poetry Aviva My Love Ezekiel’s Wheels My Mexican Shivah So Long Are You Young

Middle East 9 Star Hotel Between Two Notes Borders The Bubble Hot House I Am You Are Knowledge Is the Beginning Ladino Lebanon Dream Sidewalk Three Mothers Wasted Yedidiah’s Collection

Sports Body and Soul His People Max Baer’s Last Right Hook My Son, the Hero Orthodox Stance

Yiddish & Yiddishkeit His People Yiddish Soul

Youth I Am You Are Gary’s Story Jews in Shorts Praying with Lior Sidewalk Your Younger Daughter Rachel

Mizrahi (Jews from Arab Lands) Addes Aviva My Love Between Two Notes Ladino Three Mothers

Events, Panels, Parties & more— see page 31.

Christy Applegate Bookkeeper

Catalog design and content © 2007 San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. All rights reserved.

Peter L. Stein

Nancy K. Fishman

Doug Okun

Executive Director

Program Director

President, Board of Directors

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Executive Director San Francisco Jewish Film Festival

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OPENING NIGHT

S WEET

MUD

CLOSING NIGHT

M A K I NG

TROU B L E

Three Generations of

Funny Jewish Women

925 .275 .9490

www.sfjff.org

Northern California PREMIERE

Israel, Germany, 2006, 100 min., color, Hebrew, w/Eng. subtitles

One of the most accomplished and celebrated international dramas of the year, Sweet Mud peels back the romantic mythology surrounding communal life on an Israeli kibbutz to tell a more personal, poignant story of thwarted love, adolescent awakening and human longings and failings. It is a deeply felt and beautifully photographed drama, worthy of all the acclaim it has received, both within Israel and abroad.

It is 1974. On a kibbutz (collective farming community) in southern Israel, amid verdant, fertile landscapes, a boy is entering a troubled bar mitzvah year. Dvir (Tomer Steinhof ) is 12; his father is dead, his brother is in the army and his mother Miri (the exquisite Ronit Yudkevitch) is emotionally fragile, nearly unstable. When her much-rumored boyfriend actually appears from Switzerland, things begin to look up for Dvir and Miri. Before long, however, a series of small but earthshaking conflicts will test the nascent family as well as the ability of the kibbutz community to take care of its most

principal cast Tomer Steinhof, Ronit Yudkevitch, Henri Garcin

vulnerable members.

Writer/director Dror Shaul drew from his own childhood growing up on kibbutz Kissufim in southern Israel. “My film confronts the collective memory of a kibbutz, as a habitat to picturesque landscapes and nature’s magical scents, with my own private memories in which people are people, regardless of the ideology they may choose to wear.…My aim was to make a film about the longing for warmth and emotions, a longing for the illusion that we are not alone.”

Shaul was invited to develop Sweet Mud at the prestigious Sundance Directors and Screenwriters Labs. The film was Israel’s official entry to the 2007 Academy Awards and won the Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema at Sundance, the Crystal Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival and six Israeli Academy Awards including Best Picture.

Co-presented by San Francisco Film Society

Opening Night is sponsored by a generous grant from Wells Fargo.

Additional support provided by the Consulate General of Israel, Pacific Northwest Region, and by the Israel Center of the Jewish Community Federation

West Coast Premiere

United States, 2006, 85 min., color, English

Making Trouble: Three Generations of Funny Jewish Women is a laugh-out-loud, impeccably researched documentary that explores six legendary American Jewish women comics. Director Rachel Talbot, with the Jewish Women’s Archive as producer, has created a tribute to Molly Picon, Fanny Brice, Sophie Tucker, Joan Rivers, Wendy Wasserstein and Gilda Radner, women whose comedy defied cultural expectations and changed the rules. Get ready to duck when the zingers fly and guffaw at this hilarious, insightful documentary—an exhilarating mix of contemporary performance, interviews and rare archival footage.

What is it that makes funny Jewish women so funny… and so Jewish? Is it a nose wrinkled just so, accompanied by a devilishly sexy grin or a jolting and sarcastic punch line? Is it the acerbic humor of generations of immigrant and firstgeneration women who fought for a place in America with their brains and their wit, and at the same time needed to make a living? Making Trouble celebrates three generations who, for all of the reasons above, successfully went from vaudeville

appearing in san francisco

Don’t miss the fun Opening Night Pre-Film Party featuring the hot music of New York–based Paul Shapiro and his jazz sextet. (More on the band on page 8.)

director Dror Shaul

Castro (Opening Night Reception with film) Thu, Jul 19 Castro (Opening Night film only) Thu, Jul 19 Aquarius Thu, Aug 2 Roda Sat, Aug 4 Rafael Mon, Aug 6

6:30 PM OPEN19C 8:00 PM SWEE19C 6:15 PM SWEE02A 7:00 PM SWEE04B 6:30 PM SWEE06R

Judy Gold is a stand-up comic who has been a guest on numerous shows ranging from ABC’s The View to Tough Crowd on Comedy Central. She is the winner of two Emmy awards and is the co-writer and star of the Off-Broadway hit show 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother, which is also now a book.

director Rachel Talbot

With live comedy

by Judy Gold

and the Yiddish theatre to Broadway, from Ziegfeld’s Follies to Saturday Night Live.

Our wacky guides on this comedic journey are four of today’s leading Jewish comedians—Judy Gold, Jackie Hoffman, Cory Kahaney and Jessica Kirson—who meet in New York’s Katz’s Delicatessen in a scenario straight out of Woody Allen’s Broadway Danny Rose. The witty foursome’s repartee crackles with jokes and their sheer delight at the comedic acumen and legacy of their predecessors. Fasten your seatbelt and hold onto your ribs!

Director Rachel Talbot produced (with Ken Bowser) Hollywood, DC (Bravo, 2000), about the relationship between Hollywood and politics, which aired the night before the 2000 presidential election; and Easy Riders, Raging Bulls (BBC/Trio, 2003). Talbot was the supervising producer on NBC’s The First Five Years of Saturday Night Live (2005), and Saturday Night Live in the 1980s (NBC, 2005). Making Trouble marks her directing debut.

Co-presented by Kung Pao Kosher Comedy and Jewish Women’s Archive

Closing Night is sponsored by a generous grant from the Bonnie and Marty Tenenbaum Foundation Additional sponsorship by Abe and Marian Scheuer Sofaer

Castro (includes pre-film extras & live comedy) Thu, Jul 26 Roda Sat, Jul 28 Aquarius Thu, Aug 2 Rafael Sun, Aug 5

8:30 PM MAKI26C 10:00 PM MAKI28B 8:30 PM MAKI02A 4:30 PM MAKI05R

special programs

2007 SFJFF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AWARD

Shtarke rs* an d Th e Swe et Scie nce

925 .275 .9490

www.sfjff.org

by

So what’s a nice Jewish girl doing programming a sidebar on Jewish boxers? There’s not a one-sentence punchline to this question. One is either enamored of the sweet science or repulsed by it; I have always been drawn to it because of my love of sports, dance and the archetypal narrative and psychological tension inherent in the ring. Boxing and boxing films are also ripe for our own projections of ambition, immortality, failure and vulnerability.

Joyce Carol Oates wrote in her eloquent book On Boxing, “Because a boxing match is a story without words, this doesn’t mean that it has no text or language, that it is somehow ‘brute,’ ‘primitive,’ ‘inarticulate,’ only that the text is improvised in action; the language a dialogue between the boxers of the most refined sort…in a joint response to the mysterious will of the audience which is always that the fight be a worthy one.” This description could apply, as well, to the nature of cinema.

We extend very special thanks to boxing writer and historian Mike Silver for sharing his encyclopedic knowledge of boxing and boxing films.

—Nancy K. Fishman

PANEL DISCUSSION

Please join us for a panel on Jewish boxers and boxing films after the screening of Orthodox Stance (page 21) on Sunday, July 22 at 7:00pm, with noted boxing writer and historian Mike Silver, Orthodox Stance director and subject, Jason Hutt and Dmitriy Salita, and special guests. The panel is included with the price of admission to Orthodox Stance.

D A NI

LeV Y

mike silver

From 1901 to 1939 there were 27 Jewish world-champion boxers. Jewish fighters such as Abe Attell, Ted “Kid” Lewis, Benny Leonard, Lew Tendler, Barney Ross, Joe Choyinski and “Slapsie” Maxie Rosenbloom rank among the greatest fighters of all time. In fact, more Jews have participated in boxing than in any other professional sport. By the late 1920s they accounted for almost one third of all title contenders; from 1914 to 1939 there was not a single year in which there was not at least one Jewish world champion.

Boxing has always been a sport of the underclass. The patterns of ethnic assimilation into the mainstream of American society can be traced in the names of the great Irish, then Jewish, Italian and now Latino and African American fighters who graced the sport.

Boxing is also a sport of great drama and angst. Writers from Homer to Hemingway to Joyce Carol Oates have been drawn to it. And so have some of the greatest movie directors of our time, including Alfred Hitchcock, King Vidor, Stanley Kubrick, John Huston, Robert Wise and Martin Scorsese.

Jews have been so much a part of this sport, in every capacity, that it is almost impossible to make a movie about boxing and not have some reference to their participation. Whether it is Charlie Davis of Body and Soul (see page 12) or Mickey, the diminutive Jewish trainer of Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky, Jewish characters are bound to pop up somewhere. The recent movie Cinderella Man, which depicted the life of Depression-era heavyweight champion James J. Braddock (Irish American), included five fight scenes. Of the five opponents, two were Jewish and one (Max Baer), although only partly Jewish, fought with a Mogen David sewn onto his trunks.

The saga of Jewish boxers is not quite over. Dmitriy Salita, who is the subject of the documentary Orthodox Stance (see page 21), is our link to the past and a reminder of a time when Jewish boxers were kings of the ring.

Boxing historian Mike Silver was curator of the critically acclaimed exhibit “Sting Like a Maccabee: The Golden Age of the American Jewish Boxer,” presented by the National Museum of American Jewish History (a Smithsonian affiliate) in Philadelphia in 2004 and 2005. His articles on boxing have appeared in The New York Times, Ring Magazine, Boxing Monthly, and on ESPN and SecondsOut websites. *Shtarker is Yiddish for strongman; “the sweet science” is a term for boxing coined

by Pierce Egan, who called the sport “the sweet science of bruising.”

Dani Levy is a unique and paradoxical voice in contemporary independent filmmaking: a Jewish filmmaker who for 27 years has lived and worked in Berlin, a politically incorrect scriptwriter who is a box office success, and a farceur with a serious social intent.

Levy’s mother was born in Berlin; in 1939, at the age of 12, she fled to Switzerland, where Dani was born in 1957.

During Levy’s childhood, his mother’s family’s stories of suffering under Nazi oppression were, in his words, “considered taboo,” so his decision to move to Berlin in 1980 was something of a family earthquake, with reverberations that are felt in his films. His insistence on broaching the taboos of contemporary German-Jewish relations—in fictional contemplations of Jewish identity in Germany (Without Me, SFJFF 1993), in comic portrayals of Jewish assimilation (Go for Zucker, SFJFF 2005), and especially in his latest provocation, My Fuehrer: The Truly Truest Truth About Adolf Hitler (page 20), an outrageous satire set during the Third Reich—are in part an attempt to establish a cultural dialogue within a vast silence.

Not only is Levy one of the very few Jewish filmmakers working in Germany, his films are willing to take on both German

and Jewish stereotypes in bold, often irreverent ways. They catalyze necessary public conversations, but like all powerful art, they are fueled by a deep private need. Levy himself has acknowledged that his films “are my way of trying to engage in a dialogue with my mother.”

A Dani Levy film is invariably laced with humor, empathy and a tragicomic sense of the absurd. It is telling that Levy’s early theatrical training was in the circus, and though he gave up a career as an acrobat and clown early on, he has been continuously performing a high-wire act of funny/sad hijinks in his filmmaking. His first three films in a tragicomic vein were followed by three more serious scripts, including the thriller The Giraffe (page 14), which he made for X-Filme, the production company he co-founded with three fellow Berlin filmmakers. With Zucker, Levy returned to his beloved Jewish humor, in which, he says, one encounters “people who evoke emotions in you, with whom and at whom you can laugh.

And perhaps you get the feeling that you’ve seen a Jew from a completely new perspective, which might take away some of your fear of ‘the other’… [They are] people who are full of the everyday chaos that accompanies all our lives.”

The SFJFF Freedom of Expression Award honors the unfettered imagination, which is the cornerstone of a free, just and open society. Dani Levy will accept his award following the screening of My Fuehrer on Tuesday, July 24.

Breaking Taboos: Jews and Germans Today Please join a conversation on Tuesday, July 24 at 6:00 pm with Dani Levy, German Consul General Rolf Schütte and others immediately following the screening of Just an Ordinary Jew and prior to My Fuehrer. Free admission with ticket to either film.

CENTERPIECE FILM

Spotlight On:

H I S PEOP L E

I s rae l i

With Jazz Score Performed Live!

United States, 1925, 91 min., black & white, silent

director Edward Sloman

principal cast Rudolph Schildkraut, Rosa Rosanova, George Lewis, Arthur Lubin

musicians Paul Shapiro: tenor sax, flute and clarinet

Ravi Best: trumpet Tomas Ulrich: cello

Brian Mitchell: piano David Hofstra: bass

Tony Lewis: drums

925 .275 .9490

www.sfjff.org

Join us for a one-time-only musical event: a silent Jewish classic with a boxing subplot, accompanied live by Paul Shapiro’s New York–based jazz sextet playing his new film score!

THE FILM: His People is a wonderful melodrama straight out of the Lower East Side: Two brothers, Sammy and Morris Cominsky (George Lewis and Arthur Lubin), are the sons of poor immigrant Jewish parents. They take very different paths to realize their vision of the American dream in this lively and entertaining tale of life in 1920s New York.

Tough but good-natured Sammy decides to become a prizefighter to help pay for his older brother’s law school education and ease his family’s financial burden. Not wanting his parents to know he is a prizefighter, Sammy fights under the name “Kid Rooney.” But a nosey neighbor spills the beans and Sammy’s observant father (Rudolph Schildkraut in a nuanced performance that is both funny and poignant) is horrified. “G-d of Israel! That a son of mine should sink so low.”

Meanwhile Sammy’s older brother Morris, a socialclimbing rat in a three-piece suit, is so embarrassed by his family’s poverty and old-world ways that he proclaims himself an orphan. But his prizefighting brother will soon have to come to the whole family’s rescue in a boxing showdown. Can he save the family and win over his Irish girlfriend? Oy!­—Mike Silver

THE MUSIC: Appearing live to play his new score for His People are New York composer/ instrumentalist Paul Shapiro and his jazz sextet, featuring sax/flute/clarinet, trumpet, cello, piano, bass and drums. Shapiro is best known for his releases on John Zorn’s Tzadik label entitled Midnight Minyan and It’s in the Twilight that combine his love for jazz and his Jewish roots.

He has been featured on NPR and can be heard on recordings by Lou Reed, Queen Latifah, Jay-Z and many others. The New York Sun has called his music “a brilliant synthesis of klezmer and hard bop.” Shapiro was a founding member of the Brooklyn Funk Essentials and a longtime member of the Microscopic Septet.

Of his new score for His People, Shapiro states: “The tonalities are informed by Jewish music from antiquity to the post-klezmer ‘Yiddish Swing’ of the 1940s and 50s. There will be jazz sonorities and improvisation woven into that fabric. We don’t have the advantage of ‘locking to picture,’ but this is part of the challenge and the fun of performing it ‘live-to-picture’!”

Co-presented by the Jewish Music Festival, a program of the JCC East Bay; the San Francisco Silent Film Festival; and The Hub at JCCSF

Sponsored by Susan & Moses Libitzky Additional support provided by KCSM, Jazz 91.1 FM

Castro (with Live Music Performance) Sat, Jul 21

7:30 PM HISP21C

Israeli documentary filmmakers are producing outstanding films that run the gamut in terms of subject and approach.

Some are journalistically objective and others are distinctly point-of-view; some make quiet personal portraits and others boldly capture the inflammatory, multifaceted political situation in Israel, from terrorism against Jews to human rights of Palestinians.

The proliferation and success of Israeli documentaries are a testament to the filmmakers themselves and to the institutions that have nurtured them: the major Israeli international film festivals (Jerusalem, Haifa and Doc Aviv); Israeli television channels 1, 2, 8, 10 and Yes Doco; a strong cadre of film schools; and the growing network of distributors specializing in Israeli film. We are delighted to welcome documentary distributor Ruth Diskin and Jerusalem Film Festival programmer Gilli Mendel, who will be attending this year’s festival and introducing several films.

The biggest funder and advocate of Israeli documentary is The New Foundation for Cinema and Television (NFCT), which was founded in 1993 by Israel’s Ministry of Arts and has since supported the production of around 250 original films, the vast majority of them documentaries. Films in this year’s festival funded by the NFCT include Ido Haar’s unblinking look at illegal Palestinian construction workers, 9 Star Hotel; Tali Shemesh’s

poetic portrait of the Holocaust generation, The Cemetery Club; Shimon Dotan’s masterful and electrifying documentary on Palestinians in Israeli prisons, Hot House; Avida Livny’s playful mockumentary about a legendary boxer, Max Baer’s Last Right Hook, and Lina Chaplin’s foray into the unfamiliar world of Neturei Karta, Yoel, Israel and the Pashkevils.

We offer a Close-Up this year on three films by veteran documentarian Nurit Kedar, whose films Borders, Lebanon Dream and her newest, Wasted, examine the ongoing conflict between the neighboring countries of Israel and Lebanon. Kedar will attend the San Francisco and Berkeley screenings of her films.

We also offer the latest films of the prolific Duki Dror, who will be attending the festival this year with a sneak preview of his documentary Sidewalk as well as with Mr. Cortisone, Happy Days, two original, if very different, close-up portraits.

And the newest generation of filmmakers is on view in the youth media program I Am You Are, presented by program founder Gilli Mendel of the Jerusalem Cinematheque.

Please join us for a panel on the state of Israeli documentary filmmaking on Saturday, July 28 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, following the screening of Wasted (see page 24, ticket to film includes panel). Invited speakers include Nurit Kedar, Duki Dror, Shimon Dotan, Ido Haar, Gilli Mendel and moderator Ruth Diskin.

…and don’t miss the hottest new dramatic television series from Israel, A TOUCH AWAY — premiere season screened in its entirety! See page 24.

S F J F F 2 7

9 Star Hotel West Coast Premiere Israel, 2006, 78 min., color, Arabic, Hebrew, w/Eng. subtitles

Aviva My Love director Ido Haar

925 .275 .9490

www.sfjff.org

Co-sponsored by Friends of Hannah Kranzberg, in honor of her dedication and commitment to social justice; and by Carl & Gay Grunfeld

10

Ido Haar grew up in a village between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv where he remembers often seeing fearful men “frantically running across the highway…I wanted to find out where they are running to, and whom they are running from.” In 9 Star Hotel he reveals the lives of a few of the thousands of Palestinian construction workers who cross illegally into Israel in search of a livelihood.

Like the best observational documentarians, Haar avoids didactic analysis and instead employs an intense, handheld camera that allows details of individual lives to coalesce into a deeply human portrait. He gains trusted access to a small band of workers who build luxury apartments by day but at night avoid arrest by scurrying into clandestine makeshift huts tucked into a wooded hillside (accommodations they comically nickname their “9 star hotel”). We get to know two workers in particular: Ahmed, a winsome joker who collects random objects, and Muhammad, a philosophical critic of the Palestinian character (“We think backward, we never think forward”). Their friendship anchors a tenuous, fragile existence.

The determination with which they scratch out a living for their families in the West Bank despite constant threat of arrest sheds new light on the interdependence of the two societies now separated by a border barrier. And yet we recognize the story of all workers, all borderlands—including our own—in this remarkable film. Haar’s achievement is to find the universal, poignant story inside very particular lives.

Winner, Wolgin Award (Outstanding Documentary), Jerusalem International Film Festival.

Bad Faith director Shemi Zarhin

West Coast Premiere Israel, 2005, 107 min., color, Hebrew, w/Eng. subtitles

Between Two Notes

California Premiere Belgium, France, 2006, 88 min., color, French, w/Eng. subtitles

director Roschdy Zem

principal cast Asi Levi, Uri Gavriel, Evelyne Kaplun, Yoav Hait

principal cast Roschdy Zem, Cécile de France

Co-sponsored by Amy & Mort Friedkin and Orli & Zack Rinat

Co-sponsored by Craig Harrison’s Expressions of Excellence!™

berkeley opening night generously supported by saul’s restaurant & delicatessen

A mirror, a toothache, fish cooked with lemon: for Aviva (Asi Levi), these are the small bits of reality that spark the imagination, compelling her to write thoughtful, magical stories that she hopes one day to publish. But Aviva struggles to keep her family together: strong and sexy (a more svelte, Mizrahi version of an Anna Magnani character), she supports her unemployed husband by working as a cook in a hotel kitchen while raising her two teenage children, caring for her obstinate, unpredictable mother, counseling her spirited sister through a troubled marriage, and keeping the peace between them all. A pathway out of her provincial life appears when she meets a well-known author who believes her writing has promise and agrees to help edit her work. As Aviva begins to suspect that the author’s intentions are less than noble, she is forced to make crucial decisions that pit her family’s interests against her own dreams.

Written and directed by Shemi Zarhin (Bonjour Monsieur Shlomi), Aviva My Love is richly shot, with glimpses into the title character’s inner fantasy life, telling the story of a woman attempting to make her unique voice heard while over and over it is muffled by the needs and desires of those around her. Winner of six Awards of the Israeli Film Academy, including Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Director.

Co-presented by the Jewish Community Center of the East Bay; Congregation Beth Am/Los Altos Hills; and the Israel Center of the Jewish Community Federation

Clara and Ishmael are gorgeous, happy, in love and in Paris.

How nice is that? Like many cosmopolitan Parisian couples, the fact that she is Jewish and he is Muslim barely crosses the minds of these oh-so-secular lovebirds…until Clara announces that she’s pregnant. That’s when the troubles start in this charming and timely romantic comedy whose title could have been “Guess Who’s Coming to Shabbos Dinner?”

Though the premise is as old as Romeo and Juliet and as familiar as Meet the Parents, the Arab-Jewish frisson makes this film feel absolutely fresh. We’re rooting for the couple—he (Roschdy Zem) a jazz music teacher, she (Cécile de France) a physical therapist—as they first must navigate the fear and disappointments of loved ones: Clara’s parents, though not exactly observant, receive the news as a religious tragedy, while Ishmael’s friends register it as a political earthquake. Suddenly baby names, circumcision and keeping Ramadan become flashpoints. Will Middle East politics break the couple apart? Can love really conquer all?

Actor Zem (Live and Become, SFJFF 2006) makes a fine directorial debut working with a snappy, sexy script.

When Mama Breitmann demands to know if the baby will be Jewish or Muslim, Clara retorts, “He’ll be French!”

Prece de d By

A Kiss Is a Kiss is a kiss Israel, 2003, 6 min., color, Hebrew, w/Eng. subtitles

director Uri Bar-On

West Coast Premiere Canada, France, 2006, 85 min., color, Arabic, English, French, Hebrew, w/Eng. subtitles

director Florence Strauss

The locations are storied and exotic: Cairo, Aleppo, Damascus, Beirut, Tel Aviv. In a war-torn and bitterly divided Middle East, what binds these places together in this beautiful documentary is their deep-rooted connection to classical Arabic music. Creating a lyrical road movie, Paris-based filmmaker Florence Strauss sets out to trace the origins of Arabic music and in the process makes discoveries about her own family’s hidden heritage.

Growing up in France, Strauss had been introduced to the exquisite tradition of classical Arabic music through her French Muslim friends, but she was unaware of how much that tradition had been embraced and furthered by Iraqi and other Middle Eastern Jews in Israel, and she knew nothing about her own Mizrahi roots. Her grandfather Robert Hakim, a renowned French film producer (Belle de Jour, L’Avventura and others), had been thrown out of his native Egypt with many other prominent Jews in the 1950s and forbade the family to discuss let alone visit Egypt.

Strauss embarks on a journey of artistic and personal discovery to pay tribute to the extraordinary singers, instrumentalists and poets who perpetuate a musical tradition that crosses borders even when the musicians cannot. Ancient rhythms, melodies and harmonies pour forth in passages of musical joy. In titling the film in French “Le Blues de l’Orient,” Strauss pointed up the music’s melancholy air; but its English title refers both to the striking quarter-tones of the Arabic musical scale and to the music’s delicate, binding role among peoples and cultures.

Co-presented by the Jewish Music Festival, a program of JCC East Bay; and

by Cinemayaat, the Arab Film Festival

Three of the unlikeliest screen kisses and one draw.

Co-presented by Film Arts Foundation

Co-presented by the Alliance Française de San Francisco; Congregation Emanu-El/San Francisco; New Israel Fund; Project Welcome; Building Jewish Bridges, a program of Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay; and the Interfaith Connection, a program of JCCSF

CASTRO Tue, Jul 24 RODA Sun, Jul 29

9:30 PM 8:45 PM

9STA24C 9STA29B

CASTRO Thu, Jul 26 RODA Sat, Jul 28 followed by Dessert Reception

5:45 PM AVIV26C 7:15 PM AVIV28B

AQUARIUS Wed, Aug 1 RAFAEL Sat, Aug 4

6:15 PM AVIV01A 8:30 PM AVIV04R

CASTRO Sat, Jul 21 AQUARIUS Sun, Jul 29 RODA Wed, Aug 1 RAFAEL Sun, Aug 5

9:30 PM 7:00 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 PM

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CASTRO Sat, Jul 21 AQUARIUS Mon, Jul 30 RODA Sat, Aug 4

12:00 PM 8:45 PM 2:40 PM

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Body and Soul

925 .275 .9490

www.sfjff.org

United States, 1947, 104 min., black & white, English

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The Bubble director Robert Rossen

Israel, 2006, 90 min., color, Arabic, Hebrew, w/Eng. subtitles

The Cemetery Club director Eytan Fox

principal cast John Garfield, Lilli Palmer

principal cast Alon Friedmann, Ohad Knoller, Yousef Sweid, Daniela Wircer

Sponsored by Vera & Harold S. Stein, Jr.

Co-sponsored by Frederick Hertz & Randolph Langenbach, and by Doug Okun & Eric Ethington, Scott Rubin & Stephen Moore, and Dan Wohlfeiler

Body and Soul is the quintessential boxing film. What makes it stand out from the pack is its ability to transcend cliché—no easy task for a Hollywood film. Jewish boxer Charlie Davis (John Garfield in an Oscar-nominated performance) has fought his way out of poverty to become middleweight champion. But the corrupt world of professional boxing and his own lust for money and fame threaten to destroy everything he has worked so hard to achieve. To settle a mob debt, Charlie agrees to a fixed fight. Realizing he has made a pact with the devil, Charlie must choose redemption or self-destruction, a choice played out in the final climactic boxing scene.

At first Charlie’s Jewish identity is only implied (for example, his mother, the wonderful Anne Revere, affects a slight New York Jewish accent). But towards the end of the film, Shimin the grocer (Shimin Rushkin), speaking in an unmistakable Yiddish lilt, tells Mrs. Davis, “Over in Europe the Nazis are killing people like us just because of their religion, but here, Charlie Davis is a champion.” It is one of the first references in film to the Holocaust. Inexplicably and inexcusably, this dialogue has been cut from a new DVD version of the film.

Inevitably, there is a wise and patient girlfriend, a femme fatale and a menacing mobster. But interwoven throughout Abraham Polonsky’s riveting screenplay are the ongoing deeper themes of greed, lust and loyalty. Polonsky would later become a victim of the McCarthy-era Hollywood blacklist as would John Garfield—born Jacob Julius Garfinkle. —Mike Silver

With The Bubble, director Eytan Fox and his screenwriting (and life) partner Gal Uchovsky continue their extraordinary run of sleek, chic films that define the contradictions of modern Israeli life. Like their previous hits Walk on Water, Yossi and Jagger and the watershed television series Florentine (a record-breaking SFJFF favorite in 1998), The Bubble weaves together the lives of likable young characters of various exuberant sexualities into a storyline that raises issues far more complex than the characters seem prepared to handle.

In The Bubble, a trio of charming and sexy Israeli twenty-somethings share a flat in Tel Aviv’s hip district, Shenkin Street. Idealistic Lulu works at The Body Shop, goofy and flamboyant Yali runs a cafe, and moody Noam works in a record store when he’s not doing dispiriting reserve duty at a Palestinian checkpoint. They love their carefree lives inside Tel Aviv’s “bubble,” where the strains of a violent outside world are kept at bay, one day (and party-filled night) at a time.

But the bubble is threatened to the bursting point when Noam hooks up with and gradually falls in love with Ashraf, a young Palestinian man who cannot legally work or reside in Tel Aviv. Seeing Ashraf ’s situation as a chance to act on their principles of peaceful coexistence, the three roommates turn somersaults to squeeze Ashraf into the bubble. How their ideals run headlong into tragic realities forms the core tension in this smart, keenly felt drama.

West Coast Premiere Israel, 2006, 90 min., color, Hebrew, Polish, w/Eng. subtitles

The Chosen Ones director Tali Shemesh

Pull up a chair and immerse yourself in this mesmerizing documentary about a vital group of octogenarians who meet at ten o’clock sharp on Saturday mornings in the Mount Herzl National Cemetery in Jerusalem. Among the club’s rules: the democratically elected chairperson chooses the discussion topic, and bring your own chair. The stated mandate of the group is to diminish loneliness in old age.

For over two decades, the so-called Mount Herzl Academy’s members have engaged in deliberations on art, philosophy, the foundation of the state of Israel (in which many of them participated), contemporary politics, IsraeliPalestinian relations, poetry and love. Director Tali Shemesh followed “the Academy” for five years, focusing on two members: her grandmother Minia and her great aunt Lena.

Minia and Lena survived the Warsaw Ghetto and Auschwitz, outlived their husbands and still argue and tell each other what to do like teenagers. Their lifelong friendship, and the frankness with which they and the other Academy members speak, provide an unforgettable view of a generation that survived the worst and dreamed of a new beginning for themselves and the generations to come. Shemesh’s witty and poetic film is a brilliant portrait of older people who thirst for knowledge and fearlessly seek to understand the epic narrative of their own lives.

“The Cemetery Club is one of the most powerful and multi-layered documentaries I have seen….It has elements of tragedy, comedy, of rich fiction and poignant political satire. It is a magnificent film.” —Amos Oz Co-presented by the Holocaust Center of Northern California and Temple Sinai of Oakland

Co-presented by Frameline, Congregation Sha’ar Zahav and the LGBT Alliance of the Jewish Community Federation

World Premiere Germany, 2007, 87 min., color, English

director Wendla Nölle

Co-sponsored by Craig Harrison’s Expressions of Excellence!™

Music is a calling, divine or otherwise. For some the calling is entirely secular, for others it is profoundly spiritual, but all the talented young musicians featured in Wendla Nölle’s documentary The Chosen Ones feel deeply and undeniably the intertwining of the music they make and their religious experience.

Musician and filmmaker Nölle travels to Manhattan in search of the face of young Jewish music and serves up a sampler of New York’s new generation of Jewish musicians, who display overwhelming variety, freshness, humor, intensity and talent. Among the artists profiled is an Orthodox convert who can rap in four different languages, weaving them into a musical study of Talmudic teachings; a young blues musician who sings almost forgotten cantorial chants against African beats; a pop music group that combines a funk sound with Jewish spirituality and Hebrew lyrics; and an Orthodox rabbi who has found a home in the Lower East Side’s indie music scene with funny, quirky songs (reminiscent of Jonathan Richman) that often deal with weighty subjects such as the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Anchoring this whirlwind tour is the city of New York itself, its frenetic multiplicity adding a vibrant backdrop to these distinct performances. Not only a look at Jewish music today, The Chosen Ones is a study in microcosm of a generation coming of age, as diverse artists grapple with how to combine their beliefs, cultural backgrounds and individual voices into an expression of who they are.

Co-presented by the Jewish Community Center of the East Bay and the Hub at the JCCSF

Co-presented by the San Francisco Noir Film Festival and San Francisco Film Society

Castro Mon, Jul 23 Roda Mon, Jul 30

1:30 PM 4:15 PM

BODY23C BODY30B

Roda Thu, Aug 2

6:15 PM

BUBB02B

Aquarius Sat, Jul 28 Roda Tue, Jul 31

12:30 PM CEME28A 4:15 PM CEME31B

Castro Mon, Jul 23 Roda Mon, Jul 30 Aquarius Thu, Aug 2

9:30 PM CHOS23C 8:15 PM CHOS30B 1:45 PM CHOS02A

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Film Fanatic United States Premiere Israel, 2006, 55 min., color, Hebrew, w/Eng. subtitles

The Giraffe director Shlomo Hazan

Yehuda Grovais, an energetic Israeli ultra-Orthodox Jew, makes films geared toward members of his community who are prohibited from watching mainstream movies but will watch his films on disc. His film productivity is astonishing, rivaling the output of 1950s B movie directors or the great martial arts production factories. He has made more than 50 feature films, replete with actors in period costumes and archetypally dramatic scripts. Grovais partially recoups his expenses from sales to his constituency, a model of indie filmmaking moxie. But at the end of the day his outward artistic journey leads him into confrontation with his own religiosity. He struggles with his community and with the secular cultural establishment, and ultimately with himself, to realize his impossible love: cinema.

Prece de d By

925 .275 .9490

www.sfjff.org

Yoel , Israel and the Pashkevils

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United States Premiere Israel, 2006, 54 min., color, English, Hebrew, w/Eng. subtitles

director Lina Chaplin

A portrait of a zealous man and his equally zealous nemesis: Israel Kletzkin owns a printing press and has written and printed thousands of pashkevils—protest posters pasted on walls, which take the place of television and radio in the ultra-Orthodox community. Yoel Krause has been collecting pashkevils for 20 years and is a proud member of Neturei Karta, the radical Orthodox sect that rejects Zionism and the State of Israel. Yoel and Israel are both stubborn, observant, charismatic people who think the other is not living a right life; their strange and consuming rivalry is skillfully captured in this fascinating documentary.

Gorgeous! director Dani Levy

Germany, Switzerland, 1998, 107 min., color, English, German, w/Eng. subtitles principal cast Maria Schrader, Dani Levy, David Strathairn

Hot House

West Coast Premiere Belgium, France, 2006, 85 min., color, French, w/Eng subtitles.

director Lisa Azuelos

principal cast Michèle Laroque, Valérie Benguigui, Alexandre Astier, Aure Atika, Géraldine Nakache, Marthe Villalonga

By the mid-1990s, SFJFF Freedom of Expression Award winner Dani Levy, not yet 40, had made a successful transition from actor to comedy director; The Giraffe was his breakout film as a dramatic director. From a script that Levy co-wrote with actress Maria Schrader, and starring himself and Schrader in the leads, The Giraffe is a sexy, taut and psychologically penetrating thriller that weaves together events happening 50 years apart in Germany and America.

An elderly Jewish woman is found dead in the corridor of a New York hotel. Her son, David (Levy), meets a young set designer, Lena Katz (Schrader), who appears to be involved in the mysterious circumstances of his mother’s death. In the course of their investigation, a mutual attraction grows, but suspicions that lead directly to Lena’s family threaten to undermine their relationship.

A gripping political crime story in the Marathon Man vein, the film was shot primarily in New York but moves between America and Germany and between two generations, one protective of its secrets and the other eager to uncover them. Originally released in Europe with the German title Meschugge (Yiddish for “crazy”), The Giraffe received its United States premiere at the 1999 SFJFF. See page 7 for more on Dani Levy.

Co-presented by the Goethe-Institut

Marin Opening Night generously supported by the Bernard Osher Marin Jewish Community Center

Gorgeous! really earns that exclamation point. In this tale set in the City of Lights, director Lisa Azuelos and her co-writers have crafted an inviting comic drama that celebrates the au courant Parisian woman. They’ve whipped up a coterie of breathtaking Sephardic femmes whose witty, rat-a-tat-tat dialogue crackles with energy. The entire film vibrates with their smarts, charm, guile and not an insignificant amount of sex. Isa (Michèle Laroque), Léa (Aure Atika), Alice (Valérie Benguigui) and Nina (Géraldine Nakache) are nobody’s fools as they stare down traditional gender roles, the tax system, the beauty business and the institution of marriage—such as it is in France. Marthe Villalonga is the unforgettable grande dame of this brood.

While these winning women execute their various pas de deux and pirouettes, they still have time to be part of a noisy extended family that comes together for the familiar Jewish rituals, which turn out to be a little more on the raucous end of the scale than the traditional. It’s an exquisite picture of modern women, modern life and the practice of Judaism in a very modern Paris.

Co-presented by the Alliance Française de San Francisco and Lehrhaus Judaica

West Coast Premiere Israel, 2006, 89 min., color, Arabic, Hebrew, w/Eng. subtitles

director Shimon Dotan

Nearly 10,000 Palestinians are incarcerated in Israel today.

Most Israelis regard these “security prisoners” as murderers and criminals. To the Palestinians, however, they are freedom fighters, heroes and martyrs in the making. Granted extraordinary access to the highest-security institutions, renowned filmmaker Shimon Dotan uncovers a startling truth: Israeli prisons have become a breeding ground for the next generation of Palestinian leaders and a hotbed for terrorist plots.

Dotan focuses his camera on everyday prison life. What emerges is a telling glimpse of the prisoners as informed thinkers who are immersed in the details of the centuries-old conflict through newspapers and television. Dotan interviews inmates who are committed to negotiations as well as others who are unrepentant about their participation in suicide bombings. The cold-blooded testimony of a female Hamas leader, proudly serving 16 life sentences for blowing up a Sbarro restaurant in Jerusalem, is perhaps the most chilling.

Israel’s prisons have evolved into virtual incubators for Palestinian nationalism, strengthening inmates’ ideology and forging a political force that impacts far beyond their walls.

Eschewing the simplistic “white hat, black hat” mentality that dominates discussions of terrorism today, Dotan’s brilliantly constructed, disturbingly provocative film is both a humanizing force and an alarming wake-up call.

—David Courier, Sundance Film Festival Director in attendance in San Francisco, Berkeley and Palo Alto.

Co-presented by American Friends Service Committee and Center for Middle Eastern Studies at UC Berkeley.

Co-presented by East Bay Media Center and Berkeley Video and Film Festivals, and Peninsula Temple Sholom

Aquarius Sun, Jul 29 Roda Tue, Jul 31

11:45 AM FILM29A 1:45 PM FILM31B

Castro Mon, Jul 23 Aquarius Sun, Jul 29 Roda Thu, Aug 2

4:00 PM 9:15 PM 1:45 PM

GIRA23C GIRA29A GIRA02B

Castro Sun, Jul 22 Roda Sun, Jul 29 Aquarius Tue, Jul 31 Rafael Sat, Aug 4

5:00 PM 6:45 PM 6:15 PM 6:30 PM

GORG22C GORG29B GORG31A GORG04R

Castro Wed, Jul 25 Aquarius Sat, Jul 28 Roda Sun, Jul 29 Rafael Sat, Aug 4

6:30 PM HOTH25C 4:30 PM HOTH28A 4:15 PM HOTH29B 4:30 PM HOTH04R

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I AM You Are

Jews In Shorts directors Various

West Coast Premiere Israel, 2006, 79 min., color, Arabic, Hebrew, w/Eng. subtitles

producer Gilli Mendel

925 .275 .9490

www.sfjff.org

Co-sponsored by the David R. Stern Fund at the Agape Foundation

These extraordinary short films are the product of an awardwinning youth media program whose primary goal is to bring together Palestinian and Israeli teenagers from the Jerusalem area in order to help break down the walls of misunderstanding that exist between them—walls that have been created by politics, history and the physical separation of their neighborhoods. Founded in 1999 by Gilli Mendel, director of the Media and Film Education Department at the Jerusalem Cinematheque, the annual program gathers young people between the ages of 15 and 17 to make films that reflect their identity and hopes. May profiles a young woman with a Jewish mother and a Palestinian father; The Zoo looks at friendships between Palestinians and Jews working at the zoo; Boy Girl features a young woman with a knack for fixing things; Football explores the leveling of cultural differences on the playing field; Quintuplets brims with the energy of five new lives; Sarah Sings to the Heavens follows an Argentinean Jewish street musician; and Dad Between Berlin and Palestine shows how political conflict creates ruptures in families. prece de d by

I’m Charlie Chaplin United States, 2005, 8 min., color, English

director Jay Rosenblatt

Jay Rosenblatt (2005 SFJFF Freedom of Expression Award winner) is back with a delightful look at his daughter Ella’s favorite Halloween character.

Orders of Love United Kingdom, 2004, 10 min.

director Jes Benstock

Jes Benstock (Holocaust Tourist, SFJFF 2006) returns with a graphically innovative exploration of his family tree.

Tolya Israel, 2006, 10 min.

director Rodeon Brodsky

From Jerusalem’s Sam Spiegel Film School comes this sweet and funny drama about a toothless immigrant calling home to offer a romantic greeting to his wife.

Naturalized United States, 2006, 8 min.

director Julia Kots

A young Russian Jewish man in New York decides to get circumcised, causing every member of his secular family to express an opinion.

Israel, 2006, 13 min.

World Premiere United States, 2007, 12 min., color, English, Russian w/Eng subtitles

directors NJFP

“No one needs a Jew who’s second best,” 16-year-old Gary Podvalny’s elders like to remind him. Gary’s family emigrated from Moscow to San Francisco in 1990 with $300 to its name.

Today, the Podvalnys own their own auto shop. “Don’t spend your life under a car,” his father admonishes. There’s no time for pit stops when you’re chasing the American dream.

This is the latest Citizen Film production for SFJFF’s New Jewish Filmmaking Project (NJFP—see page 25).

Co-presented by JCCSF Club 18 Teen Program; Zeum; and JSU/Bay Area Association of High School Jewish Clubs

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We’ve combed the globe to find and present the best new Jewish short films. From tales of family to issues of Jewish identity and politics, this collection of shorts is funny and poignant and features the work of both veteran and up-andcoming directors. Total running time: 97 minutes.

Weitzman Street No. 10

Gary’s Story

Castro Sun, Jul 22 Roda Sat, Jul 28 Aquarius Sun, Jul 29

Just an ordinary Jew

11:30 AM IAMY22C 4:30 PM IAMY28B 2:00 PM IAMY29A

director Pini Tavger

A Russian Jewish family immigrates to Israel; even stranger than the air raid is the behavior of their new fellow countrymen.

Yedidiah’s Collection Israel, 2005, 18 min.

director Mordi Kershner, Noam Demsky

This documentary is a fascinating view of the withdrawal from Gaza from the point of view of a young settler boy who collects shrapnel.

Your younger daughter Rachel Israel, 2006, 30 min.

director Efrat Corem

From Israel’s Sapir Academic College comes this accomplished drama about a young woman with an angry, unemployed father and a mother who doesn’t speak up for her daughter.

Co-presented by East Bay Media Center and Berkeley Video and Film Festivals and Lehrhaus Judaica RODA Wed, Aug 1

8:30 PM

JEWS01B

Northern California Premiere Germany, 2005, 88 min., color, German, w/Eng. subtitles

director Oliver Hirschbiegel

principal cast Ben Becker

Journalist Emanuel Goldfarb (Ben Becker) is an assimilated Jew who has become a well-respected essayist in modern Hamburg. When he receives an earnest request from a local schoolteacher to speak to a group of students about what it means to be Jewish in today’s Germany, it triggers a private emotional avalanche. Pacing in his apartment during a sleepless night, Goldfarb wrestles with his deep ambivalence about appearing as “Exhibit A” in a German classroom: a real, live Jew in the well-meaning, politically correct country that nearly wiped out his entire people.

Just an Ordinary Jew is not a typical film in any way, but most startlingly because it is virtually a one-man show, a tour-de-force monologue running nearly 90 minutes. Becker’s Goldfarb, arguing with himself into a micro cassette recorder, is angry, caustic, wounded and humane—a brilliant portrait of a man who wants, ostensibly, to be nothing more than “just an ordinary Jew” but who cannot escape the extraordinary circumstances of history. Director Oliver Hirschbiegel, whose Oscar-nominated Downfall dramatized the last days in Hitler’s bunker, once again chooses to work in tight quarters and with an even smaller cast, nonetheless creating a film with pent-up fury, wit and remarkable dynamic range. But the project owes its power to Swiss-born Charles Lewinsky’s fiercely articulate screenplay, which roams across the rocky terrain of modern German Jewish identity with the kind of restless intellectual energy of a rant: part Tony Kushner, part Spalding Gray, but with a very contemporary German accent.

Followed in San Francisco by a discussion, “Breaking Taboos: Jews and Germans Today.” See page 7.

Co-presented by the Goethe-Institut; Anti-Defamation League— Central Pacific Region; Facing History and Ourselves; and Temple Isaiah of Lafayette

Castro Tue, Jul 24 Aquarius Sat, Jul 28 Roda Wed, Aug 1

4:00 PM 2:30 PM 4:30 PM

JUST24C JUST28A JUST01B

Knowledge is the Beginning: Daniel Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra California Premiere Germany, 2006, 114 min., color, Arabic, English, German, Hebrew, w/Eng. subtitles

director Paul Smaczny

Sponsored by a friend of the festival and dedicated to David Grossman: parent, writer, public intellectual, humanitarian and conscience of Israel

Conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim believes that “a life without music is impoverished.” In the early 1990s, a chance meeting between Barenboim and the late Palestinian-born writer and Columbia University professor Edward Said resulted in a unique friendship that had both political and musical repercussions. Their meeting led to Barenboim’s first concert in the West Bank and to the creation of the WestEastern Divan Orchestra, which involved talented musicians between the ages of 14 and 25 from Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Tunisia. Based on the notion that “music is the language of peace,” Barenboim and Said brought the orchestra to perform in Weimar on the 250th anniversary of the birth of Goethe. Also participating in this bold experiment in 1999 was Yo-Yo Ma. Director Paul Smaczny has followed the orchestra, which has grown to 80 Arab and Israeli musicians, since its inception. The film, an unusual hybrid of a world-class concert movie and a documentary about artistic diplomacy, chronicles all five summer workshops in Weimar and Seville; Barenboim’s visit to Ramallah and Jerusalem in May 2004, during which he received the prestigious Wolf Prize at the Knesset; as well as a celebrated concert in Geneva and highlights of the 2005 European Tour. The most moving and indelible scenes are of the students playing together. Said—who felt that the orchestra was one of the most important things he had done in his life—eloquently advocates for young Israelis and Arabs to gain greater mutual understanding, quietly stating, “Ignorance is not a strategy for sustainable survival.”

Co-presented by Marin Symphony and Cinemayaat, the Arab Film Festival

Castro Wed, Jul 25 Aquarius Tue, Jul 31 Roda Thu, Aug 2 Rafael Sat, Aug 4

4:00 PM KNOW25C 8:15 PM KNOW31A 8:30 PM KNOW02B 2:00 PM KNOW04R

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CLOSE UP: NURIT KEDAR

Ladino — 500 Years Young North American Premiere Israel, 2006, 52 min., color, Hebrew, Ladino, Spanish, w/Eng. subtitles

director Rina Papish

925 .275 .9490

www.sfjff.org

Free Wednesday Matinees are generously sponsored by the Bernard Osher Jewish Philanthropies Foundation

Yasmin Levy, an electrifying 29-year-old Israeli singer, is following in the footsteps of her father, Yitzhak Levy, a revered singer who dedicated his life to recording and documenting the musical culture of Ladino, the ancient language of the Jews of Spain. Since her father died when she was only one, Yasmin knows him only through his songs, but she has taken it upon herself to immortalize and disseminate the musical legacy that he helped preserve. Ladino follows Yasmin on a powerful and exciting singing tour in Israel and Spain.

Since their expulsion from Spain in 1492, generations of Sephardic Jews succeeded in maintaining the Ladino language, a hybrid of Hebrew, Spanish, Turkish and Greek. Like its Eastern European counterpart Yiddish, Ladino is not merely a language but a culture, kept alive in part by a rich musical tradition of songs and melodies. But today’s descendants of Ladino speakers are fast losing touch with Ladino; even in Israel, where approximately 200,000 people still speak or understand some Ladino, this rich and beautiful culture is in danger of becoming extinct. Some Israelis view it as a tragic, diasporic language, but Levy is determined to keep it alive.

Prece de d by

Addes West Coast Premiere Israel, 2005, 30 min., color, Hebrew, w/Eng. subtitles

director Avital Livneh-Levy

This comic yet heartfelt documentary chronicles the controversial renovation of a 100-year-old Syrian synagogue in Jerusalem. When the beadle makes a unilateral decision to remove memorial plaques that have hung in the synagogue for years, the congregation takes matters into its own hands, threatening to spark a conflict of almost biblical proportions.

Co-presented by JIMENA, Jews Indigenous to the Middle East & North Africa; and by the Bureau of Jewish Education’s Jewish Community Library

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Castro Wed, Jul 25 Roda Mon, Jul 30 Aquarius Wed, Aug 1

2:00 PM FREE 2:15 PM LADI30B 2:30 PM FREE

Lebanon Dream

The Longing: The Forgotten Jews of South America director Nurit Kedar

California Premiere Israel, 2001, 63 min., color, Arabic, Hebrew, w/Eng. subtitles

When we first meet Samir Farhat, he is a successful Lebanese businessman profiting by importing luxury goods from Israel into Southern Lebanon during Israel’s long military foray there (1982 to 2000). Farhat, a cross between Brecht’s Mother Courage and a character in a Greek tragedy, wears whatever uniform is convenient, be it from the Southern Lebanese or the Israeli army.

His business acumen allows no room for morality and his politics consist of cultivating whoever happens to be in power. And yet he is fascinating, both because of his self-determination amidst absolute chaos and because his existence raises the question, Did he contribute to creating the war, or did the war create him?

Nurit Kedar has fashioned a compelling documentary portrait of the profiteer she first encountered while filming Borders.

Preceded by

Borders Israel, 1999, 56 min., Arabic, Hebrew, w/Eng. subtitles

director: Nurit Kedar co-director: Eran Riklis

Filmmakers Nurit Kedar and Eran Riklis teamed up to make Borders, a riveting documentary that puts a human face on the neighbors who live alongside Israel’s 1,171 kilometers of borders. The film deftly explores the political, cultural and geographical divisions that separate Israelis, Lebanese, Jordanians, Syrians, Egyptians and Palestinians from one another. Some of these borders are peaceful and quiet; others are fraught with fear. But the people who live and work near the borders—an Israeli soldier who “adopts” an Arab family, a Druze bride who leaves her family in the Golan to marry in Lebanon (the real-life story behind Riklis’s Syrian Bride), or the Lebanese merchant importing luxury goods from Israel into Southern Lebanon we will meet again in Lebanon Dream—navigate these artificial boundaries with a combination of emotional and physical effort.

California Premiere Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Israel, United States, 2006, 75 min., color and black & white, English, Spanish w/Eng subtitles

director Gabriela Böhm

Co-sponsored by Be’chol Lashon, a project of the Institute for Jewish & Community Research

Argentinean-born documentary filmmaker Gabriela Böhm travels to Ecuador to unlock the stories of a small group of South Americans who long to affirm their Jewish faith against all odds. We meet six individuals—among them, a microbiologist, a doctor, and a mother and daughter from Colombia—who are determined to go through a hard-won conversion process. Isolated in Catholic countries and raised with persistent but vague hints about their ancestry, they believe they are among the millions of South Americans descended from crypto-Jews, the Spanish and Portuguese immigrants who secretly practiced Judaism despite centuries of draconian prohibition during the Inquisition. Now their descendants wish to reclaim a heritage and a faith long buried.

What faces many of them, however, is an arduous task. With virtually no Jewish communities to turn to—and where there are Jews, the communities are often suspicious of outsiders and resistant to converts—the individuals in Böhm’s film struggle to find guidance or even encouragement. On the Internet they come across a Reform rabbi in Kansas City, Jacques Cuikerkorn, who offers tutorials via e-mail and eventually travels to Ecuador for their momentous rite of passage.

The Longing poignantly portrays the anguished search for identity that propels these seekers on their mission, and exposes some of the cultural and religious obstacles they face on their quest. Some come to doubt whether the journey is worth the rejection they may encounter—from both within and outside the Jewish community. But accompanying them on the journey is one of the eye-opening rewards of this fascinating film about a yearning for acceptance into the ever-expanding Jewish family.

Director Nurit Kedar will be in attendance.

Followed in Berkeley by a discussion, “Crypto-Jews Today: The Longing to Belong.” Free with film ticket.

Co-presented by Jewish Voice for Peace and the American Friends Service Committee.

Co-presented by Congregation Rodef Sholom and Latino Film Festival of the San Francisco Bay Area

Castro Thu, Jul 26 Roda Sat, Jul 28

Aquarius Mon, Jul 30 Roda Sat, Aug 4 Rafael Sun, Aug 5

12:15 PM LEBA26C 11:00 AM LEBA28B

4:30 PM LONG30A 4:45 PM LONG04B 2:15 PM LONG05R

Mr. Cortisone , Happy Days directors Duki Dror, Shlomi Shir

United States Premiere Israel, 2004, 90 min., color, Hebrew, w/Eng. subtitles

From the in-the-face, hand-holding, foot-to-foot opening shots of this phenomenal film, you recognize that Shlomi Shir is a talent to be reckoned with, shooting, directing and in front of the camera. The potent cinematography gets your attention immediately; the rainy nights, the portrait of a claustrophobic hospital room, the dreams of his wife in a swimming pool, the dog named Fellini, the dialogues with doctors and the mirrors are all visceral. This is an intimate tour de force. Some will call it a powerful personal documentary of a man’s fight against cancer; it is that. And if you are a sucker for love stories and thrillers, you will be glued to the screen the minute Shlomi asks his pregnant wife if she is afraid. But Mr. Cortisone, Happy Days transcends these definitions. We watch a spirited man confront a lifethreatening illness, but there is also Shlomi’s oh-so-Jewish sense of humor, his inventiveness (bowling with empty bottles and oranges), his cortisone-induced smarts and love of life.

More importantly, Shlomi convinces us that the power of his art will be a cure and will bring a happy end to this story. “You know how to cope with fear. You put it in the frame and let it pass.” The director charms one and all looking for salvation and finding it by creating, with Duki Dror, a cinematic masterpiece. —Erica Marcus Director will be in attendance in San Francisco and Berkeley.

Co-presented by Bay Area Jewish Healing Center

Castro Thu, Jul 26 Roda Sun, Jul 29 Aquarius Tue, Jul 31

3:15 PM MRCO26C 1:45 PM MRCO29B 2:15 PM MRCO31A

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My Fuehrer: The Truly Truest Truth about Adolf Hitler United States Premiere Germany, 2007, 89 min., color and black & white, German, Hebrew, w/Eng. subtitles

director Dani Levy

925 .275 .9490

www.sfjff.org

principal cast Helge Schneider, Ulrich Mühe, Sylvester Groth, Stefan Kurt, Sergio Kleiner

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Admit it: you’ve giggled at Hogan’s Heroes and tapped your toes along with Mel Brooks’s “Springtime for Hitler.” After all, when Americans—especially American Jews—poke fun at Nazis, it comes with the presumption, “we fought, we won, we earned our right to ridicule.” But Germans can’t go there; it’s verboten.

Now Dani Levy’s gleefully wicked and controversial parody My Fuehrer challenges this long-held taboo.

Everything about the premise is pointedly outrageous: It is late 1944. The armies of the Third Reich are in retreat and the empire is crumbling. A depressed and whining Adolf Hitler (Helge Schneider) seems incapable of delivering an important inspirational speech, so his former acting teacher, Adolf Gruenbaum (Ulrich Mühe), a Jew, is released from a concentration camp to help Hitler reclaim his charisma.

Gruenbaum’s sudden access to the Fuehrer is rich turf for staging comic revenge fantasies (Hitler must bark like a dog and parade through the chancellery in a jogging suit), and Levy delights in satirizing the craze for Hitler psychobiography (his harsh father and childhood bed-wetting come up as issues).

Because Levy is a Swiss-born Jew, he may get a free pass for poking a stick in a Nazi’s eye; but he has cast and produced the film in Germany as a deliberate provocation, a puncture in the German balloon of political correctness around its Nazi past. And as in Chaplin’s The Great Dictator, there is more going on here than mere ridicule. When Gruenbaum and his wife have the chance to do away with the Fuehrer, Levy seems to ask his German public, “What would you do?” And by extension, he is asking us as well.

Levy will accept the 2007 SFJFF Freedom of Expression Award following the San Francisco screening (see page 7). The screening will be preceded by a conversation about Jewish identity in Germany (see page 17).

Co-presented by the Goethe-Institut

Castro Tue, Jul 24 Aquarius Sat, Jul 28 Roda Tue, Jul 31 Rafael Sun, Aug 5

6:45 PM MYFU24C 9:15 PM MYFU28A 8:45 PM MYFU31B 6:30 PM MYFU05R

My Mexican Shivah Northern California Premiere Mexico, United States, 2006, 102 min., color, Hebrew, Spanish, w/Eng. subtitles

My Son, the Hero director Alejandro Springall

principal cast Raquel Pankowsky, David Ostrosky, Sharon Zundel, Blanca Guerra, Martha Roth Sponsored by Denis Bouvier Palo Alto Opening Night generously supported by the Albert L. Schultz Jewish Community Center

When Moishe Tartakovsky, exuberant patriarch of a Mexico City family, dies of a heart attack in the middle of a raucous mariachi party, he leaves behind a large and complicated web of secrets and relationships that must be untangled over the course of his seven-day shivah (the prescribed mourning period in Jewish custom). In this sly and charming dysfunctionalfamily drama, the comically unraveling shivah will serve to account for the life of the deceased, but more importantly will bring those he left behind to account for themselves.

Those doing the untangling and accounting include Moishe’s bitter daughter, still smarting over his having jilted her mother for a non-Jewish mistress; a ne’er-do-well grandson who seems to have miraculously reappeared from Israel transformed into a pious Hasid; a divorced son who needs a delicate favor from a fellow mourner; a motley crowd of groupies, bewildered maids and mariachi musicians; and two mysterious, elderly Yiddish-speaking bystanders—named Aleph and Bet—who diligently argue the merits and demerits of Moishe’s life and record them in a celestial ledger.

Director Alejandro Springall commissioned renowned Mexican Jewish writer and Amherst scholar Ilan Stavans to come up with a story set in Mexico City’s small but vibrant Jewish community (in a city of 18 million, there are fewer than 20,000 Jews, barely 0.1 percent). Published as the novella Morirse está en hebreo (Dying in Hebrew), the film is expertly produced for the screen by John Sayles and Maggie Renzi. In Springall’s colorful adaptation, the vitality and diversity of Stavans’s characters and the terrific score by The Klezmatics turn My Mexican Shivah into an affectionate, tearful party that’s hard to leave.

Co-presented by Jewish Family and Children’s Services of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties; Latino Film Festival of the San Francisco Bay Area; and Congregation Sherith Israel, San Francisco Castro Mon, Jul 23 Aquarius Sat, Jul 28

6:45 PM MYME23C 7:00 PM MYME28A

Orthodox Stance director Edgar G. Ulmer

United States, 1943, 66 min., black & white, English

principal cast Patsy Kelly, Roscoe Karns, “Slapsie” Maxie Rosenbloom

A delightful slapstick farce starring the great Jewish boxer “Slapsie” Maxie Rosenbloom, who had a second career as a film actor. Rosenbloom plays Kid Slug, a punch-drunk fighter who shares a seedy hotel room with “Big Time” Percy Morgan (Roscoe Karns), a genial con man and third-rate fight manager. All hell breaks loose when Big Time, who has been fabricating stories of his wealth to his son in the Army, learns the boy is coming home on furlough. Big Time’s efforts to borrow a mansion and look like a success lead to comic hijiinks and budding romance. Legendary Jewish director Edgar G. Ulmer showcases Rosenbloom’s meat-and-potatoes acting talent as well as the zany and enchanting comedic performances of Karns and the great Patsy Kelly (playing Gerty, a sharp-witted New Yorker).

Arianné Ulmer Cipes, the filmmaker’s daughter, will be in attendance at the Castro screening. followe d by

Max Baer’s Last Right Hook United States Premiere Israel, 2006, 52 min., color and black & white, English, Hebrew, w/Eng. subtitles

director Avida Livny

It’s wartime 1942, and hapless entrepreneur Yaakov Gendelmayer has an idea for a morale-boosting publicity stunt: bring Jewish former heavyweight boxer Max Baer to Palestine to fight a German boxer, in an effort to recreate Baer’s legendary bout against Hitler’s darling, Max Schmeling. Sixty years later, Gendelmayer’s son comes to Israel to interview oldtimers and find out the truth about Max Baer’s last right hook.

In a hilarious send-up—or is it a valentine?—of the clichés of history documentaries, filmmaker Avida Livny uncovers a story so wonderful it ought to be true…and maybe it is!

Co-presented by the Judah L. Magnes Museum and Congregation Sherith Israel, San Francisco.

Castro Sun, Jul 22 Aquarius Mon, Jul 30 Roda Wed, Aug 1

9:45 PM MYSO22C 2:00 PM MYSO30A 2:00 PM FREE

West Coast Premiere United States, 2007, 82 min., color, English, Russian, w/Eng. subtitles

director Jason Hutt

Co-sponsored by Barrish Bail Bonds

Dmitriy Salita is a 24-year-old fervently Orthodox Jew who scrupulously follows the customs and traditions of his faith.

He keeps kosher, studies Torah and prays every day. Dmitriy Salita is also an undefeated professional prizefighter who packs a wallop. A walking contradiction, you say? Hardly, as revealed in this intimate, fascinating journey inside the two worlds of a remarkable young American immigrant.

Nine-year-old Dmitriy emigrated with his family from Odessa, Ukraine, and arrived in Brooklyn in 1991. Like many immigrants from the former Soviet Union, Dmitriy had only a tenuous connection to his religion. As a teenager he befriended a Hasidic rabbi affiliated with the Lubavitcher sect, and over time became observant and a dedicated student of the sacred texts. But his newfound passion for Judaism did not interfere with his passion for boxing, and before long he had won a New York Golden Gloves title and signed with a major promoter.

Orthodox Stance (the title refers to a boxing position) takes us behind the scenes as Dmitriy navigates the intense world of professional boxing. We experience his grueling training program, tense contract negotiations (including a stipulation not to fight on Friday nights) and pre-fight prayers before the North American Junior Welterweight title. In the arena, cheering him on, is his loyal fan base—hundreds of bearded, tzitzis-wearing, yarmulke-topped Orthodox Jews. As Dmitriy walks to the ring for his most important fight to date, the audience is serenaded by his friend, Orthodox Jewish rap singer Matisyahu. The scene is surreal. —Mike Silver Please join us for a panel on Jewish boxers and boxing films after the Castro screening of Orthodox Stance, with noted boxing writer and historian Mike Silver, Orthodox Stance director and subject, Jason Hutt and Dmitriy Salita, and special guests.

Co-presented by Kritzer/Ross Émigré Program, JCCSF; Film Arts Foundation; and the Club NooN and 79ers programs at the Jewish Family and Children’s Services of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties Castro Sun, Jul 22 Roda Mon, Jul 30 Aquarius Wed, Aug 1 Rafael Sat, Aug 4

7:00 PM ORTH22C 6:30 PM ORTH30B 8:30 PM ORTH01A 12:15 PM ORTH04R

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Praying with Lior

SideWalk director Ilana Trachtman

World Premiere United States, 2007, 87 min., color, English

Sneak Preview Israel, 2007, 57 min., color, Hebrew, w/Eng. subtitles

So Long Are You Young director Duki Dror

www.sfjff.org

Sponsored by Jane Gottesman & Geoffrey Biddle

Watching Praying with Lior is a very rare experience: it breaks your heart while it warms it. Ilana Trachtman’s comingof-age documentary is an engaging and deeply human portrait of young Lior Liebling, a Down’s Syndrome child who is as loving and joyful and playful as any child you are likely to meet.

He’s a kidder, fond of fidgeting out of uncomfortable situations with a disarming smile or a whimsical joke. But more than anything Lior is filled with an unquenchable spirit of davening (prayer) and singing. His devotion saturates his world with a love that is his manna—it multiplies and nourishes everyone.

With his earnest presence he has created an integral place for himself in his extraordinary family, and the fact of that relationship touches and inspires others. One of four children of Rabbi Mordechai Liebling and the late Rabbi Devora Bartnoff, Lior cajoles his way into the hearts of his siblings and his loving stepmother, Lynne Iser. We, too, are drawn closer and closer to him as he navigates his daily life towards the bar mitzvah he has long anticipated—and we get to witness firsthand how the family and spiritual community he loves so much affirms the essence of the man Lior is becoming.

Praying with Lior is an answer to his late mother Devora’s prayer: Lior creates a space for himself in this community, and that is a shining example for all.

925 .275 .9490

Prece de d by

22

I’m Charlie Chaplin United States, 2005, 8 min., color, English

director Jay Rosenblatt

Jay Rosenblatt (2005 SFJFF Freedom of Expression Award winner) is back with a delightful look at his daughter Ella’s favorite Halloween character.

2:15 PM PRAY22C 4:15 PM PRAY31A 4:15 PM PRAY02B

director Judith Schaefer

Sponsored by Ray Lifchez

When does it all begin—how do we become who we become?

How does it happen that we get slotted into our places in the social pecking order? How did any of us survive the tribulations of childhood? These are some of the questions that may pass through your mind as you watch Sidewalk, the latest documentary by Festival favorite Duki Dror (Taqasim, SFJFF 2003; My Fantasia, SFJFF 2005; Mr. Cortisone, Happy Days, page 19). Dror presents a simple, child’s-eye view that may jog a few of your own childhood memories.

Beyond that, Sidewalk is filled with marvelous observations— some wry and hilarious, others painful and poetic—as he follows kids on their daily journeys to and from school. Dror has the same wondrous gift of bittersweet nostalgia that the cartoonists Charles M. Schulz and Lynda Barry have. They all remind us that the touch of our childhood is with us—and marks us—forever.

Preceded by

Jonathan Israel, 2006, 15 min., color, Hebrew, w/Eng. subtitles

director Adi Helman

It seems like a straightforward home movie, but we promise Jonathan is anything but. Rather, it is an impossibly prescient piece of filmmaking whose seeming simplicity belies its narrative power. Jonathan tells the story of a little boy who wants to dress up as the Little Mermaid for Purim, and you wouldn’t think you could care so much about whether or not he gets to fulfill his dream. Jonathan makes us think again about what little boys are made of.

Co-presented by the Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay and Temple Sinai of Oakland

Co-presented by Parents Place Center for Special Needs at Jewish Family and Children’s Services of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties; Jewish Milestones; Jewish Family & Children’s Services of the East Bay; and Bay Area Women in Film & Television Castro Sun, Jul 22 Aquarius Tue, Jul 31 Roda Thu, Aug 2

United States, 2006, 59 min., color and black & white, English

Why are Japanese tourists coming to Birmingham, Alabama, to visit the hometown of a 19th-century German Jewish drygoods merchant? Why could the founder of Panasonic and many other Japanese business titans recite by heart that same Jewish merchant’s obscure poem?

These conundrums have intrigued Marin County filmmaker Judith Schaefer for years, and she unravels them in her eloquent and heartfelt documentary that tells the dual story of Samuel Ullman, an unusual Jew from the American South, and his remarkable poem, “Youth.” Ullman wrote the poem when he was 77 as a kind of homily: “Youth is not a time of life/ It is a state of mind...We grow old by deserting our ideals.”

General Douglas MacArthur is said to have kept a framed copy of the poem in his Tokyo office, and its hopeful words spoke to a generation of postwar Japanese eager for new watchwords to live by. The poem’s astonishing journey and its author’s equally fascinating contributions to the Jewish and African American communities of the South are touching revelations in this lovely ode to the power of poetry.

Prece de d by

Ezekiel’s Wheels North American Premiere United States, 2007, 15 min., color, English

directors Deborah Kaufman, Alan Snitow

Renowned American-born, Jerusalem-based poet Shirley Kaufman gives an electrifying reading of her new work, a contemplation of longing and the nature of true seeing.

The elegiac poem (“wheels and their turnings/can the mind provide/what the eye will/never”) is inspired by Kaufman’s struggle with loss of sight as eye surgery left her experiencing visions like those of the exiled prophet Ezekiel.

Three Mothers Israel, 2006, 106 min., color, Arabic, French, Hebrew, w/Eng. subtitles

director Dina Zvi-Riklis

principal cast Gila Almagor, Reimond Amsalem, Miri Mesika, Rivka Raz, Dana Zilberstein Co-sponsored by Fred Levin & Nancy Livingston, The Shenson Foundation

Nominated for nine Israeli Academy Awards, Three Mothers is the multigenerational saga of beautiful triplets: Flora, Yasmin and Rose Hakim were born in 1942 in Alexandria, Egypt, to privileged Jewish parents who named them after flowers and called upon no less than King Farouk to bless them at their birth. With such an auspicious beginning you would think the sisters’ lives would be charmed, but (taking a cue from Tolstoy) director Dina Zvi-Riklis is much more fascinated by troubled family dynamics than by happy ones. Her tale follows the family to Israel and, over the course of 60 years, reveals the Hakim sisters coming to terms with long-buried secrets and passions.

At the center is the “wild sister,” Rose, played in her later years by the gifted Gila Almagor. Rose, vain and selfcentered, was a successful singer in her youth but has become withdrawn since the death of her husband. The songs of young Rose (performed in French, Hebrew and Arabic throughout the film) are a haunting, lyrical reminder of the world they have left behind.

For the Hakim family, the truth-telling is triggered when ailing Yasmin suddenly shows up at her niece’s video production company and insists on making a tape revealing her family’s deepest mysteries. It sparks a round of confessions that turns all of their lives upside down. Three Mothers explores how the closest relationships—sisterhood, motherhood, marriage—can be both tender and vicious, and how fierce loyalties are forged and tested over time.

Co-presented by JIMENA, Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa; Peninsula Jewish Community Center; and Jewish Family & Children’s Services of the East Bay

Co-presented by the Center for Asian American Media and Lehrhaus Judaica

Roda Sun, Jul 29

11:30 AM SIDE29B

Castro Sat, Jul 21 Roda Tue, Jul 31 Aquarius Thu, Aug 2 Rafael Sun, Aug 5

2:00 PM SOLO21C 6:15 PM SOLO31B 3:45 PM SOLO02A 12:15 PM SOLO05R

Castro Sat, Jul 21 Aquarius Mon, Jul 30 Roda Sat, Aug 4 Rafael Mon, Aug 6

4:30 PM THRE21C 6:30 PM THRE30A 9:30 PM THRE04B 8:45 PM THRE06R

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Special 2-part screening at JCCSF!

A Touch Away

Wasted

United States Festival Premiere Israel, 2006, 8 × 40 min., color, Hebrew, Russian, w/Eng. subtitles

director Ron Ninio

www.sfjff.org

principal cast Yarden Bar-Kochba, Slava Bibergal, Henry David, Evgenia Dodina, Gaya Traub

925 .275 .9490

CLOSE UP: NURIT KEDAR

If you thought smartly written, superbly acted television dramas only happen on HBO, or once a decade as in the Italian phenomenon Best of Youth, think again: A Touch Away takes a slice of contemporary Tel Aviv life and spins out a marvelous multi-family drama that will leave you wanting more. This terrific series, produced for primetime television in Israel, broke ratings records with its broadcast earlier this year. In a special presentation, SFJFF is thrilled to bring you the American premiere of all eight episodes, screening in two parts at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco.

The series focuses on two families whose lives fatefully intersect in an apartment complex in the Orthodox neighborhood of Bnei Barak in Tel Aviv. The Bermans are a strictly religious (Haredi) family whose daughter Rochele (Gaya Traub) is about to enter into an arranged marriage with a wealthy young bridegroom. But sparks fly when a newly arrived, thoroughly secular family from Russia—including vivacious actress Marina (the incomparable Evgenia Dodina) and her handsome eldest son Zorik—takes over a neighboring apartment. The forbidden love that soon buds between the two young neighbors, and the secrets that each family must hide, threaten the families’ deeply rooted cultural assumptions and challenge individual family members’ beliefs. A Touch Away, cleverly scripted and well cast, never fails to entertain, but manages also to be a realistic reflection of the ongoing social challenges facing today’s increasingly diverse Israeli society.

The series contains eight 40-minute episodes. Each episode includes a brief recap of the story, so it is not essential to see them sequentially. Screenings (with brief intermission) will take place in two four-episode blocks, separate admission for each block.

California Premiere Israel, 2007, 70 min., color, English, Hebrew, w/Eng. subtitles

Yiddish Soul & concert yiddish soul director Nurit Kedar

Veteran filmmaker Nurit Kedar’s accomplished documentary Wasted (based on Ron Leshem’s novel If There Is a Heaven) is a candid look at Israeli soldiers who served in the fortress of Beaufort in Southern Lebanon before Israel’s withdrawal in 2000. These young men go to war and come back changed.

What is remembered is sometimes profound and sometimes banal: the smell of oil and schnitzel, the smell of your girlfriend on a shirt, the smell of feet and the smell of your own fear.

In this quiet, elegant film about the horrors of war, the camera searches the young soldiers’ faces, knowing their gestures tell as much as their words. The interviews unfold deftly—a credit to the articulateness of the men and the sparing precision of Kedar’s directing and that of her editor.

The men lived each day on the mountain, teeth clenched between blasts, hoping not to survive a hit: death was better than amputation. It was an absurd theatre of war; one soldier remarks, “I never saw anyone to shoot at.” Another asks, “Who and what were we guarding? We were simply safeguarding ourselves so that we could make it out when the mission ended.”

Interviews with the soldiers, who spent months in the fortress’s claustrophobic rabbit warren, are interspersed with chillingly exquisite footage of the male dancers from Bat Sheva Dance Company, directed by Ohad Naharin (one of Israel’s leading choreographers). Packed tightly together—moving like soldiers or brothers or a bizarre minyan—their simulation of living in such close quarters, of being blown up, of almost being one organism is strangely beautiful at the same as it is absolutely spine tingling.

Followed in San Francisco by a conversation with the director and in Berkeley by a panel on Israeli documentaries. See page 9.

Co-presented by the Contemporary Jewish Museum and Jewish Voice for Peace

West Coast Premiere Belgium, 2006, 52 and 45 min., color, Dutch, English, French, w/Eng. subtitles

directors Nathalie Rossetti, Turi Finocchiaro

Co-sponsored by the Taube Foundation for Jewish Life and Culture, and by Alan & Susan Rothenberg

It takes a global village to preserve the musical traditions of Jewish shtetl life. The collective effort of an entire continent is the subject of this new two-part concert film and documentary

by Turi Finocchiaro and Nathalie Rossetti. Nearly decimated under the Nazis and shunned in Israel at the state’s inception, Yiddish and its art forms still struggle to survive. Enter the fans, scholars and stars of Europe’s recent Yiddish and klezmer music revival, a diverse and intergenerational assortment of music lovers. Hailing from points throughout the continent, these gifted musicians (many of whom are not Jewish themselves) share a passion for the world of storytelling and song rescued from the brink of extinction. The Yiddish genre paints a nuanced portrait of daily life in all its piety, melancholy, pining and hilarity.

In the concert portion of the film, lovers of klezmer and Yiddish music are treated to performances by vocalists Chava Alberstein, Myriam Fuks, Shura Lipovsky, Karsten Troyke, the KlezRoym ensemble and a host of talented accompanists.

Playing to a packed house in Brussels in 2005, their mournful and ecstatic tunes continue to evoke a rich tapestry of European Jewish life from the Middle Ages through the Second World War. Dance-happy rabbis, starry-eyed lovers and the longing for distant homelands are but a sampling of themes within the expansive canon. The jubilance and suffering the songs express attest to the history of the Yiddish language as the mouthpiece for European Jewry on topics as diverse as religion, politics and love and move us with their celebrations of life in the face of unimaginable hardship.

The New Jewish Filmmaking Project Over the past six years, SFJFF’s New Jewish Filmmaking Project (on the web: www.njfp.org), produced by Citizen Film, has created an unparalleled body of work: nine short documentaries that authentically reflect the diverse perspectives of a new generation of American Jews, including Jews of color, Jews with multiple ethnic identities and recent immigrants.

By working closely with one another and an accomplished team of professional filmmakers, teenagers mine their own experience and present resonant new visions of American-Jewish life.

In Gary’s Story (see page 16), 16-year-old Gary Podvalny, who was born in Moscow, chronicles his relentless pursuit of the American dream.

co-directors, camera and crew

Gary Podvalny, Olga Altshuler, Yelena Altman producer / director of photography

Sophie Constantinou editor

Kate Stilley producer / director

Sam Ball This program of the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival is produced

by Citizen Film.

Co-presented by the Holocaust Center of Northern California; Jewish Music Festival, a program of JCC East Bay; and the Judah L. Magnes Museum

Co-presented by Kritzer/Ross Émigré Program, JCCSF, and by the Club NooN and 79ers programs at Jewish Family and Children’s Services of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties

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JCCSF JCCSF JCCSF

Part 1 Sat, Aug 4 Part 1 Sun, Aug 5 Part 2 Sun, Aug 5

7:30 PM TOU104J 12:30 PM TOU105J 4:00 PM TOU205J

Castro Wed, Jul 25 Roda Sat, Jul 28 Aquarius Wed, Aug 1

9:15 PM WAST25C 1:50 PM WAST28B 4:30 PM WAST01A

Castro Tue, Jul 24 Aquarius Sun, Jul 29 Roda Sat, Aug 4

1:45 PM YIDD24C 4:45 PM YIDD29A 12:30 PM YIDD04B

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Castro Theatre San Francisco

TIME

FILM

PAGE

Event Code

DATE

TIME

FILM

PAGE

Event Code

6:30 PM

Opening Night Reception with live music (tickets include film)

4

OPEN19C

Saturday, July 28, 2007

11:00 AM

Lebanon Dream with Borders

18

LEBA28B

8:00 PM

Sweet Mud ( film only)

4

SWEE19C

1:50 PM

Wasted followed by panel on Israeli documentaries (see page 9)

24

WAST28B

12:00 PM

Between Two Notes

11

BETW21C

4:30 PM

I Am You Are with Gary’s Story

16

IAMY28B

2:00 PM

So Long Are You Young with Ezekiel’s Wheels

23

SOLO21C

7:15 PM

AVIV28B

Three Mothers

23

THRE21C

Aviva My Love Opening Night followed by dessert reception

10

4:30 PM 7:30 PM

Centerpiece Film: His People with Live Musical Performance

8

HISP21C

Monday, July 23, 2007

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

www.sfjff.org

July 28–August 4

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Sunday, July 22, 2007

925 .275 .9490

Roda Theatre (at Berkeley Repertory Theatre) Berkeley

DATE

Saturday, July 21, 2007

26

July 19–26

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Thursday, July 26, 2007

9:30 PM

Bad Faith with A Kiss Is a Kiss Is a Kiss

11

BADF21C

11:30 AM

I Am You Are with Gary’s Story

16

IAMY22C

2:15 PM

Praying with Lior with I’m Charlie Chaplin

22

PRAY22C

5:00 PM

Gorgeous!

15

GORG22C

7:00 PM

Orthodox Stance followed by panel (see page 6)

21

ORTH22C

9:45 PM

My Son, the Hero with Max Baer’s Last Right Hook

21

MYSO22C

1:30 PM

Body and Soul

12

BODY23C

4:00 PM

The Giraffe

19

GIRA23C

6:45 PM

My Mexican Shivah

20

MYME23C

9:30 PM

The Chosen Ones

13

CHOS23C

1:45 PM

Yiddish Soul

25

YIDD24C

4:00 PM

Just an Ordinary Jew followed by discussion (see page 7)

16

JUST24C

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Monday, July 30, 2007

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

10:00 PM

Making Trouble: Three Generations of Funny Jewish Women

5

MAKI28B

11:30 AM

Sidewalk with Jonathan

22

SIDE29B

1:45 PM

Mr. Cortisone, Happy Days

19

MRCO29B

4:15 PM

Hot House

15

HOTH29B

6:45 PM

Gorgeous!

15

GORG29B

8:45 PM

9 Star Hotel

10

9STA29B

2:15 PM

Ladino—500 Years Young with Addes

17

LAD1308

4:15 PM

Body and Soul

12

BODY30B

6:30 PM

Orthodox Stance

21

ORTH30B

8:15 PM

The Chosen Ones

13

CHOS30B

1:45 PM

Film Fanatic with Yoel, Israel and the Pashkevils

14

FILM31B

4:15 PM

The Cemetery Club

13

CEME31B

6:15 PM

So Long Are You Young with Ezekiel’s Wheels

23

SOLO31B

8:45 PM

My Fuehrer: The Truly Truest Truth About Adolf Hitler

20

MYFU31B

2:00 PM

My Son, the Hero with Max Baer’s Last Right Hook

21

FREE

6:45 PM

My Fuehrer: The Truly Truest Truth About Adolf Hitler followed by Freedom of Experession Award presentation

20

MYFU24C

9:30 PM

9 Star Hotel

10

9STA24C

4:30 PM

Just an Ordinary Jew

16

JUST01B

2:00 PM

Ladino­—500 Years Young with Addes

17

FREE

6:30 PM

Bad Faith with A Kiss Is a Kiss Is a Kiss

11

BADF01B

4:00 PM

Knowledge Is the Beginning

17

KNOW25C

8:30 PM

Jews in Shorts

16

JEWS01B

6:30 PM

Hot House

15

HOTH25C

1:45 PM

The Giraffe

19

GIRA02B

9:15 PM

Wasted

24

WAST25C

4:15 PM

Praying with Lior with I’m Charlie Chaplin

22

PRAY02B

12:15 PM

Lebanon Dream with Borders

18

LEBA26C

6:15 PM

The Bubble

12

BUBB02B

3:15 PM

Mr. Cortisone, Happy Days

19

MRCO26C

8:30 PM

Knowledge Is the Beginning

17

KNOW02B

5:45 PM

Aviva My Love

10

AVIV26C

12:30 PM

Yiddish Soul

25

YIDD04B

8:30 PM

Making Trouble: Three Generations of Funny Jewish Women Closing Night includes pre-film extras & live comedy by Judy Gold

5

MAKI26C

2:40 PM

Between Two Notes

11

BETW04B

4:45 PM

The Longing: The Forgotten Jews of South America followed by discussion

18

LONG04B

7:15 PM

Sweet Mud

4

SWEE04B

9:30 PM

Three Mothers

23

THRE04B

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Thursday, August 02, 2007

Saturday, August 04, 2007

27

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880

13

from san Jose

July 28–August 2

from san Jose

Just an Ordinary Jew

16

JUST28A

4:30 PM

Hot House

15

HOTH28A

BADF29A

9:15 PM

The Giraffe

19

GIRA29A

2:00 PM

My Son, the Hero with Max Baer’s Last Right Hook

21

MYSO30A

17 tH

4:30 PM

The Longing: The Forgotten Jews of South America

18

LONG30A

6:30 PM

Three Mothers

23

THRE30A

8:45 PM

Between Two Notes

11

BETW30A

2:15 PM

Mr. Cortisone, Happy Days

19

MRCO31A

4:15 PM

Praying with Lior with I’m Charlie Chaplin

22

PRAY31A

6:15 PM

Gorgeous!

15

GORG31A

8:15 PM

Knowledge Is the Beginning

17

KNOW31A

2:30 PM

Ladino—500 Years Young with Addes

17

FREE

4:30 PM

Wasted

24

WAST01A

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Aviva My Love

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Orthodox Stance

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The Chosen Ones

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Hot House

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Gorgeous!

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Aviva My Love

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So Long Are You Young with Ezekiel’s Wheels

23

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2:15 PM

The Longing: The Forgotten Jews of South America

18

4:30 PM

Making Trouble: Three Generations of Funny Jewish Women

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My Fuehrer: The Truly Truest Truth About Adolf Hitler

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JCCSF 415-292-1233 3200 California (at Presidio), San Francisco Parking: Available in JCCSF underground parking garage at the west end of the building on California St., $4.

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A Touch Away—Part 1 (Episodes 1-4)

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Sunday, August 05, 2007 28

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SECURITY POLICY—PLEASE READ Bags not permitted in theatres. Please arrive early for screenings to allow ample time for security checks.

All purses and bags will be subject to inspection prior to admittance to theatres. Large bags, briefcases, backpacks, shopping bags, etc., will not be permitted in theatres. PLEASE DO NOT BRING SUCH ITEMS WITH YOU. Photo ID must be presented in order to pick up tickets at Will Call.

29

Join us for Events, panels, parties & More!

Something to Nosh On Ticket sales cover only 25% of the cost of our work, certainly not enough to create a year round film organization. The majority of our funding comes from contributions from generous people like you. Because you enjoy the programs of the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, we hope you will consider joining our new Jewish Film Forum and supporting us beyond ticket sales. You can make a real difference! jewish film forum Members receive special benefits including: • Special sneak preview screenings • Exclusive discounts to Festival programs, as well as year-round events • Early ticket buying privileges • SFJFF Catalog mailed early to your home • and much more!

Special Events

Friday, July 13

Warehouse Pre-Party Shorts, Drinks, DJ & inside tips on Festival must see’s

Thursday July 19

Balazo 2183 Mission St., San Francisco

Pre-film reception / 6:30pm, Castro Theatre

Doors open at 7:30pm / Short Films Screening at 8:30pm / DJ at 10:00pm Tickets available at the door / $10

Centerpiece Film: His People with Paul Shapiro Ensemble 7:00pm, Castro Theatre

LIVE: Meet the Filmmakers The Apple Store of San Francisco hosts SFJFF filmmakers in a series of discussions about their creative process and use of cuttingedge technology. Q&A session follows each presentation.

www.sfjff.org 925 .275 .9490 30

Sneak Previews of New Films SFJFF offers our supporters and friends occasional sneak preview screenings throughout the year.

Admission is FREE. Visit www.sfjff.org for a complete list of dates, times and participating filmmakers

Co-Presentations SFJFF co-presents Jewish-themed films year round with other film festivals and arts organizations. From the Progressive Jewish Alliance to Frameline, we promote great Jewish films with our Bay Area colleagues all year.

Pre-film goodies and a live performance by comic Judy Gold! Included with purchase of film ticket.

Saturday July 28

Berkeley Opening Night Dessert Reception

Sunday, July 22

See Gorgeous!, Be Gorgeous

Join us for dessert in the courtyard of the Roda Theatre, following the 7:15pm screening of Aviva My Love, catered by Saul’s Restaurant & Delicatessen. Dessert Reception is included in the price of the film ticket.

Panels and Discussions Free to ticket holders for the film that precedes the panel, or as noted.

(In addition to the discussions listed below, many films are followed by Q&A’s with invited guest artists and scholars.)

Sunday, July 22

Jewish Boxers: Shtarkers and the Sweet Science Following the 7:00pm screening of Orthodox Stance, Castro Theatre.

See page 6.

Sunday, July 22

Conversation with Arianné Ulmer Cipes

Pretty Sweet Deals Present your film ticket at these great local eateries—all conveniently located within walking distance of our screening theatres—and save a pretty penny while satisfying that sweet tooth before or after a film.

These sweet treats are only valid with SFJFF ticket stub at the following locations during the dates listed below:

SFJFF@9th Street Our permanent home, the Ninth Street Independent Film Center is abuzz with classes, screenings, open houses and more. Check us out at www.ninthstreet.org.

Thursday July 26 8:30pm, Castro Theatre

...still hungry?

Monthly screenings at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts resume in October. Stay tuned for detailed program and ticket information at www.sfjff.org or 415-978-ARTS. You can also sign up for our email newsletter at www.sfjff.org.

Silent Jewish boxing classic with new score performed live by Paul Shapiro and his jazz sextet. See page 8.

San Francisco Closing Night: Making Trouble

Apple Store San Francisco One Stockton St., San Francisco

After the 5:00pm screening of Gorgeous! at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco, join us for drinks and manicures at the Beauty Bar. First drink is ½ off with a Gorgeous! ticket stub and a manicure/cocktail combo is just $10! Stick around for a hosted bar from 9–10pm as the party continues.

SFJFF@YBCA

Enjoy scrumptious food and drink and swing to the tunes of Paul Shapiro’s New York–based jazz sextet. Party ticket includes film ticket.

Saturday July 21

Beauty Bar 2299 Mission St., San Francisco

the show goes on year round!

San Francisco Opening Night Party & Sweet Mud

San Francisco July 19–26

Palo Alto July 28–August 2

Gelateria Naia 451 Castro St., San Francisco free size upgrade

Gelato Classico 435 Emerson St., Palo Alto 25% off purchase

Berkeley July 28–August 4

San Rafael August 4–6

Gelateria Naia 2106 Shattuck Avenue Berkeley free size upgrade

Double Rainbow 860 4th St., San Rafael free size upgrade [ice cream only]

Following the 9:45pm screening of My Son, the Hero, Castro Theatre.

See page 21.

Tuesday, July 24

Breaking Taboos: Jews and Germans Today Following the 4:00pm screening of Just an Ordinary Jew, and preceding the 6:45pm screening of My Fuehrer, Castro Theatre. Free admission with ticket to either screening. See page 7.

Tuesday, July 24

2007 SFJFF Freedom of Expression Award Q&A with director Dani Levy and award presentation following the 6:45 pm screening of My Fuehrer at the Castro Theatre. See page 7.

Saturday, July 28

Israeli Documentary Filmmaking Following the 1:50pm screening of Wasted, Roda Theatre, Berkeley.

See page 9.

Saturday, August 4

Crypto-Jews Today: The Longing to Belong Following the 4:45pm screening of The Longing, Roda Theatre, Berkeley. See page 19.

To find out more about these special events, visit www.sfjff.org

31

Thanks to Our Supporters The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival extends its appreciation to all of our generous donors.

Gifts of $100 or more that were received between August 7, 2006 and May 14, 2007 are listed below. For information on how you can support SFJFF, please contact Allyson Halpern, Development Director, at 415.621.0556, x308 or allyson@sfjff.org.

SPONSORS

IN - KIND SPONSORS

Trader Joe’s Ultimate Cookie

Festival Sponsor

Adolph Gasser Inc.

Philo Television

Federal Express

Vermeer Dutch Chocolate Cream Liqueur

Metro PCS

Wells Fargo

San Francisco Toyota Spy Post

Closing Night Sponsor Bonnie and Marty Tenenbaum

IN - KIND CONTRIBUTORS

Foundation

INDIVIDUAL DONORS

Howard Herman and Claudia Bernard

Jameson Goldner

Diane Wexler and Bruce Beron

Joel Spolin and Margot Parker

Ms. Jane B. Goldberg

Arlene White

Linda and Sandy Gallanter

Richard and Lauraine Jaeger

Cindy and Philip Strause

Rick and Susanna Goldsmith

Bracken and Polly White

Annelise Goldberg and Aaron

Deborah Kaufman and Alan Snitow

Leonie Walker

Diane Goldstein

Jerry Wolfe and Anna Fisher

Joshua Langenthal and Diane

Constance Wolf and Clara Basile

Susan Goldstein and Andy Kivel

Peter Yolles and Jill Einstein

Steve Zipperstein

Daniel and Hilary Goldstine

Barry and Carolina Gustin Deborah Hoffmann and Frances Reid

Halberg Andra Lichtenstein and William

Visionary Circle: Benefactors

Valerie Joseph

Anonymous

Virginia King

Jane Gottesman and Geoffrey

Wendy and Howard Kleckner Donna Korones

Dr. Raquel H. Newman

Biddle

Joseph and Sandra Sherman

Stephen Gong and Susan Avila

Associates

Alan Hakimi and Rachel Stone

Alan Mark and Jeffrey Fraenkel

Sy Aal

Craig and Deborah Hoffman

Laura Murra

Ann Gabor Arancio and Remo

Lorri and Irving Holzberg

Glover

Arancio

James J. and Bethany S. Hornthal

FOUNDATION AND GOVERNMENT SUPPORT Bernard Osher Jewish Philanthropies Foundation

AlphaCine

Maurice Kanbar

Galina and Lev Leytes

Samuel and Daphna Noily

Charna Ball

Annette Insdorf

Jewish Communal Fund

Regional Sponsor

Pamela Burdman

Lela and Gerry Sarnat

Greta Livingston

Alec Pauluck

Rosyland and Robert Bauer

Lois and Jerome Jacobs

Cavalier Family Philanthropic Fund

Vermeer Dutch Chocolate Cream

Brian Freeman

Abraham D. and Marian Scheuer

Richard Nagler and Sheila Sosnow

Shana Penn and Ralph Benson

Ann and Irwin Bear

Lauren and George John

Common Counsel Foundation

Alan Ramo and Leslie Rose

Janis and Richard Popp

Wendy Bear

Robert Kaliman

Paul and Sheri Robbins

Gerald Rosenstein

Joseph and Joyce Behar

Leslie Kane

Tobey Roland

Scott Rubin and Stephen Moore

David and Rachel Biale in honor

Joan and Jim Kirsner

Funding Exchange

Drs. Marvin Kolotkin and Betty

Gaia Fund

Liqueur

Jerry Lin-Hsien Kung Marketing by Storm

Sofaer Bonnie and Martin Tenenbaum

Business and Community Sponsors

Sara Newman

Albert L. Schultz Jewish

Public Glass

Visionary Circle: Directors

Alan and Susan Rothenberg

Rob and Eileen Ruby

of Janis Plotkin and Deborah

Community Center

Lela Sarnat

Nancy and Lawrence Goldberg

Harry and Carol Saal

Samuel Salkin and Frankie

Kaufman

Dan Wohlfeiler

Denis Bouvier

Joan Sarnat and David A. Hoffman

Coliver Family

Danny Scher

Sally Gottesman, in honor of Petra

Barrish Bail Bonds Be’chol Lashon, a project of the Institute for Jewish &

HOSPITALITY SPONSORS

Community Research Bernard Osher Marin Jewish Community Center Consulate General of the Federal

and Penina Biddle-Gottesman

Miller Kolotkin

John Bielenberg

Karen and Rabbi Lawrence Kushner

Ev Shafrir

Miriam and Leon Bloomberg

Vitaly Kuznetsov

Albert and Janet Schultz

Sheila Simon

Denah S. Bookstein

Arnold Lerner

Peter L. Stein

Eta and Sasson Somekh

David and Suzanne Broad

Monica Levin

Whitman

Abbey Party Rents

Victor and Lorraine Honig

Mary and Steven Swig

Anne and David Steirman

Eleanor Bronner

Ronald and Shoshana Levy

Bar Ristorante Raphael

Susan and Moses Libitzky

Roselyne Swig

Laura Tow

Arthur Brunwasser

David Liu and Margot Breyer

David R. Stern Fund at the Agape Foundation

Grants for the Arts/San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund Jewish Community Endowment Fund of San Francisco Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay Jewish Community Federation of

Rebecca Broder Catering

Ray Lifchez

Carol and Norm Traeger

Lonnie Weiss

Emily Campbell

Bruce and Naomi Mann

Republic of Germany, San

Calistoga Mineral Waters

Reed Maltzman and Jennifer

Janet Traub

Carla and Hal White

Libi Cape

The Family of Gerda S. Mathan

Francisco

CATCH Restaurant

Marilyn and Murry Waldman

Carol and Terry Winograd

Jennifer Chaiken

Edward K. Newman

John and Lisa Pritzker Family Fund

Dan Wohlfeiler

Walter Wohlfeiler

Sol Coffino

Shelli and Eugene Oreck

Koret Foundation

Richard and Sue Wollack

Drs. Richard and Sandra Cohen

Steven Petrow

Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund

Jeannie Colbert

Bernard and Anne Peuto

National Endowment for the Arts

Consulate General of Israel, Pacific Northwest Region

Il Fornaio

Gosselin Vera and Harold S. Stein, Jr.

Hagafen Cellars

San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties

Crane Pest Control

Lawrence Helman Public Relations

Executive Producer

Patrons

Craig Harrison’s Expressions of

Expresso Subito

Pamela Burdman

Anonymous

Friends

Barbara Collier

Janis Plotkin

Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund Russell and Susan Holdstein

Excellence!™

IZZE Beverage Co.

Amy and Mort Friedkin

Mark W. Bernstein

Joanna Berg and Dan Finkelstein

Anne Cook

Marsha Raleigh

Hotel Rex

Robert Meyer

Carl and Gay Grunfeld

Michael Bernstein

Alan Burckin

Sandra Curtis

Ruth Reffkin

Goethe-Institut

Triptych

Frederick Hertz and Randolph

Shosh Blachman and Joel Biatch

Brett Canter

Stuart Dick and Joseph Sieger

Cantor Stephen and Margie

The Israel Center of the Jewish

La Tempesta Bakery

Allan and Muriel Brotsky

V. Yvette Chalom and Paul Fogel

Ruth Donig-White and Elissa

Sherry Brown

Helen Cohen and Mark Lipman

Richard and Babette Burdman

Gail Dolgin

David Donner

Maureen and Paul Roskoph

Charles and Helene Linker

Bonnie Burt and Mark Liss

Shelley Friedman and Tania

Trish Elliott

Steven Rothman

Sara Newman

Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Caston

Judi Elman Harris and Gordon

Scott Rubin and Stephen Moore

Doug Okun and Eric Ethington

Julie Chaiken and Scott Grigsby

Ralph and Marsha Guggenheim

Orli and Zack Rinat

Eva Chernov Lokey

Nancy Igdaloff

Alan and Susan Rothenberg

Catherine Coates and Veronica

Reuven Itelman

Community Federation

Thanksgiving Coffee

Kletter & Peretz

Tosca

Saul’s Restaurant & Delicatessen

Winewise

Westin St. Francis

MEDIA SPONSORS

32

Seja-Min

Roland

Gensler

Opening Night Sponsor

Susan Freundlich and Elizabeth

HOSPITALITY CONTRIBUTORS

Langenbach Fred Levin and Nancy Livingston, The Shenson Foundation

Lowenthal

Donig-White

Richards Susan Roane

Philanthropic Fund San Francisco Foundation Shustek Dubinsky Family Philanthropic Fund Taube Foundation for Jewish Life and Culture of the Jewish Community Endowment Fund

L.M. Rubinoff

Tides Foundation

Myra and Jerry Feiger

Sylvia Sabel

Walter & Elise Haas Fund

Saul Fenster

Joan and Robert Saffa

William and Flora Hewlett

Alan Kates

Cathy R. Fischer

Beth Samuelson

Susan David

Ron and Barbara Kaufman

Hal Fischer

Scott Seaman

Harris

Heeb Magazine

BiRite Market

indieWIRE

HE’BREW: The Chosen Beer

J. Weekly

Jeremiah’s Pick Coffee Company

Producers

William Dickey

George and Doris Krevsky

Louise and Max Fiszer

Ruth Shapiro

KCSM Jazz 91.1 FM

San Francisco Wine Exchange

Anonymous

Genevieve and Norman Dishotsky

Ilene Levinson and Rem Van Tijen

Rebecca Foster

Heather and Norman Silverman

KDFC Classical 102.1

Ciao Bella

Ronald Abileah and Marlene

Sandra and Conrad Donner

Jack Lissauer

Eleanor and Albert Frankel

Joanie Silverstein

KQED Public Broadcasting

Grand Bakery

Michael Ehrenzweig

Sherry Morse and John Maccabee

Arlene Fred

Mel and Maxine Solomon

Covenant Foundation

Salon.com

Have Your Cake

Isaac and Georgia Abrams

Robert Feirman and Rochelle

Howard and Siesel Maibach

Thomas Friedland

Joelle and Edward Steefel

Jewish Community Federation of

San Francisco Bay Guardian

Judy’s Breadsticks

Robert and Judy Aptekar

Barbara Meislin

Nancy and Terry Friedman

Robert Stern

Yelp.com

Market Hall Caterers

Deborah Blank

Michael Geschwind

James Newman and Jane Ivory

Donald and Jane Friend

Phyllis Sutton

Marin and Sonoma Counties

Nabolom Bakery

Ronald Blatman and Emerald Yeh

Jan Goodman and Maggie Riddle

Peter Newman

Velia and Philip Frost

Carol Suveda

The Chris Holter/Ron Merk Fund,

Rainbow Grocery Cooperative

Diana Cohen and Bill Falik

Natalie Gubb and David Arpi

KC Price and Steve Kehrli

Balfour Gerber

David Taylor

administered by the Metro

Rosenblum Cellars

Sanford and Jean Colen

Allyson Halpern and Dan Cohen

Alice and William Russell-Shapiro

Rosalie and Harold Gevertz

Elizabeth and Lionel Traubman

Semifreddi’s

Dana Doron

Beth Harris Hoenninger

Seth Safier

Barry and Elaine Gilbert

Susan Tubbesing and Sarah Nathe

FJC / NATAN Fund

Scharffenberger Chocolate

Irwin and Concepcion Federman

Michelle Joy Schwartz

Joan and Joel Gilbert

Howard and Merna Wechsler

Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund

Stephen and Jacqueline Swire

Winograd

Selver

Somers

Foundation

NEW JEWISH FILMMAKING PROJ ECT

San Francisco, the Peninsula,

Theatre Center Foundation

33

Acknowledgments 2007 Haifa Film Festival: Pnina Blayer, Amalia Rosen

Damon Ainsworth

Nina Haft

K.C. Price, Phil Lane, Ryan Del Gado,

Alliance Française de San Francisco:

Tim Hanlon

Kevin Wong, Adam Ashworth

Gregory Douet-Lasne Alma Films: Arik Bernstein Armstrong & Armstrong: Todd Armstrong

Robin Herman

Liz Nord

Herman & Coliver Architecture: Susie Coliver,

Pacific Film Archive: Judy Bloch, Kathy Geritz,

Bob Herman

Nancy Goldman, Susan Oxtoby, Beth Shippey

Festival Production Staff Peter L. Stein

Hal Rowland

Executive Director

Technical Director

Nancy K. Fishman

Gary Hobish

Program Director

Sound Director

Elizabeth Jouan Greene

Absolutely Music/ Nigel Gilchrist

Frederick Hertz & Randolph Langenbach

Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival: Karen Davis

Production Manager

Freddie Baggerman

Mary Ellen Hester

Paramount Pictures: Emily Horn

Allyson Halpern

Dick Bartel

Beth Harris Hoenninger

Philo TV: Lenny Lieberman, Lori Powell,

Development Director

Jerry Barrish

Institute for Jewish & Community Research:

Moshe Arzt

Evan Stewart

Bavaria Film International: Gisela Wiltschek

Gary Tobin, Diane Kaufmann Tobin,

Janis Plotkin

Beauty Bar: Paul Devitt and Shane

Scott Rubin

Progressive Jewish Alliance: Rachel Biale,

Berkeley Repertory Theatre:

Israel Center: Neal Levy, Donny Inbar, Lital Carmel

Stephanie Rapp

Amanda Williams O’Steen

Israel Film Fund: Katriel Schory

Reel Café Bakery: Sharon Dinkin

Wieland Speck Berlin Jewish Film Festival: Nicola Galliner Beta Cinema: Isabelle Griessbach, Dirk Schuerhoff Rick Bird Tanya Booth Boston Jewish Film Festival: Sara Rubin & Kaj Wilson Larry Burgheimer California Film Institute: Mark Fishkin, Zoë Elton,

Israeli Foreign Ministry: Yaffa Olivitsky, Uri Amitai

Relevant Entertainment: Rick Dorfman, Ali Hart

IsraeliFilms: Dov Gil-Har

Laura Rice-Hall

ITVS: Cathy Fischer, Claire Aguilar

Michael Rose

Bob Jaffe

Ruth Diskin Films: Ruth Diskin, Tal Shanny

Jasmine Catering of Berkeley

Sam Spiegel Film & Television School:

JDV Hospitality: Tamra Leedom Biener, James Lim Jerusalem Cinematheque: Lia van Leer, Gilli Mendel, Avinoam Harpak Jewish Community Center of San Francisco: Sandee Blechman, Lenore Naxon, Susie Crumpler, Dan Wolf Jewish Community Endowment Fund:

Richard Peterson, Dan Zastrow

Phyllis Cook, Mark Reisbaum

Castro Theatre: The Nasser Family,

Jewish Community Federation of

Bill Longen, Mark Gantor, Gary Oliver, The Candy Kidz Center for Asian American Media: Stephen Gong, Chi-hui Yang, Taro Goto Cinemayaat, Arab Film Festival: Bashir Anastas, Sonia El-Feki

San Francisco: Karen Bluestone, Travis Bernard Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay: Roberta Bear, Lisa Tabak Jewish Community Relations Council: Rabbi Doug Kahn, Abby Michelson Porth

San Francisco Toyota: John Horton,

Ian Schneider Kary Schulman Jeremiah Pick Virginia Seitz Seventh Arts: Udi Epstein, Matt Henderson

Gary Coates

Deborah Kaufman & Alan Snitow

Josh Stein

Carly Halpern Cohen, Dan Cohen

Key Sunday Cinema Club:

Gail Stern

David Akov, Tamar Akov, Ishmael Khaldi Ninfa Dawson

Koret Foundation: Jeffrey Farber, Gale Mondry

Strand Releasing: Marcus Hu

Sundance Film Festival: John Cooper, Shari Frilot, Geoffrey Gilmore, Caroline Libresco, David Courier, Shane Smith

Dafna Kory

Lori Suzuki

Hannah Kranzberg

Maralyn Tabatsky

Dolby Labs: Ioan Allen, Tom Bruchs, Jane Ng

Jerry Lin-Hsien Kung

Tel Aviv Cinematheque: Alon Garbuz

Eden Productions: Yoav Abramovich

Landmark Theatres: Steve Indig, Chris Hatfield

Tel Aviv University Film Department: Noa Chen

Edgar G. Ulmer Preservation Corp.:

Yeshai Lang

Hugh Thacher

Les Films de la Memoire: Willy Perelsztejn

Karen Topakian

Emerging Pictures: Josh Green

LGBT Alliance: Bonnie Feinberg

Toronto Jewish Film Festival: Ellie Skrow,

Jeannette Etheredge

Susan & Moses Libitzky

Euroarts: Frank Gerdes

Ma’ale School of Television & the Arts:

Festival of Jewish Cinema (Australia):

Channa Pinchesi, Neta Ariel

Leah Turchin UCLA Film and Television Archive: Todd Wiener UK Jewish Film Festival: Judy Ironside , Gali Gold

Film Arts Foundation: Eric Hayashi, Eric Henry

Gary Meyer

United King Films: David Silber, Limor Edery

Filmakers Library: Andrea Traubner

Robert Meyer

Washington Jewish Film Festival: Josh Ford

Debbie Findling

Giovanni Minerba

Lynn Webb

F.P.A.D - Films, TV formats: Merav Gamliel

Anita Monga & Peter Moore

Ernie Weir

Frameline: Michael Lumpkin, Jennifer Morris,

Nashville International Film Festival: Brian Gordon

Mary Ann Werner

National Center for Jewish Film: Sharon P. Rivo,

Cara White

Brian Freeman

Juliet Burch, Elise Bernhardt

Shelley Friedman

National Film Board of Canada: Laure Parsons

Gensler: Jennifer Galvin

New Israel Fund: Steve Rothman, Orli Bein

Gary Goldstein

New Israeli Foundation for Cinema & TV:

Go2 Films: Hedva Goldschmidt Goethe-Institut: Ingrid Eggers, Ulrich Everding Gon Production: Nitza Gonen Ashley Greene & Costello

David Fisher New York Jewish Film Festival: Aviva Weintraub, Richard Peña New Yorker Films: Jonathan Howell

network news doesn’t compare to great Israeli documentaries like Wasted, Hot House, Sidewalk and 9 Star Hotel.

Four: It’s a great gift for family and friends.

Five: See My Fuehrer, a comedy about Hitler by SFJFF Freedom

of Expression Award winner Dani Levy and discuss it afterwards for days.

Six: Hear a song your grandma used to sing in Ladino or

Yiddish Soul.

Seven: Laugh and cry at My Mexican Shivah, a Jewish Mexican

dramatic comedy.

TTV Productions: Zafrir Kochanovsky

Ron Merk

Matt Westendorf

Three: The Middle East is a complicated place and 15 seconds on

Helen Zuckerman

Kathy MacDonald

Les Rabinowicz

and 40s and meet Dmitriy Salita, a contemporary Jewish boxer, in Orthodox Stance.

Sundance Channel: Sarah Eaton

Doc Aviv: Ilana Tsur

Evanstone Films: Eitan Evan

Two: Learn how many Jewish Boxers there were in the 20s, 30s

Studio Hamburg/Traumfabrik: Geraldine Kaiser

Direct Marketing Solutions: Glenn Chase

Arianné Ulmer Cipes

and Gorgeous!

Norm Shea

Susan Stanfield

Gary Palmucci

One: Great date films like Bad Faith, Three Mothers

Eight: Rejoice with Lior, a kid with Down’s Syndrome, at his Bar

Mitzvah in Praying with Lior.

Nine: See films made by Israeli and Palestinian youth together in the

Jerusalem Cinematheque’s unique I AM YOU ARE program.

Ten:

You’ll save up to $25 while supporting Jewish cinema.

To read the fine print of how the 10-Flix card works, see page 40.

Joel Shepard, Kara Herold Yoga Mandala Kelly Zeissner Richard Zeno

Catering

Allen Stross Paul Felder Judy Bloch Copy Editor

Bookkeeper

Pnina Halfon

Donna Steger/ p.s. PrintSmart

Communications

Printing

Larsen Associates Publicist

Abigail Glogower Publicity Coordinator

Myra Feiger Community Outreach Coordinator

Cindy Rangel Ethan Hay Volunteer Coordinators

Olivia de Santis & Steve Simitzis/Saturn 5 Jason Herring/Ordinary Kids Website

Lawrence Helman Events Coordinator

Ed Baraona Bonnie Burt Gail Dolgin Michael Ehrenzweig Myra Feiger Joan Gibson Debbie Hoffmann Marcia Jarmel Vivian Kleiman Donna Korones Phil Lane Moshe Levin Andrea Michaels Danny Plotnick Alon Raab Steve Rossen Ian Schneider Ken Schneider Jennifer Schwartz Noa Turgeman Marlene Velasco-Begue Leah Wolchok Diane Wolfe Screening Committee

Trailer Design/

Jim Hoberman Debbie Hoffmann Annette Insdorf Deborah Kaufman Gary Meyer Janis Plotkin Ella Shohat

Production

Program Advisors

Philo TV Gary Coates/Spy Post

Nancy K. Fishman Abigail Glogower Pnina Halfon Grace Lee Peter L. Stein Leo Wong

Alex Cantin Jessica Wilson Annisa Kau Print Traffic

Volume Inc.

Trailer Post-production

Dafna Kory Sponsor Reel Production

Jill Johnson David Gutierez Brian Freeman Hospitality Assistants

House Manager

10 not enough?

Consider the All-Festival Pass for $195.

See page 40 for more info.

Rebecca Broder Catering

Christy Applegate

Brad Robinson

Wild Bunch: Lucie Kalmar, Esther Devos Yerba Buena Center for the Arts: Ken Foster,

Box Office

Photographers

Marketing Coordinator

Ten Reasons to purchase a 10-Flix Card

Trilogy Productions Pamela & Joe Lawrence

Coordinator

Rebecca Gholdston

Joseph Schmidt

Instrument Rental

Administrative

Marketing Consultant

Doug Donnellan Sapir Academy: Avner Feingelernt, Noa Levy

Jill Johnson

Koch Lorber Films: Suzanne Fedak

Kerri Gawryn

Cara Storm/ Marketing by Storm

Citizen Film: Sam Ball, Sophie Constantinou

Rolf Schütte, Karsten Tietz

Development Associate

Graham Leggat, Linda Blackaby, Hilary Hart,

Hiram Simon

Consulate General of Israel:

$25

Grace Lee

Sean Uyehara, Rod Armstrong

Jewish Women’s Archive: Gail Reimer, Jaymie Saks

Kino International: Don Krim, Jessica Rosner,

up to

Coordinator

Coordinator

Cinephil: Philippa Kowarsky, Ori Bader

Consulate General of Germany:

Buy 10

Save

San Francisco International Film Festival:

Tiffany Shlain

Benjamin Levy, Andy Mencher

Program/Hospitality

Renen Schorr, Noemi Schory, Noa Ron

Jewish Music Festival: Ellie Shapiro

Consulate General of France: Christophe Musitelli

Leo Wong

Sara Bolder

Susie Medak, Madelyn Mackie, Berlin International Film Festival:

34

Ninth Street Independent Film Center:

Kate Adams

Whether you’re attending the Festival for the very first time or for the 27th year in a row, you won’t want to miss a scene!

Grace Liu Assistant Production Manager

Staff Program Notes

Nancy K. Fishman Mike Silver Boxing Program Curators

Volume Inc. Program Design

Nancy K. Fishman Peter L. Stein Program Catalog Editors

35

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Photo: Mark Darley

See (and hear!) these music-filled offerings in the 27th SFJFF:

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2007 ticket order form

Ticket information Box Office Opens:

RUSH LINE

Jewish Film Forum (JFF) Members: June 19 General Public: June 20

Even when advance tickets to a screening are sold out, tickets may be available through “Rush”. Some seats at every show are held for pass holders until 20 minutes prior to show time. If these seats are not used, they are released for sale to persons standing in the Rush line. This line may form up to one hour prior to show time. Discount 10-Flix Cards cannot be used in the Rush line. Rush tickets are Regular Admission price, cash only. Member, student, senior and group discounts do not apply to Rush tickets.

How to order: Online: Access our website at www.sfjff.org Fax: Completed order form to: 925-866-9597 Mail: Completed order form to: SF Jewish Film Festival Ticket Office

PO Box 2229, Danville, CA 94526 Phone: 925-275-9490

Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm

Name (as it appears on the credit card)

Billing Address

City

Zip

Country

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Please Note Day of show tickets will be sold at each theatre, beginning one hour prior to the first film of the day. Advance tickets for other days are available at all venues but not within 30 minutes of the start of any screening.

TICKET DELIVERY Tickets will automatically be mailed to the billing address unless Will Call is chosen. Orders received 10 days or less prior to each screening will be placed at Will Call. Photo ID will be required when picking up tickets at theatre Will Call table. Only those persons listed on the order will be allowed to pick up that order.

ARRIVAL TIME Ticket and pass holders must arrive and be in line 20 minutes prior to show time.

Anyone arriving after that may not be admitted, even with a purchased ticket or pass.

• All programs are subject to change. Sometimes for reasons beyond our control, screenings must be changed, substituted, rescheduled, or canceled. If a screening is canceled, simply return your ticket to the box office within 48 hours of the canceled screening date to exchange for a different screening or for a refund. The processing fee is non-refundable.

• Every person, regardless of age, must have a ticket except for free matinees.

• Only one form of payment per order.

• Each order received is charged a non-refundable processing fee.

• There will be a $25 charge for returned checks.

• SFJFF is not responsible for lost, stolen, forgotten, or damaged tickets, or tickets misdirected by the post office. If you experience delivery problems at your address, please choose Will Call.

• All seats are general admission, except for Opening night at the Castro Theatre, which will be reserved seating.

Home Phone

Daytime Phone

E-Mail I require wheelchair seating Number of person(s) using wheelchairs

SF Opening Night Film & Before-Film Reception Cocktail Reception and Reserved Theatre Seating

tickets @$55/General Public

all festival pass & reel pass

discount 10-flix card

$50/Members

General Public reel passes @ $40 ea. =

SF Opening Night Film Only passes @ $195 ea. =

Reserved Theatre Seating

tickets @$22/General Public

$20/Members

cards @ $95 ea. =

Members

member pass @ $180 ea. =

cards @ $85 ea. =

SF Closing Night Film & Special Event

Ticket prices

Pass-holder’s name

REGULAR PROGRAMS Regular Admission Jewish Film Forum (JFF) Members: General Public:

$9 $11

Seniors (65 or older):

$9.50

Students (25 or under): $9.50 Students (25 and under) must be full-time and present proof of age and current, valid student ID at time of ticket purchase. If ordering in advance by phone, online, mail, of fax, tickets will automatically be placed at will call for ID verification.

Groups are 10 or more tickets purchased in advance for the same film on a single order. Please call box office for prices and further information.

DISCOUNT 10-FLIX CARD $85 $95

The 10-Flix card is convenient, economical and flexible. Each 10-Flix card is good for 10 regular-priced tickets of your choice. Not good for special programs. Each 10-Flix card has a unique 16-digit number that you may use at any time before and throughout the Festival to redeem your tickets online, by phone, mail, fax or at the box office. Please note: 10-Flix cards cannot guarantee tickets to sold-out shows, so redeem early if you know your selection. 10-Flix cards are fully transferable; share with family and friends. Great for gifts!

MATINEES

(Tickets not required for FREE matinees)

40

$8 $9

tickets @ $22/General Public

$20/Members

SPECIAL PROGRAMS (Member, student, senior and group discounts do not apply to Special Programs)

“His People” with Paul Shapiro Ensemble

SF Opening Night—Film & Before-Film Party Cocktail Reception and reserved theatre seating JFF Members: General Public:

$50 $55

SF Opening Night—Film Only Reserved theatre seating JFF Members: General Public:

$20 $22

SF Closing Night Film & Special Event JFF Members: General Public:

$20 $22

Berkeley Opening Night & After-Film Party JFF Members: General Public: His People w/Paul Shapiro Ensemble Silent film with original score and live music JFF Members: General Public:

tickets @ $18/General Public

event code

$16/Members

film title

Pass-holder’s name

Pass-holder’s name

date

*Discount Types or JFF Memb. # S = Seniors are 65 and older JFF = Jewish Film Forum member. Please include memebership number.

STU = Students (25 and under) must be full-time and present proof of age and current valid student ID at time of ticket purchase. If ordering by phone, on-line, mail, or fax, tickets will automatically be placed at Will Call for ID verification.

$20 $22

# of tix

price/ticket

discount type*

All Festival Pass JFF Members: General Public:

I want to volunteer for the 2007 SFJFF; please contact me. $180 $195

One pass good for all shows at all theatres—including Opening and Closing Night films and special programs. Early-entrance line reserved for pass holders. One name per pass. MUST ARRIVE and be in line 20 minutes prior to show time. Pass does not guarantee seating if late arrival.

total price

Membership/Additional Donation (see below) Passes/10-flix/Special Programs Total Subtotal Processing fee ($1.50/ticket, up to $5; $5/passes or 10-Flix) Grand Total

$16 $18

SPECIAL TICKET PACKAGES

Reel Pass Monday–Thursday, up to and including 4pm JFF Members: General Public:

$20/Members

Berkeley Opening Night & After-Film Party

Become a member of the Jewish Film Forum with a contribution of $50 or more and receive special discounts, invitations to year-round events and have a voice in shaping the future of independent film. To join, use Order Form opposite or call the box office.

If you are a JFF Member, please have your name and membership number available when ordering. Limit two (2) discount tickets per screening.

Questions? Call SFJFF at 415-621-0556.

JFF Members: General Public:

tickets @$22/General Public

Ticket Delivery

Please let me know about year-round screenings.

Tickets will automatically be mailed to the billing address unless Will Call is chosen. Orders received 10 days or less prior to each screening will be placed at Will Call. Photo ID will be required when picking up tickets at Theatre Will Call

Form of Payment

table. Only those persons listed on the order will be allowed to pick up that order.

Check or money order enclosed. Please make payable to SFJFF Ticket Office, PO Box 2229, Danville, CA 94526

I want my tickets held at Will Call and will pick them up at the Theatre on the day of the first show I attend. Photo ID will be required to pick up tickets at Will Call.

Credit card (Visa/MasterCard accepted) fax 925-866-9597 or call 925.275.9490

$40

A reel deal if you’re 25 or younger! One pass good for all shows at all theatres— including Opening and Closing Night films and special programs. Early-entrance line reserved for pass holders. Proof of age required. One name per pass. MUST ARRIVE and be in line 20 minutes prior to show time. Pass does not guarantee seating if late arrival.

PLEASE CHOOSE CAREFULLY AND CHECK DATES AGAINST YOUR CALENDAR. ALL ORDERS ARE FINAL. WE ARE UNABLE TO REFUND, EXCHANGE OR SUBSTITUTE TICKETS, INCLUDING TICKETS REDEEMED FROM 10-FLIX CARDS. PLEASE ARRIVE AND BE IN LINE 20 MINUTES PRIOR TO SHOWTIME. TICKET OR PASS DOES NOT GUARANTEE SEATING.

10 FLIX CARD 16 DIGIT ACCOUNT NO.

Join SFJFF’s Jewish Film Forum Supporter Associate Friend Patron

$50 $100 $250 $500

Producer Executive Producer Director

$1,000 $2,500 $5,000

For benefits details, go to www.sfjff.org

phone: 925-275-9490 website: www.sfjff.org Fax: 925.866.9597 or Mail to: PO Box 2229, Danville, CA 94526

9 Star Hotel

10

Gorgeous!

15

Addes

18

His People

8

Aviva My Love

10

Hot House

15

Bad Faith

11

I Am You Are

16

Between Two Notes

11

I’m Charlie Chaplin

Body and Soul

12

Jews in Shorts

16

My Fuehrer: The Truly Truest Truth About Adolf Hitler 20

Borders

18

Jonathan

22

My Mexican Shivah

The Bubble

12

Just an Ordinary Jew

17

The Cemetery Club

13

A Kiss Is A Kiss Is a Kiss

The Chosen Ones

13

Knowledge Is the Beginning

Making Trouble: Three Generations of Funny Jewish Women 5

Sweet Mud

4

Three Mothers

23

Tolya

16

A Touch Away

24

Wasted

24

Weitzman Street No. 10

16

20

Yedidiah’s Collection

16

My Son, the Hero

21

Yiddish Soul

25

11

Naturalized

16

17

Orders of Love

16

Yoel, Israel and the Pashkevils

14

Your Younger Daughter Rachel

16

16,22

Max Baer’s Last Right Hook Mr. Cortisone, Happy Days

21 19

Ezekiel’s Wheels

23

Ladino - 500 Years Young

18

Orthodox Stance

21

Film Fanatic

14

Lebanon Dream

18

Praying with Lior

22

Gary’s Story

16

22

14

The Longing: The Forgotten Jews of South America

Sidewalk

The Giraffe

19

So Long Are You Young

23

San Francisco Jewish Film Festival 145 Ninth Street, Suite 200 San Francisco, CA 94103

Full print source list available at www.sfjff.org

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PA I D Permit No. 107 San Francisco, CA