16 minute read
Ariel Rivka DanceÕs UNORTHODOX Performance & Dance Workshop
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15 | 7 PM Accessible to All States
Collaborating with composer Stefania de Kennessey to create an original score inspired by the drive and tradition of Klezmer music, the UNORTHODOX performance speaks to the juxtaposition of grungy raw realness and the simple polite version of ourselves we often portray to the world. What happens when you unzip the dress to breathe? The title is inspired by the book by Deborah Feldman (and the Emmy-nominated Netflix show starring Shira Haas) about a young woman who leaves a very strict Hassidic sect.
DANCERS: Caitlyn Casson | Casie OÕKane Danita Shaheen | Hana Ginsburg Tirosh
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After the performance, join Ariel Rivka Dance for a family-friendly dance workshop! Using the fundamentals of modern dance, yoga, and creative movement, participants will be guided through a dance warm-up and movement explorations. We will explore feeling restricted and free, as well as the range of movements between holding yourself tightly together and moving loosely and openly. How can we show those feelings with a gesture? A movement? A facial expression? How does your body change when you feel those opposite feelings? Participants will learn choreography from the dance routine and reflect on how the movements express the emotions. Together, we will use dance as a storytelling medium to find our own personal creative expression.
For all ages and abilities. No experience necessary.
Ariel Rivka Dance (ARD) is an all-women contemporary dance company based in New Jersey and led by Artistic and Executive Director, Ariel Grossman. ARDÕs mission is to champion female creatives through original choreography, commissioned music, and curated family and educational programming. Drawing from ArielÕs personal experiences as a Jewish woman and mother, the company shares stories that resonate with a broad audience. Through movement, ARD creates a community of vulnerability and acceptance, providing opportunities for hope and connection. ARD works within New York and New Jersey primarily.
Ariel Rebecca (Rivka) Grossman founded Ariel Rivka Dance in 2008. As a native New Yorker, she trained at LaGuardia High School of Music and the Performing Arts and the Joffrey Ballet School under the direction of Gerald Arpino. She earned a B.S. in Dance and a Minor in WomenÕs Studies from Skidmore College. Ariel draws inspiration from the struggles and joys of the human experience, particularly through being a woman and mother. Through collaboration, she encourages her dancers to bring themselves to the work, molding pieces that are striking, evocative, and multi-layered.
SHARED LEGACIES: THE AFRICAN AMERICAN-JEWISH CIVIL RIGHTS ALLIANCE
Shared Stories Encore Screening MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16 | 5 PM EST | Available 48 Hours Accessible to PA, NJ & DE Residents Only
Directed by Shari Rogers Documentary Feature USA | 2020 | 95 min English
OFFICIAL SELECTION: Atlanta Jewish Film Festival
FOR FANS OF: African-American history; BlackJewish relations; civil rights; documentaries; Jewish history; Joachim Prinz; John Lewis; Martin Luther King, Jr.; Tikkun Olam
This essential and edifying documentary chronicles the history of the Black-Jewish alliance in America. Revisiting critical points in history when Black and Jewish Americans faced hardships due to segregation and racism, the film begins with the founding of the NAACP in 1909 Ñ when Jews, Gentiles, and Black Americans initiated a Ònew abolitionist movementÓÑ and concludes with an examination of modern-day race relations.
With its impressive array of storytellers and archival footage, the film explores the normalized bigotry of the Jim Crow South, the NorthÕs rampant bias in the areas of housing, employment, and education, and the civil rights era initiatives brought Black and Jewish leaders together in support of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.Õs vision. Unfortunately, the bond these communities shared during the civil rights era has since strained and issues like white flight, geographic insularity, and tension between Orthodox Jews and African Americans have added a whole other level of complexity.
Under our current administration, groups like the Alt-Right have strived to gain legitimacy and sow seeds of discord in our increasingly divided country. Add to that the effects of mass incarceration on communities of color and increased police brutality towards those same communities. Compounded by the fact that communities of color are currently being hit disproportionately hard by COVID-19, you have a realistic rendering of present-day America in SHARED LEGACIES.
IN YOUR EYES, I SEE MY COUNTRY
Directed by Kamal Hachkar Documentary Feature USA | 2019 | 75 min Hebrew, French and Arabic with English subtitles
OFFICIAL SELECTION: Boston Jewish Film Festival | Docaviv | Hot Docs
FOR FANS OF: Arabic language; family dramas; Israeli cinema; Moroccan culture; Morocco; music documentaries; Sephardic music; travel documentaries
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
In this compassionate and lively documentary, Jerusalem musicians Neta Elkayam and Amit Hai Cohen journey to Morocco, their grandparentsÕ native country, to discover their cultural and existential legacies. To expunge their sense of displacement, they begin their adventure by soaking in the sites and sounds of their heritage. They visit old houses where their ancestors used to live and talk to neighbors who never left. They bear witness to a reality where Jews and Muslims live side-by-side without war. Though always grappling with their dual identities, each musical encounter along the way offers Neta and Amit a chance to self-reflect and reexamine their long-term aspirations.
Back home, the band they created revisits and reimagines their common Judeo-Moroccan musical heritage and offers Israeli Jews an opportunity to learn and sing songs in Arabic. They hope that sharing their music will lead to cultural understanding and begin to heal the wounds of exile carried by their parents.
With a gorgeously rich repertory of traditional songs, Kamal HackharÕs powerful follow-up to Tinghir-Jerusalem: Echoes from the Mellah (2013) is one of this seasonÕs must-see docs.
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TRANSKIDS
Directed by Hilla Medalia Documentary Feature Israel | 2019 | 103 min Hebrew and English with English subtitles
OFFICIAL SELECTION: Miami Jewish Film Festival | Toronto Jewish Film Festival
FOR FANS OF: Coming-of-age stories; documentaries; equality; family dramas; Israel; Israeli cinema; justice for trans lives; LGBTQ cinema; religion and sexuality
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
While LGBTQ issues are more widely represented on screen and in the media today than a decade ago, the fight for equality, representation, and fair treatment for these communities is far from over. Filmed over four years, in TRANSKIDS, director Hilla Medalia (Leftover Women) follows four extraordinary teenagers, each navigating the highs and lows of transitioning. Noam was born to a religious family in the West Bank. Though his parents accepted his transition, he still feels misunderstood sometimes. Ofri, transitioning to male, had always been thought of as a ÒtomboyÓ in school. Now he looks forward to enlisting in the IDF (Israel Defense Forces). Romy, transitioning to female, is a social media influencer and aspiring model. Her father, now incarcerated, had not had the chance to see Romy before her transition. Liron, transitioning to male, determines he will extract his eggs and is currently considering enlisting in the IDF.
What is it like to grow up in a body that feels like it doesnÕt belong to you? This fascinating and informative doc explores this complex question through intimate and frank conversations with the subjects and their families. For parents and siblings of transgender youth, the film may also serve as a valuable primer on the challenges faced by their loved ones before and after making their transitions.
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Breakthrough Star: Shira Haas TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17 | 8 PM EST | Available 48 Hours Accessible to PA, NJ & DE Residents Only father refrains from disciplining his daughter. behavior. Of course, when Ariella, ridden with
Directed by Aviad Givon and Imri Matalon Narrative Feature Israel | 2018 | 104 min Hebrew with English Subtitles
FOR FANS OF: Coming-of-age dramas; fatherdaughter dramas; films about forgiveness; Israel; Israeli cinema; Shira Haas
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
It is not surprising that Shira Haas earned a Best Actress nomination for her role in BROKEN MIRRORS at the Israeli Film AcademyÕs Ophir Awards. When one of the filmÕs co-directors, Imri Matalon, was interviewed by The Jewish Journal, he admitted to auditioning over 100 actresses for the role. However, upon seeing Haas, it was clear that Shira was meant to play Ariella. Calling the young actress Òa force of nature,Ó Matalon likened working with her to Òa gift for every director.Ó
AriellaÕs father (Yiftach Klein) is not the type to let things go. An army commander who values discipline and order, his punishment for disobeying his strict code of conduct sometimes feels much harsher than necessary. daughter, a typical Israeli teen who has grown more rebellious with age. However, when she demonstrates a severe lapse in judgment and accidentally puts her motherÕs life at risk, her Considering AriellaÕs guilt for having done what she did penalty enough, he insists that she use the moment to self-reflect and change her
He is particularly hard on Ariella, his elder guilt and nearly deplete of self-worth, realizes her father does not intend to punish her, she runs off to look for ways to punish herself.
It is easy to see why a film about the importance of forgiveness has never been more relevant or why Shira had been so drawn to AriellaÕs story. The Emmy-nominated actress told journalists that the film has always stayed with her, particularly Òthe subject of how our actions and words affect the people around us.Ó As society continues to fracture and people face an evermore divided reality, BROKEN MIRRORS may reflect our current moment better than any other film in this seasonÕs lineup.
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JEWISH INTERNATIONAL SHORTS
BROKEN BIRD
Directed by Rachel Harrison Gordon | USA 2020 | 10 min | English Official Selection of the SXSW Film Festival, this handsomely filmed coming-of-age tale follows a biracial Jewish teen who contemplates inviting her distant father to her bat mitzvah.
COMMANDMENT 613
Directed by Miriam Lewin | USA | 2020 23 min | English
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
Practicing the sacred craft of Torah restoration, Rabbi Kevin Hale breathes new life into scrolls saved in Czechoslovakia during the Shoah. His exquisite scribal work has led him to work with various Jewish communities now entrusted with the scrolls, including Congregation Beth Israel in Media, PA.
KIPPA
Directed by Lukas Nathrath | Germany | 2019 25 min | German with English subtitles
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
When OskarÕs classmates find out heÕs Jewish, the once popular 15-year-old discovers who his real friends are. A stark reminder of the rise in European anti-Semitism, this powerful and timely short is based on real events.
CAREGIVER: A LOVE STORY
Directed by Kevin Gordon and Jessica Zitter USA | 2020 | 24 min | English
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
WhatÕs love got to do with it? In the case of Bambi and Rick, everything. A 59-year-old Jewish woman decides to forgo her cancer treatment to live out her final days in her home under her devoted husbandÕs care.
MUMÕS HAIRPINS
Directed by Tatyana Fedorovskaya | Germany/ Russia/Ukraine/Belarus | 2019 | 20 min | Russian with English subtitles
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
After witnessing his motherÕs murder by the Nazis, Yasha escapes his Ukrainian-Jewish shtetl with one family relic Ñ his motherÕs hairpins. With cinematography and production design evocative of Marc ChagallÕs painterly style, this hauntingly surreal short is based on a true story.
STU
Directed by Jonathan Gruber | USA | 2020 20 min | English
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
Featuring interviews with Joe Biden, Al Gore, and President Carter, this satisfying and endearing short explores the life of Stuart Eizenstat, the charismatic former White House Domestics Affair Advisor and U.S. Ambassador to the European Union.
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THOU SHALT NOT HATE
Directed by Mauro Mancini Narrative Feature Italy | 2020 | 96 min Italian with English subtitles
OFFICIAL SELECTION: Venice International Film Festival
AWARDS: Best Actor, Alessandro Gassmann and Best Italian Film at Venice International Film Festival
FOR FANS OF: Anti-fascism; films about antiSemitism; films about class struggles; Holocaust cinema; Italian cinema; Italy; thrillers
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
Simone Segre (Alessandro Gassmann) is a successful surgeon with an elegant Italian flat and no ties. Want of nothing, he lives a reasonably carefree existence, despite not having had the best relationship with his recently deceased father, a Holocaust survivor.
This changes when one day, while boating, he witnesses a terrible car accident. Once on the scene, as a doctor, his instinct is to intervene and save the victimÕs life. However, when Simone discovers a Nazi tattoo on the older manÕs chest, he cannot set aside his own prejudice. Torn between his professionÕs ethical principles and his own conscience, he ultimately leaves the man to his fate. Immediately, Simone is tormented by guilt and unable to shake his moral ambiguity. He begins an investigation into the victim and his family, eventually meeting Marica (Sara Serraiocco), his oldest daughter, Marcello (Luka Zunic), his racist teenage son, and innocent little Paolo (Lorenzo Buonora). Realizing that the family is struggling, Simone employs Marica as his housekeeper. Though genuinely wishing to lessen her financial burden, he also hopes to assuage his own remorse and ascertain whether he had made the right decision.
Set in a northeastern region of Italy with deep Jewish roots and a diverse, multi-ethnic population, this gripping, award-winning film debut by Italian director Mauro Mancini is not merely a story about racial hatred and xenophobia: it is an exploration of the human soul in all its contradictions.
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THE SIGN PAINTER
Directed by Viesturs Kairiss Narrative Feature Latvia/Czech Republic/Lithuania | 2020 | 114 min Latvian, German, Russian and Yiddish with English subtitles
FOR FANS OF: Anti-fascism; Eastern European history; family dramas; Holocaust cinema; Latvia; love triangles; romance films; WWII history
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Ansis (Davis Suharevskis) can't help but obey orders. As a sign painter in a small Latvian town in the early 1940s, even his color palette is not of his choosing, based as it is on orders from the Nazis. When not out painting the town, he spends time frolicking with Zisele (Brigita Cmuntová), a wealthy merchant's feisty Jewish daughter. Though he purports to be in love, he cannot ask for her hand in marriage due to her religion. As Nazism rises throughout Europe, tensions mount in the town. Zisele, already in a dangerous place due to anti-Semitism, decides to join the Communist party, which some neighbors consider an overt threat to the regime. Meanwhile, Ansis meets Naiga (Agnese Cirule), the charming, yet capricious new woman in town. Before realizing it, he finds himself caught up in a love triangle set against the backdrop of the Second World War.
With its stylish, vertiginous cinematography and first-rate production design, THE SIGN PAINTER is an illuminating and incisive portrait of what Eastern Europeans had endured throughout the 20th century when living under multiple governments' jurisdiction.
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SHIVA BABY
Rising Star: Rachel Sennott THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19 | 8 PM EST | Available 48 Hours Accessible to PA, NJ & DE Residents Only
Directed by Emma Seligman Narrative Feature USA | 2020 | 77 min English
OFFICIAL SELECTION: San Francisco Jewish Film Festival | Toronto International Film Festival
FOR FANS OF: Dark comedies; family comedies; female-led ensemble casts; independent cinema; Jewish humor; LGBTQ cinema; Rachel Sennott; Tahara
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
Emma SeligmanÕs sharp-witted and hilarious directorial debut will assure you never look at a shiva the same way again!
Twentysomething Danielle (GPJFF ÒRising StarÓ Rachel Sennott) is too busy keeping track of her trail of lies to check in with her old friend Maya. Fortunately, both girls will have plenty of time to catch up when they are unexpectedly reunited at a family shiva. However, with more than one unexpected reunion afoot, Danielle, who is usually well versed in keeping up appearances, is about to lose it. If only her overbearing mother and boundaryless relatives could lay off about her looking so thin, or Maya could quit quipping about her perpetual student status or inability to choose a path and stick to it. Perhaps then, Danielle would finally have time to eat a bagel or emotionally process the fact that the man she is currently sleeping with for money is talking up her parents across the hall.
Biting, tender, and unapologetically fun, we're not sure if SHIVA BABY is a refreshing palette cleanser or a full-on steamy shower. Either way, we hope this isn't the last time Seligman and Sennott pair up to make us laugh and experience loads of discomfort.
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MY ISRAELI STORY
Directed by Sharon Cohen Animation Short USA | 2020 | 5 min English
STUDENT FILMMAKERS: Sharon Cohen, Alona Dekel, Ayala Snir, Li-or Dekel. Jacob Kanner, Maya Yotam, Alon Ari Pardo, Shira Nevo, Liron Brunner, Oren Steinberger.
MY ISRAELI STORY, directed by Sharon Cohen, is a short film created by IAC Eitanim, a program for Israeli-American and Jewish-American teens. In Eitanim, students learn how to work as a team, explore challenging issues that impact Israeli and Jewish communities, and develop possible solutions.
Israeli and Jewish culture is often misrepresented in American media. The lack of cultural connection Israeli Americans and Jewish Americans experience is a major problem we face in our community. As a solution, Eitanim has created a short film that demonstrates the beauty and richness of Israel and its culture. The film is also EitanimÕs response to GPJFFÕs call for short film submissions by student filmmakers. GPJFF wanted to know more about how students relate to Israel today. Through research, students learned about IsraelÕs advances in technology, innovation, and the StateÕs impact on the world. The students used their findings to create this short film. They hope you enjoy it!
Join us after the screening on FACEBOOK LIVE for an interview with the MY ISRAELI STORY student filmmaking team!
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BREAKING BREAD
CLOSING NIGHT
Directed by Beth Elise Hawk Documentary Feature USA | 2020 | 86 min English and Hebrew with English Subtitles
OFFICIAL SELECTION: Boston Israeli Film Festival | Miami Jewish Film Festival | Other Israel Film Festival
FOR FANS OF: Arab cuisine; Arab-Jewish relations; Arabic culture; cooking; food documentaries; Haifa; Israel; Israeli cinema; Jewish cuisine; MasterChef
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE
Dr. Nof Atamna-Ismaeel was a 33-year-old microbiologist from an Arab town in Northern Israel when she won the top prize in the fourth season of IsraelÕs MasterChef. She went on to found the A-sham Food Festival, a celebration of Arab cuisine inspired by traditional dishes from the Levant food culture. Bringing together leading Jewish and Arab chefs to collaborate on tasty new interpretations of their ancestorsÕ old world recipes, this mouth-watering documentary honors the roots of Arabic and Israeli cuisines and their unique cultural heritage. With a common love of food and a mutual desire to marry history with the flavors of today, these innovative chefs demonstrate why politics and religion have no place in their kitchens.
