Film Festival 2023 Brochure

WELCOMETOOUR25th SEASON

Welcomebacktothefestival!It’sbeenawhilesinceweenjoyedthisamazingfilmfestivaltogetherasa communityandweareexcitedtosharesomanyincrediblemoviesfromaroundtheworld.

Whileweknowit’snicetositonacomfortablecouch,juststepsawayfromthekitchen,thereisnothinglike watchingthesegreatfilmstogetherwithfriendsandfamily.Thelaughsarebigger,thetearsseemmore heartfelt,andthebondswebuildwithoneanotherarestrongerandmorerelevantnowthanever.

Sopleasejoinus,inperson,for25unforgettablefilms—aswecelebrate25amazingyears!

EricS.Lumberg

FilmFestivalCommittee

StephenKantrowitz

STEPHENKANTROWITZ, SeniorDirectorCulturalArts

EricLumberg,Chair;RenaCohen;LorryCooper;EdithCovensky;MindyGreenberg;SherriGregory;Terry Hollander;BarbaraHorowitz;SheldonLeemon;YiftahLeket;JeroldMinkin;JoseMirkin;NoemiMirkin; SusanRollinger;BarbaraSafran;SusanShevrin;HalleyUzansky;ShelleyWainer;ElliotWilhelm

TheJStaff: JudyLoebl,ChiefProgramOfficer;StephenKantrowitz,SeniorDirectorCulturalArts; LaurenMarcusJohnson,AssistantDirectorCulturalArts;NaomiLevine,LogisticsCoordinatorCulturalArts

Patrons

ThankYou!

ExecutiveProducer: EllenandJeroldMinkin*

Producers: JoElynandGeorgeNyman;ElaineandMichaelSerling*;EstherandNealZalenko*

Co-Producers: CarolandRonaldFogel*;HeleneandArtIndianer*;RenéeandEarlIshbia*;ManatFoundation*; SpencerMPartrichCharitableFoundation;BlumaSchechter*;NancyandSamShamie&Family*; LisaAlyssaMertzandSusanSovel;AndiandLarryWolfe*

Directors: RhondaandMorrisBrown;SteveandSusieFeldman;DaleandBruceFrankel;DoreenHermelin; TerryHollander*;BarbaraandMichaelHorowitz;SheriandDavidJaffa*;AnnaandYaleLevin; RobertaPattandFredFechheimer;ArleneandMarkRubinstein;BarbaraSafranandMurrayCohen(z"l); SusanandDavidShevrin;JacalynNewmanSimonandJamesSimon; Tama,Budaj&Raab,p.c.

Screenwriters: JaniceandDonald(z"l)Cutler;SherriGregory;AllanGurvitz;MiriamImerman;SharonKaplan; SusanKonop;JudyS.Loebl; EricLumberg;SusanRollinger;JeffreySolway; *IndicatesPillarofLight

Sponsors

PlatinumDaySponsor: Workmen'sCircle/ArbeterRing

GoldFilmSponsor: AllSeasonsWestBloomfield

SilverFilmSponsors: B'naiB'rithGreatLakesRegion;HamptonInnSouthfield/WestBloomfield; Home2SuitesWestBloomfield;TheZekelmanHolocaustCenter

BronzeFilmSponsors: ADLMichigan;AllianceFrancaisedeDetroit/FrenchInstituteofMichigan; AmericanFriendsofMagenDavidAdom;ChildrenofHolocaustSurvivorsAssociationinMichigan(CHAIM); CohnHaddowCenterforJudaicStudiesatWayneStateUniversity;TheDavidHorodokerOrganization; DetroitJCCMaccabi®;EyeSpyEyeCare;HadassahGreaterDetroit; Henry&DeliaMeyersLibrary/JoanandDr.Robert(z”l)Jampel; IsaacAgreeDowntownSynagogue;JewishFamily ServiceofMetroDetroit;JewishSeniorLifeofMetropolitanDetroit; JewishWomen'sFoundationofMetropolitan Detroit;NationalCouncilofJewishWomen,Michigan;TheJ’sOpeningtheDoors;ORTAMERICAMichigan Region;SholemAleichemInstitute

PromotionalPartners

AmeinuDetroit;TheBermanCenterforthePerformingArts;TheJ’sAgelessandActive;DetroitJewishBookFair; JaniceCharachGallery;JCCDayCamps; DetroitJCCMaccabi®;JFamily;JLearn;JRec;JTraveler; RussianJewishLife;SeminarsforAdultJewishEnrichment(SAJE)

AsofMarch17,2023

ERICS.LUMBERG, FilmFestivalChair

HiddenMusicalGems fromYiddishSoundtracks

Starring

IsleofKlezbos&Friends

StraightfromNewYork!$18 Liveklezmerband,Yiddishmovieclips, andinteractivetalk

ASALUTETOISRAEL

AirBorn

YoramIvry,Director

1:00pmDocumentary 69minutes.Hebrew $12 Thisinspiringdocumentary celebratestheheroismand courageousattitudeofIsraeli pilots,touchinglytoldthrough theeyesofthechildrenwho grewupinIsraeliairforcebasehousinginthe1960sand1970s. Producer: SpencerMPartrichCharitableFoundation Co-Producer: NancyandSamShamie&Family

BronzeFilmSponsor: AmericanFriendsofMagenDavidAdom

IsraelSwingsForGold

SethKramer,DanielA.Miller, JeremyNewberger,Directors

4:00pmDocumentary,Israel,Sports 75minutes.English $12

In2021,Israel’sbaseballteamcompeted intheOlympicsforthefirsttime.Withno mediaallowedinTokyo’sOlympicVillage, theplayersrecordtheirownexperiences quicklylearningthatrepresenting Israel on theworldstageisnotjustfunandgames. In-persontalk-backwithDirector SethKramer

BronzeFilmSponsors: EyeSpyEyeCare;JCCDayCamps; DetroitJCCMaccabi®;JFamily;JLearn;TheJ'sAgelessandActive; JRec;JTraveler

Thiscaptivating“tour”featuresmusical momentsfromfamousYiddishfilmssuchas

TheDybbuk andMollyPicon's Mamele, as wellascomicanddramatictunesfroma varietyoflesser-knownmoviemasterpieces. Enjoythesongsandhearfascinatinginsights intothemoviesandthemusicofbygone days.FeaturingvocalistMikhlYashinsky.

PlatinumDaySponsor: Workmen’sCircle/ArbeterRing

BronzeFilmSponsors: JLearn;Seminars for AdultJewishEnrichment(SAJE)

HummusFullTrailer

AsafKobrovsky,Director

7:00pmComedy,Crime,Israel 92minutes.Hebrew $12

Inthisgangstercomedycaper,three mixed-upshippingcontainersatan IsraeliharborbringtogetherArabs, OrthodoxJews,andgayfloriststosolve themishap.WithastellartroupeofIsraeli stars,thishilariousrollercoasterrideis packedwithover-the-top,Tarantinoesqueaction.

PhotoCredit:GatelyWilliams

PhotoCredit:HankGans

America

RaulGraizer,Director

1:00pmDrama,Israel

127minutes.Hebrew $12

TheengrossingstoryofanIsraeliman whoreturnstoIsraelafter10yearsin America.Anencounterwitha childhoodfriendandhisfuture-wife willchangeeveryone’slives.Astory setbetweenaflowershopandan ancientmonastery,aswimmingpool andtheMediterraneanSea,lifeand death-andsomewhereinthemiddle.

BronzeFilmSponsor: JaniceCharachGallery

TheDevil'sConfession: TheLost EichmannTapes

YarivMozer,Director

4:00pmHolocaust,Documentary 108minutes.

Hebrew/German/English $12

Thisunforgettablefilmunearths long-lost,secretrecordingsofNazi warcriminalAdolfEichmann,oneof thechiefarchitectsoftheHolocaust’s FinalSolution,openlyconfessinghis participatingintheplanningandimplementationof oneofthegreatestatrocitiesinworldhistory.

Talk-backandQ&Afollowingfilm

SilverFilmSponsor: TheZekelmanHolocaustCenter

BronzeFilmSponsor: SeminarsforAdultJewish Enrichment(SAJE)

ParisBoutique

MarcoCarmel,Director

7:00pmComedy

82minutes. French/Hebrew $12

NominatedforsixIsraeliAcademy Awards(Ophirs), ParisBoutique isa romanticcomedyofmistakes.A fish-out-of-waterJewish-French lawyerandaduplicitousbutamiable Israelihustlerunravelamysteryin Jerusalem’sOldCityinthis delightfulfemale-buddyromcom.

SilverFilmSponsor: HamptonInn Southfield/West Bloomfield;Home2SuitesWestBloomfield

BronzeFilmSponsor:

AllianceFrancaisedeDetroit/FrenchInstituteofMichigan; NationalCouncilofJewishWomen,Michigan;JTraveler

Our(Almost CompletelyTrue)Story

DonScardino,Director

1:00pmComedy,Drama,Romance 92minutes.English $12

Atall,agingshiksashowbizicon meetsashort,out-of-workJewish voiceactorinabirdstore-what arethechances?Real-lifeshowbiz coupleMarietteHartleyandJerry Srokaco-starinthisdelightful crowdpleaserfeaturinga“Who’s Who”ensemblecastincluding BernieKoppell,TessHarper,MorganFairchild, JohnRubinstein,PeterMacNicol,andSamMcMurray. Liveon-screentalk-backwithMarietteHartleyand JerrySroka,joinedinconversationbyLilaLazarus, TVPersonality.

BronzeFilmSponsors: JewishSeniorLifeofMetropolitanDetroit

FarewellMr. Haffmann

FredCavayé,Director

4:00pmDrama,French, Holocaust 115minutes.French $12

JewelryassistantFrançois Mercierisanordinaryman, aspiringtoownhisownshop andstartafamilywiththe womanheloves.Whenfaced withGermanoccupation,his employerMr.Haffmann arrangesforMerciertotemporarily“buy”thestore. ThisturnsintoaFaustianbargain,turningtheir livesupsidedown,foreverchangingtheirfates.

TheWaytoHappiness

NicolasSteil,Director

7:00pmComedyDrama 112minutes.

Yiddish/German/French $12

Inthisenchantinglytale,a VienneseHolocaustsurvivor becomesaboisterous restaurateurinBrussels,feeding hisdevoteddinersJewish delicacieswhilenourishinghis loveofcinema,tocoverhispast andfindtruelove.Suretowarm yoursoulanddelightyoursenses.

BronzeFilmSponsor: TheBerman

Cinema Sabaya

OritFouks

Rotem,Director

1:00pm

Drama,Israel 91minutes.

English/Hebrew/ Arabic $12

Eightwomen,Arab andJewish,takepartinavideo workshophostedbyRona,ayoung filmmaker.Witheachcameratake,the womenlearnanilluminatinglessonin empathyinthiscelebrationoffemale collaborationandadeftandheartfelt portraitthepowerofarttounifyand createconnectionsacrosscultures.

Israel’ssubmissionfortheInternational FeatureOscar.

BronzeFilmSponsor: HadassahGreaterDetroit;JewishWomen's FoundationofMetropolitanDetroit

BackInBerlin

BobbyLax, Director

4:00pm

Documentary 60minutes.English/ Hebrew $12

Afterhisfatherdies, Bobbyreturnsto

Englandandfinds

anoldsuitcase,hiddenbyhisfather, revealingthetruthabouthisfamilywho perishedintheHolocaust.Heinvites Manuel,hisGerman-bornchildhood friend,totranslatethedocuments discoveringanotherfamily’ssecretasthey embarkonajourneythatputstheir friendshiptothetest.

BronzeFilmSponsor: JewishFamilyServiceofMetroDetroit

jccdet.org/filmfestival•248-609-3303

WEDNESDAY •MAY3

CELEBRATINGACCESSIBILITYANDINCLUSION

TheJ’sOpeningtheDoorspartnerswithThe LenoreMarwilDetroitJewishFilmFestival

JustAsIAm:TheShiraChoir

EvanBeloff,Director

7:00pmDocumentary

53minutes.English $12 Alittlefilmwithabigheartfollows thelivesofchoirmembersofallabilities duringapandemic.Thistouchingjourney throughsorrowandjoy,lifeanddeath,isa remindertoalwaystreasureoneanother andshowshowmusichealsanduplifts.

Liveon-screenperformancebytheShiraChoirprecedingthefilm. Liveon-screenQ&AwithDirectorEvanBeloffandCantor DanielBenlolowithin-personmoderator,CherylChodun, FormerWXYZNewsReporter/AdjunctProfessor.

Co-Producer: ManatFoundation

BronzeFilmSponsor: ADLMichigan

EXCLUSIVESCREENING:EMAGINEROYALOAK!

OnlyInTheaters

RaphaelSbarge,Director

7:00pmDocumentary

94minutes.English $12

LaemmleTheatres,thebeloved84-yearoldarthousecinemachaininLos Angeles,isfacingseismicchangeand downwardpressure.Yetthefamily behindthismultigenerationalbusiness, whosesolemissionhasbeentosupport andelevatetheartoffilm,isdetermined toseeitsurvive.

IntroductionbyPaulGlantz, Co-FounderandChairmanofEmagineEntertainment EmagineRoyalOak:200N.MainStreet,RoyalOak FREEParkingatCentralParkingGarage 300N.MainStreet,RoyalOak

SHTTL

AdyWalter,Director

1:00pmDrama,Holocaust

114minutes.Yiddish $12

Oneofthemostspellbindingfilmsofthe year,thisevocativeandvisuallycompelling filmbeautifullyrecreatesandcapturesthe life,loves,anddiscordofaYiddish-speaking shtetlinUkraineontheeveoftheNazi invasionofSovietUkraine.Featuresa remarkablecastincludingMosheLobeland Yiddish-fluentactorSaulRubinek.

Talk-backwithProfessorHowardLupovitch, DirectoroftheCohn-HaddowCenterfor JudaicStudiesatWayneStateUniversity

BronzeFilmSponsor: Cohn-HaddowCenter forJudaicStudiesatWayneStateUniversity; TheDavidHorodokerOrganization; RussianJewishLife;SholemAleichemInstitute

THURSDAY•MAY4

Pre-Glow(PatronsOnly)

5:45pmFeaturingAaronJonah LewisandtheDetroitSquare DanceSocietyBand,with cowboy-themedgrub&drink!

JewsoftheWildWest (PublicWelcome)

AmandaKinsey,Director

7:30pmfilmDocumentary 80minutes.English

$12FilmOnlyTickets

Fromcowboysandgunslingerstoentrepreneursandartists, JewsoftheWildWest tracestherealhistoryofJewishcowboys andcowgirlsthatisalargelyforgottenchapteroftheAmerican West,takinganeye-openinglookatthelegacyandpioneering spiritofthosewhodefinitivelyshapedwestwardexpansion. Liveon-screentalk-backwithdirectorAmandaKinsey

BronzeFilmSponsor: JLearn

Matchmaking

ErezTadmor, Director

4:00pmComedy, Israel,Drama

96minutes.Hebrew $12

Wittyandromantic, Matchmaking isaRomeoandJuliet-likesaga abouttwoyoung,ultra-Orthodoxsingles lookingforamatch.Plentyofone-linersabout spicysaladsandnoodlekugels,withaheavy doseofYiddish,aresprinkledintothishit contemporaryrom-com--Israel’sbiggestbox officesmashoftheyear!

Producer: EstherandNealZalenko

FRIDAY•MAY5

TheStudentsof UmbertoPrimo

TobecomeaFilmFestivalpatron, pleasecall248-609-3303orvisit jccdet.org/ff-become-a-patron

AlessandraMaioletti,Director

1:00pmDocu-Drama

80minutes.Italian/English/Greek $12

Basedonrecentlydiscovereddocuments, thisdocudramatellsthestoriesofnine Greek-ItalianJewishstudentswhowere amongthehundredsofJewishchildren studyingatthePublicItalianschool, UmbertoPrimo,untilNazisoldiersentered theregionandforeverchangedthecourse oftheirhistories.

MyFather’sSecrets

VéraBelmont,Director

1:00pmHolocaust,Animated 74minutes.English/French $12

Afunny,poignant,andthought-provoking animatedfilmthatfocusesonafamily’s journeytoreconciliationafterfacingthe traumaoftheHolocaust.Anintimate storyofsurvivalandthetriumphofthe humanspiritbasedonMichelKichka’s autobiographicalgraphicnovel.

SilverFilmSponsor: TheZekelman HolocaustCenter

2NDSHOWINGEMAGINEROYALOAK!

ParisBoutique

7:00pmComedy 82minutes.

French/Hebrew $12

HowSabaKeptSinging

SaraTaksler,Director

4:00pmDocumentary,Biography 78minutes.English/Hebrew/Polish $12 94-year-oldDavid“Saba”Wisniasurvived AuschwitzbyentertaininghisNazicaptors withhisbeautifulsingingvoice.Butitwas hisloveforanotherprisonerthatgavehim thewilltogoon.Nowreunited,theyshare moreastonishingsecretsinthisuplifting andlife-affirmingstory.Abreathtaking testamenttothepowerofmusic,art,and lovefromExecutiveProducersHillary RodhamClintonandChelseaClinton.

Producer: ElaineandMichaelSerling

BronzeFilmSponsor: ChildrenofHolocaustSurvivorsAssociationinMichigan(CHAIM)

iMordecai

MarvinSamel,Director

7:00pmComedy,FamilyDrama 102minutes.English $12

Aheart-warmingmoviebasedona truestory, iMordecai starsEmmy-winner JuddHirschandAcademyAward-nominee CarolKaneasHolocaustsurvivorslivingin Miami.WhenMordecaitakesthebigstepof gettinganiPhone,thedeviceopenshimup tonewexperiencesandadventures,making himfeellikeakidagain.iMordecaiurgesus alltolivelifetothefullest.

ExecutiveProducer: EllenandJeroldMinkin

Co-Producer: CarolandRonaldFogel

SilverFilmSponsor: B'naiB'rithGreatLakesRegion

BronzeFilmSponsors: Henry&DeliaMeyersLibrary/Joan&Dr.Robert(z"l)Jampel; ORTAMERICAMichiganRegion

BronzeFilmSponsor: DetroitJewishBookFair jccdet.org/filmfestival•248-609-3303

(SeeDescription Page4)

SilverFilmSponsor: HamptonInnSouthfield/WestBloomfield; Home2SuitesWestBloomfield;

BronzeFilmSponsor: AllianceFrancaise deDetroit/FrenchInstituteofMichigan; NationalCouncilofJewishWomen, Michigan;JTraveler MyFather’s Secrets

7:00pmHolocaust, Animated 74minutes.English/ French $12

(SeeDescription Page7)

SilverFilmSponsor: TheZekelman HolocaustCenter

BronzeFilmSponsor: DetroitJewishBookFair

JewishCommunityCenterofMetropolitanDetroit

D.Dan&BettyKahnBuilding

Eugene&MarciaApplebaumJewishCommunityCampus

6600W.MapleRoad,WestBloomfieldMI48322

SCAN TOBUY TICKETS

FILMFESTIVALAT-A-GLANCE!

(Allfilms@TheBerman,6600W.MapleRoad,WestBloomfield,unlessotherwiseindicated.)

Thursday,April27

7PM: HiddenMusicalGemsfromYiddish Soundtracks starringIsleofKlezbos&Friends

Sunday,April30

1PM: AirBorn

4PM: IsraelSwingsforGold

7PM: HummusFullTrailer

Monday,May1

1PM: America

4PM: TheDevil'sConfession:TheLostEichmannTapes

7PM: ParisBoutique

Tuesday,May2

1PM: Our(AlmostCompletelyTrue)Story

4PM: Farewell,Mr.Haffmann

7PM: TheWaytoHappiness

Wednesday,May3

1PM: CinemaSabaya

4PM: BackInBerlin

7PM: JustAsIAm:TheShiraChoir

7PM: OnlyinTheaters(EmagineRoyalOak)

Thursday,May4

1PM: SHTTL

4PM: Matchmaking

5:45PM: PatronNight–Pre-Glow

7:30PM: JewsoftheWildWest

Friday,May5

1PM: TheStudentsof UmbertoPrimo

Sunday,May7

1PM: MyFather’sSecrets

4PM: HowSabaKeptSinging

7PM: iMordecai

Monday,May8 (EmagineRoyalOak)

7PM: ParisBoutique(RepeatShowing)

Tuesday,May9 (EmagineRoyalOak)

7PM: MyFather’sSecrets(RepeatShowing)

FORTICKETS&MOREINFO:jccdet.org/filmfestival/