Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival: Fall Fest 2021 - Digital Brochure`

NEW MEDIA

PHILADELPHIA JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL FALL FEST

Special thanks to

ELAINE LINDY AND THE LINDY FAMILY for their generosity in supporting the future of Jewish storytelling at PJFM.

PJFM 41 SPONSORS PRESENTING SPONSORS Elaine Lindy

CHAI SOCIETY SPONSORS

The Lindy Family Nadine Liez-Weiner and Bart Weiner

EVENT SPONSORS

Computer Guy PC Solutions Cooper Spirits Feinstein Center For American Jewish History GoBelieve Culture Inc. National Museum of American Jewish History University of Pennsylvania Cinema and Media Studies

PLATINUM SPONSORS

Arthur and Lisa Berkowitz Phyllis and Howard Fischer Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer and Joseph Neubauer Ruth Perlmutter

DIAMOND SPONSORS

Mickey and Barbara Black Jacob Cohen and Sarah Waxman Joseph and Marie Field Fund Betsy and Steve Filton Edward and Susan Hoffman Lisa Kabnick and John McFadden Amy and Richard Oller Larry and Cindy Rappoport Harriet and Larry Weiss

GOLD SPONSORS

Susanna Lachs Adler and Dean Adler Jack and Cindy Bienenfeld Fran Freedman Blum Nancy and David Colman Harris and Debra Devor Iris Drechsler Debra Felman and David Warshal Jan Felman and Harvey Schwartz Judith Finkel Debbie and Bob Fleischman Sarita and Morris Gocial Judith and Joel Golden Libby S. Harwitz and Burton Blender Julie and Richard Jaffe Daniel and Cathy Kaufman

The Lehr Family Foundation Francyn Sacks and Gerald Escovitz Helen and Jordan Schwartz Francine Tabas Nancy and Stuart Weiss Joe Zuritsky and Renee Sackey

SILVER SPONSORS

Penni and Mark Blaskey Marcia Bronstein and Eric Salmansohn Carole Landis Foundation for Social Action Michael and Ellen Singer Coleman Djerassi Foundation Robert Gelsher Samuel and Gail Goldstein Eileen R. Heisman-Tuzman Marjorie and Jeffrey Honickman Mary and Stuart Kahn Michael and Debbie Pollack Richard and Beth Probinsky Nathan and Mary Relles Lyn M. Ross Patricia Saddier-Dana Rebecca and Ed Schulman Ellen Schwartz and Jeremy Siegel Nancy and Ben Shein Ned Weiss

BRONZE SPONSORS

Adele Aron-Greenspun Edward Brown Elaine and Jim Culbertson Deutsch Family Foundation - Jonathan Deutsch Art and Lynne Ellis Arlene Fickler Mark and Jill Fishman Independence Foundation Susan and Leonard Klehr Lynn and Bruce Robins Caro and Bob Rock Dr. Bernard Rothman and Toby Meyer Brinker, Simpson & Co., LLC – Cathy Seiler, Partner Rita D. Siegle

RUBY SPONSORS

Nona Abrams and Joan Wohl Barbara Cobert Julie Curson Ernest and Jane Dellheim Deborah Derman Elieen Dwell & Chuck Steinberg Arlene Goldman

Alan and Leslie Grodnitzky Rachel A. Gross & H.P. Baker Jan and Alan Kanoff Steve Kupietzky Ruthie Levikoff Julie Meyers Rise Newman Marcia Sachs-Littell Leslie and Richard Seitchik Jerry Silverman Sharon and Kenneth Spinrad Rabbi Lynnda and Larry Targan

YOUNG FRIEND MEMBERS Shana Caplan Irene Tenenbaum

A special thank you to: Philadelphia Cultural Fund Pennsylvania Council on the Arts

WELCOME !

41ST ANNUAL PHILADELPHIA JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL NOVEMBER 7-20, 2021 While cinema remains the organization's focus and legacy, Philadelphia Jewish Film and Media (PJFM) believes it is important to explore new and innovative ways Jewish stories are being created and shared today.

As presenter of the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival, PJFM will continue to bring Philadelphia film lovers the best in Jewish international cinema through its signature program: its two-week November Fall Fest. Back for its 41st annual season, the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival: Fall Fest will take place both in theaters and venues throughout Philadelphia and stream on-demand in your living room.

Keeping you safe throughout your festival experience is PJFM's top priority. As such, all of the festival's in-person offerings will be made available virtually on-demand, should CDC guidelines require that either the organization or a participating venue cancel a scheduled program. Keeping in mind that everyone's level of comfort with public gatherings will vary, PJFM has strived to create a first-class festival with flexibility and freedom of choice in mind. With that said, every venue has its own set of safety protocols and vaccination requirements that patrons must abide by. For more information, visit PhillyJFM.org.

THE MISSION OF PHILADELPHIA JEWISH FILM AND MEDIA (PJFM) IS TO CREATE CONNECTION AND COMMUNITY THROUGH JEWISH CINEMA AND DIGITAL STORYTELLING.

PJFM WELCOMES EVERYONE TO ENGAGE WITH JEWISH CULTURE AND VALUES THROUGH ITS EDUCATIONAL AND ENTERTAINING YEARROUND PROGRAMS.

IN-PERSON & LIVE STREAM OPPORTUNITIES NOVEMBER 7-20 OPENING NIGHT WET DOG

ONE NIGHT ONLY Sunday | November 7 | 7 PM Philadelphia Film Center Live Stream at 7 PM for PA residents

NEW MEDIA DAY BESHERT/ROMANTIC DESTINY: AN INEVITABLE EVENING OF BURLESQUE, STORYTELLING & SHORT FILMS

Sunday | November 14 | 7-9 PM Live Stream at 7 PM for worldwide audiences.

THE CONDUCTOR

THE ADVENTURES OF SAUL BELLOW

Monday | November 8 | 7 PM Philadelphia Ethical Society

Monday | November 15 | 7 PM National Museum of American Jewish History

AMERICAN BIRTHRIGHT

LONG STORY SHORTS: INSULARITY AND INCLUSION IN AMERICAN JEWISH COMMUNITIES Featuring AN UNORTHODOX EDUCATION and WE MADE MATZAH BALLS FOR THE REVOLUTION

Wednesday | November 10 | 7 PM National Museum of American Jewish History

THE SPECIALS

Thursday | November 11 | 7 PM

Ambler Theater

CENTERPIECE FILM NEIGHBORS

ONE NIGHT ONLY Saturday | November 13 | 7 PM Live Stream at 7 PM for PA, NJ & DE residents

NEW MEDIA DAY JOURNEY OF THE LOST

Theater on Film Sunday | November 14 | 1 PM Bryn Mawr Film Institute

NEW MEDIA DAY POTIONS 101: THE ENCHANTED WORLD OF EASTERN EUROPEAN BOTANICAL ELIXERS Sunday | November 14 | 6-7 PM Live Stream and Facebook Live

Wednesday | November 17 | 7 PM Philadelphia Ethical Society SIN LA HABANA

Thursday | November 18 | 7 PM Reel Cinemas Narberth 2

CLOSING NIGHT NOT GOING QUIETLY

ONE NIGHT ONLY Saturday | November 20 | 7 PM National Museum of American Jewish History Live Stream at 7 PM for PA, NJ, DE & FL residents

VIRTUAL ON-DEMAND WEEK ONE FILMS DROP NOVEMBER 7

VIRTUAL ON-DEMAND WEEK TWO NEW MEDIA DAY + FILMS DROP NOVEMBER 14

WEEK ONE films available for viewing from November 7-14 at any time for PA, NJ & DE residents:

WEEK TWO films available for viewing from November 14-20 at any time for PA, NJ & DE residents, except the following: 100 MILLION VIEWS, 200 METERS, and SIN LA HABANA are available to USA residents. All other New Media Day selections are available worldwide.

AHED’S KNEE AMERICAN BIRTHRIGHT

(Also available in-person November 10)

BETRAYED JEWISH SHORTS PROGRAM 1 KISS ME KOSHER LEAVING PARADISE THE LOST BROTHERS MURANOW THE NEW JEW

(limited TV series)

PLAN A

NEW MEDIA DAY EVENTS 100 MILLION VIEWS EXILE AND REDEMPTION: A NEO-HASIDIC ROCK OPERA Music videos and interview with director

JOURNEY OF THE LOST Theater on Film

TODAY’S STORYTELLERS ARE TOMORROW’S CHANGEMAKERS: INTERVIEW WITH LACEY SCHWARTZ DELGADO, FILMMAKER & CO-FOUNDER OF TRUTH AID FILM EVENTS 200 METERS THE ADVENTURES OF SAUL BELLOW

(Also available in-person on November 15)

AN UNORTHODOX EDUCATION | WE MADE MATZAH BALLS FOR THE REVOLUTION (Also available in-person on November 17)

JEWISH SHORTS PROGRAM 2 SHADOW COUNTRY SIN LA HABANA

(Also available in-person on November 18)

TUNE INTO THE FUTURE THE WOMEN’S BALCONY

Sneak Preview (Episodes 1 & 2)

YERUSALEM: THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF ETHIOPIAN JEWRY Screening with DREAMING OF JERUSALEM

IN-PERSON & LIVE STREAM OPPORTUNITIES

WET DOG OPENING NIGHT ONE NIGHT ONLY SUNDAY | NOVEMBER 7 | 7 PM PHILADELPHIA FILM CENTER LIVE STREAM AT 7 PM FOR PA RESIDENTS

Philadelphia Jewish Film and Media is thrilled to present the

Directed by Damir Lukacevic Narrative Feature Germany | 2021 | 103 min German with English subtitles

Jewish teenager who, upon moving to a predominantly

Official Selection: San Francisco Jewish Film Festival

leader, Husseyn, and high school crush, Selma, or losing

Philadelphia Premiere of writer/director Damir Lukacevic’s WET DOG in its 41st Annual Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival.

Based on the provocative autobiography by Arye Sharuz Shalicar, this thrilling, coming-of-age tale follows an Iranian Muslim neighborhood in Berlin, joins a street gang whose Muslim members harbor anti-Semitic beliefs. Caught between hiding his identity to save his close friendships with his gang everything to live openly as a Jew, there is one thing Soheil knows for sure: his next move will change the course of his life

BUY TICKETS

and that of his loved ones forever.

IN-PERSON & LIVE STREAM OPPORTUNITIES

THE CONDUCTOR Despite being rejected by the classical music establishment throughout her career, Marin Alsop — the world’s first female conductor — never relinquished her childhood dream. Inspired by the music of Leonard Bernstein, as early as age nine, Marin aspired to be a conductor. Born to a musical family, she studied violin, graduated from Juilliard, and soon after, established an allfemale string orchestra and swing band in New York City. All the while, Marin's passion for conducting never waned. She longed to return to Julliard to study the art of conducting but was denied admission repeatedly. Fortunately, the fact that women were actively discouraged from entering the profession did not stop her. Blazing her own path, Marin founded an orchestra and established her reputation as a major conductor in her own right.

With new doors opening, Marin earned acceptance to Tanglewood Music Center, where she excelled under the tutelage of her lifelong hero, Leonard Bernstein. In learning that she, much like Bernstein, was particularly attuned to the pressing social issues of her time, in addition to going on to conduct orchestras around the world, Marin leveraged her resources to launch OrchKids, a free, Baltimore-based after-school music program.

Thoughtfully directed by Bernadette Wegenstein, THE CONDUCTOR is a refreshing underdog story anchored by the music of the late great Leonard Bernstein.

Sponsored by Debbie and Bob Fleischman; Edward Hoffman

MONDAY | NOVEMBER 8 | 7 PM PHILADELPHIA ETHICAL SOCIETY Directed by Bernadette Wegenstein Documentary Feature USA | 2021 | 90 min English Official Selection: San Francisco Jewish Film Festival | Tribeca Film Festival Special Guest: Director Bernadette Wegenstein

BUY TICKETS

IN-PERSON & LIVE STREAM OPPORTUNITIES

AMERICAN BIRTHRIGHT WEDNESDAY | NOVEMBER 10 | 7 PM NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY

“Should I marry Jewish?” This is the question that Becky Tahel

Directed by Becky Tahel Bordo Documentary Feature USA | 2021 | 65 min English

commercial!) who never really gave the ramifications of an

Official Selection: Miami Jewish Film Festival | San Francisco Jewish Film Festival

inspires Becky to probe deeper into her Jewish identity and

Special Guest: Director Becky Tahel Bordo

Land to “edJEWcate” herself and re-examine her relationship

Bordo ponders when her younger sister marries outside of her faith. Born in Israel and raised in the US, Becky is a writer, actress, and filmmaker (you may have seen her in that JDate interfaith marriage much thought while growing up.

However, her sister’s election of a non-Jewish partner — an act some Jewish households still consider taboo today — explore the reasons for her initial ambiguity. With a suitcase and camera in hand, Becky embarks on a trip to the Holy with Torah. In creating her own “birthright” trip, Becky’s spiritual journey enlightens and helps her further embrace

BUY TICKETS

her Jewishness.

With universal appeal and a Philly connection to boot, this light-hearted and intimate doc will resonate with anyone who’s ever struggled with their sense of identity and purpose.

IN-PERSON & LIVE STREAM OPPORTUNITIES

THE SPECIALS From the directors of France’s box office smash, The Intouchables (2011), THE SPECIALS is another heartfelt dramedy about the power of empathy and compassion.

Bruno and Malik are best friends who share a common goal of assisting children and young adults on the autism spectrum.

Bruno is an observant Jew who manages a shelter in Paris for individuals turned away from other institutions. Malik is a Muslim who trains volatile teenagers to be their caregivers.

Both in need of more support for their respective institutions, the friends join forces and pool their resources to help these children navigate their lives and survive in a volatile,

Directed by Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano Narrative Feature France/Belgium | 2019 | 114 min French with English subtitles Official Selection: Cannes Film Festival | Jerusalem Jewish Film Festival | San Sebastián International Film Festival | Toronto Jewish Film Festival Awards: City of Donostia Audience Award, San Sebastián International Film Festival

unpredictable world.

Nominated for nine Cesar Awards and chosen as the Closing Night Film at the Cannes Film Festival, this highly anticipated audience pleaser stars veteran actors Vincent Cassel (Black Swan, Eastern Promises) and Reda Kateb (A Prophet) and is inspired by a true story.

Sponsored by Elaine Lindy; Larry and Cindy Rappoport

BUY TICKETS

NEIGHBORS CENTERPIECE FILM ONE NIGHT ONLY SATURDAY | NOVEMBER 13 | 7 PM LIVE STREAM AT 7 PM FOR PA, NJ & DE RESIDENTS

Set in the 1980s in a small Kurdish village in northeastern Syria,

Directed by Mano Khalil Narrative Feature Switzerland | 2021 | 124 min Kurdish with English subtitles

simultaneously offer a slice of life we would otherwise never know.

Official Selection: San Francisco Jewish Film Festival

Arab Ba’ath Party nationalism. While some of his classmates come

Mano Khalil's masterful film comes to life through the eyes of its endearing young hero, Sero. Sero's vivid recollections of childhood transport us to familiar terrain: the living room of our family home, a first-grade classroom, a dirt road we once played on as kids, and

Determined to eliminate all remnants of Kurdish cultural identity in his students, Sero’s new grade schoolteacher instills the tenets of to embrace their teacher’s enthusiasm for fascist ideology, Sero continues to dream of better ways to spend his time. He would

BUY TICKETS

much sooner watch his favorite cartoons or spend time with his uncle helping his Jewish neighbors on the Sabbath. While life at school grows increasingly intolerable for Sero, nothing could prepare him for the pain he would soon endure at the hands of a Turkish border guard’s stray bullet.

With stunning cinematography, a heartrending screenplay, and exceptional performances by a cast of professional and nonprofessional actors, NEIGHBORS is sure to be among this season’s most beloved festival offerings.

IN-PERSON & LIVE STREAM OPPORTUNITIES

NEW MEDIA DAY

JOURNEY OF THE LOST In 1939, nearly a thousand German Jewish refugees boarded the MS St. Louis in Hamburg, Germany, pursuing sanctuary in Cuba. Desperate to escape the atrocities of their homeland, most passengers gave up everything they had to finance the arduous journey, only to be barred entry upon reaching Havana. For the next 30 days, the MS St. Louis endeavored refuge along every shore in the Americas but was refused by all.

With superb performances and stellar direction, this expertly filmed stage adaptation of Daniel Kehlmann’s German play, Die Reise der Verlorenen, delivers a riveting reprisal of the events

THEATER ON FILM SUNDAY | NOVEMBER 14 | 1 PM BRYN MAWR FILM INSTITUTE Directed by Janusz Kica Live Theater on Film Germany | 2020 | 109 min German with English subtitles Official Selection: Miami Jewish Film Festival

portrayed in the 1976 film, Voyage of the Damned.

BUY TICKETS

IN-PERSON & LIVE STREAM OPPORTUNITIES

NEW MEDIA DAY

POTIONS 101: THE ENCHANTED WORLD OF EASTERN EUROPEAN BOTANICAL ELIXIRS SUNDAY | NOVEMBER 14 | 6-7 PM LIVE STREAM AND FACEBOOK LIVE BUY TICKETS

Inside this Harry Potteresque "happier hour," Rebecca Antsis, Founder of Elixirology, takes viewers on a wild, rollicking ride through the fascinating and sometimes kooky world of Eastern European Folk medicines. Rebecca blends familial anecdotes and forgotten ancestral wisdom with her unique brand of Russian-Jewish humor, making her cocktail hour and mixology workshop a fun way to connect to Jewish culture and heritage.

In helping participants craft their own authentic Eastern European potions, she reimagines old-world botanical elixirs for modern tastebuds. *There is no cost to view Rebecca's presentation. However, to fully participate in this immersive experience, you may consider prepurchasing an Herbal Mixology Toolkit by October 15th (available to USA residents only) to assure delivery in time for the festival. All orders will be shipped ground. You may expedite your order for an additional fee.

IN-PERSON & LIVE STREAM OPPORTUNITIES

NEW MEDIA DAY

BESHERT/ROMANTIC DESTINY: AN INEVITABLE EVENING OF BURLESQUE, STORYTELLING & SHORT FILMS The Jewish concept of beshert usually refers to the idea that each of us has a “soulmate” or an “other half” we were destined for. In fact, the literal translation of beshert from Yiddish means “destiny.” Do you believe in destiny? Are you convinced that we are preordained to meet the people that we meet, love the people that we love, and live the life that we are living? If so, how does the concept of beshert reconcile with our notion of free will? Or, for the religious among us, how does free will cohabitate with divine providence — the idea that God watches over us, guides us, and even interferes with our affairs?

Philadelphia Jewish Film and Media and Roxie Roz invite you to explore these ideas (and all their contradictions) in an inevitably fun evening of burlesque performance, storytelling, and cinema.

SUNDAY | NOVEMBER 14 | 7-9 PM LIVE STREAM AT 7 PM FOR WORLDWIDE AUDIENCES. BUY TICKETS

IN-PERSON & LIVE STREAM OPPORTUNITIES

THE ADVENTURES OF SAUL BELLOW MONDAY | NOVEMBER 15 | 7 PM NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY

The first major documentary on the celebrated Jewish American

Directed by Asaf Galay Documentary Feature USA | 2021 | 85 min English

Asaf Galay delves into Bellow's legendary life and career, using

Official Selection: Hot Docs | San Francisco Jewish Film Festival | Toronto Jewish Film Festival

immigrant experience, Galay weaves together excerpts from

writer, Saul Bellow, is also a finalist for the Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film. Tracing the iconic author's influence on American literature, director and PJFF alumnus his major works as both territory and map for how the author related to the most critical issues of his time. Exploring Bellow's approach to race, gender, and the Jewish American post-war Bellow's novels and the recollections and observations of his contemporaries. Featuring interviews with the late great Philip Roth, Salman Rushdie, and Martin Amis, THE ADVENTURES OF SAUL BELLOW is a must-see doc for Bellow fans and a

BUY TICKETS

comprehensive primer for newbies interested in learning more about Bellow and his contributions to the 20th-century American Jewish literary canon.

IN-PERSON & LIVE STREAM OPPORTUNITIES

LONG STORY SHORTS: INSULARITY AND INCLUSION IN AMERICAN JEWISH COMMUNITIES Featuring AN UNORTHODOX EDUCATION and WE MADE MATZAH BALLS FOR THE REVOLUTION WEDNESDAY | NOVEMBER 17 | 7 PM | PHILADELPHIA ETHICAL SOCIETY

AN UNORTHODOX EDUCATION In ultra-Orthodox Brooklyn, thousands of children are educated at religious yeshivas.

While receiving comprehensive understanding of religious texts like the Torah and Talmud, they continue to be denied the fundamental education required to succeed outside of their communities.

Directed by Joe Kolman Documentary Short USA | 2021 | 41 min English

WE MADE MATZAH BALLS FOR THE REVOLUTION This nostalgic trip down memory lane explores the history of the Kosher Kitchen, a charming, “anti-profit” restaurant created by a group of Jewish students in 1975.

Directed by Kellie Welborn Documentary Short | USA | 2021 39 min | English

BUY TICKETS BUY TICKETS

IN-PERSON & LIVE STREAM OPPORTUNITIES

SIN LA HABANA THURSDAY | NOVEMBER 18 | 7 PM REEL CINEMAS NARBERTH 2 Directed by Kaveh Nabatian Narrative Feature Canada | 2021 | 95 min Spanish, Farsi and English with English subtitles Official Selection: Miami Film Festival | San Francisco Jewish Film Festival | Washington Jewish Film Festival

BUY TICKETS

Leonardo, an aspiring ballet dancer, lives with his girlfriend, Sara, in an impoverished but lively section of Havana, Cuba.

Drowning in financial woes, Sara sees a lifeboat in Nasim, an attractive Canadian Iranian-Jewish tourist in Leonardo’s salsa class. Convincing Leonardo that Nasim is their ticket to a better life outside of Cuba, Sara spends lonely evenings at home, while her lover seduces another woman at her bequest. Just as Sara envisions, it is not long before Nasim invites Leonardo to live with her in Montreal. Despite his bouts of doubt and homesickness, not to mention the hardships and racism Leonardo encounters in his new home, Leonardo is resolute to do whatever it takes to reunite with the love of his life. Their scheme, however, goes awry when Nasim, still recovering from her divorce, begins to suspect her new boyfriend isn’t who he appears to be.

Hypnotically filmed and sexy from start to finish, it’s hard to take your eyes off SIN LA HABANA or keep from considering the conditions that originally lead Leonardo and Sara's lives to intersect in this entertaining and substantive immigration drama.

NOT GOING QUIETLY CLOSING NIGHT Ady Barkan had his whole life ahead of him. A rising star in political organizing and a new father, life was good. Then came the diagnosis: ALS, a life-threatening disease that would ultimately paralyze Ady's entire body. He knew he had every right to feel despair. The diagnosis felt like a death sentence. He also knew that he had to make a choice.

Returning to his activist roots, Ady vows to fight for healthcare justice so that folks like him, folks that rely on government-sponsored healthcare programs, have the means to survive.

After a chance encounter with a powerful senator is caught on video and goes viral, Ady suddenly finds himself with a platform.

Capitalizing on his newfound celebrity, he launches the "Be a Hero" campaign. With support from a talented cohort of young activists, Ady travels the country and builds his people-powered healthcare movement from the ground up. Though Ady's voice eventually fades, his message remains clear: he's not going quietly. Not until every person has the right to affordable healthcare. Not until he can leave this world a better place for his son to inherit.

This impactful documentary, brimming with inspiration, took home the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature at SXSW 2021.

ONE NIGHT ONLY SATURDAY | NOVEMBER 20 | 7 PM NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY LIVE STREAM AT 7 PM FOR PA, NJ, DE & FL RESIDENTS Directed by Nicholas Bruckman Documentary Feature USA | 2021 | 96 min English Official Selection: Boston Jewish Film Festival | San Francisco Jewish Film Festival | SXSW Film Festival | Tribeca Film Festival Awards: Audience Award and Special Jury Prize for Documentary Feature, SXSW Film Festival

BUY TICKETS

VIRTUAL ON-DEMAND | WEEK ONE

AHED’S KNEE Directed by Nadav Lapid Narrative Feature France/Israel/Germany 2021 | 109 min Hebrew with English subtitles Official Selection: Cannes Film Festival | Karlovy Vary International Film Festival | New York Film Festival | Toronto International Film Festival Awards: Jury Prize, Cannes Film Festival

Winner of the Jury Prize at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival and selected as a Special Presentation of the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival, Nadav Lapid's latest film cements the celebrated filmmaker's reputation as one of Israeli cinema's most thought-provoking provocateurs.

An acclaimed, controversial director named Y is casting his new project: a video piece called The Knee of Ahed Tamini (a response to a viral video of a Palestinian girl confronting IDF soldiers after the shooting of her cousin, and the subsequent tweet shared by an outraged far-right politician). He's also accepted an invitation to screen and discuss his previous film at a small library in the

BUY TICKETS

Arava desert. During the flight, Y asks the pilot permission to shoot the landscape from the cockpit window. His video messages to his cancer-ridden mother, his long-time creative collaborator, are made up of little moments like this from his trip.

Upon landing in the Arava valley, the young woman who set up the screening greets Y and drives him to his hotel. In getting to know Yahalom, Y learns that she is both an avid fan of his film catalog and the prevailing Deputy Director of the Division of Public Libraries at the Ministry of Culture — the Israeli government agency in control of what art sees the light of day in the homeland. Required to sign a document designed to suppress any conversation during the event that could potentially paint the country in an unfavorable light, Y responds to Yahalom's preemptive gesture, the only way he knows how — through the lens of his own experience.

VIRTUAL ON-DEMAND | WEEK ONE

AMERICAN BIRTHRIGHT (Also available in-person November 10)

“Should I marry Jewish?” This is the question that Becky Tahel Bordo ponders when her younger sister marries outside of her faith. Born in Israel and raised in the US, Becky is a writer, actress, and filmmaker (you may have seen her in that JDate commercial!) who never really gave the ramifications of an interfaith marriage much thought while growing up. However, her sister’s election of a non-Jewish partner — an act some Jewish households still consider taboo today — inspires Becky to probe deeper into her Jewish identity and explore the

Directed by Becky Tahel Bordo Documentary Feature USA | 2021 | 65 min English Official Selection: Miami Jewish Film Festival | San Francisco Jewish Film Festival Special Guest: Director Becky Tahel Bordo

reasons for her initial ambiguity. With a suitcase and camera in hand, Becky embarks on a trip to the Holy Land to “edJEWcate” herself and re-examine her relationship with Torah. In creating her own “birthright” trip, Becky’s spiritual journey enlightens and helps her further embrace her Jewishness.

With universal appeal and a Philly connection to boot, this lighthearted and intimate doc will resonate with anyone who’s ever struggled with their sense of identity and purpose.

BUY TICKETS

VIRTUAL ON-DEMAND | WEEK ONE

Directed by Eirik Svensson Narrative Feature Norway | 2020 | 126 min Norwegian with English subtitles Official Selection: UK Jewish Film Festival

BETRAYED

Based on Norwegian journalist and author Marte Michelet's controversial 2015 book, What Did the Resistance Know? — BETRAYED drew large crowds in Norway cinemas early this year. Despite a national narrative denying that Norway had any knowledge of the fate of its Jewish citizenship, it turns out that it was not the Germans who had rounded up and arrested the Jews of Norway. It had been the Norwegian

BUY TICKETS

police, supported by citizens who did not mind turning a blind eye, that made the deportation of over 5,000 Norwegian Jews to Auschwitz possible.

Charles’ mother and father, Sara and Benzel, left their Lithuanian home for Norway to escape persecution and build a better life for their children. Despite the family's meager beginnings, the Braudes were happy. Charles had achieved fame as a boxer and recently wed his beloved, Ragnhild.

Though we already know what's likely in store for the Braudes, the real heartache in this high-stakes family drama is witnessing how quickly it all fell apart. Both a history lesson and cautionary tale, this highly anticipated addition to Norway’s Holocaust cinema canon is as urgent today as ever.

JEWISH SHORTS PROGRAM 1 MAZEL TOV COCKTAIL

VIRTUAL ON-DEMAND WEEK ONE

Directed by Arkadij Khaet and Mickey Paatzsch Narrative Short | Germany | 2020 30 min | German, Russian and Hebrew with English subtitles

LEGACY

Directed by Jenö Hodi Narrative Short | Hungary | 2020 | 24 min | Hungarian with English subtitles

CINEMA REX

Directed by Mayan Engelman and Eliran Peled Animation Short | Israel | 2020 | 9 min | English, Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles

Tense and shot in brilliant black-andwhite, this gripping thriller highlights the courage of one affluent Hungarian woman in war-torn 1944 Budapest as she hides Jewish children in her home.

This beautiful homage to cinema follows two children, an Israeli boy and an Arab girl, who become friends at their local theater.

HIGH SCORE

Directed by Ethan Itzkow and Serena Ryen Narrative Short | USA | 2020 16 min | English and Spanish with English subtitles

MISS.

Directed by Ella Marks and Yael Roth Narrative Short | UK | 2021 | 12 min English

WHITE EYE

Directed by Tomer Shushan Narrative Short | Israel | 2019 |20 min Hebrew with English subtitles On a busy night in Tel Aviv, a misunderstanding over a “stolen” bicycle places an Ethiopian restaurant worker’s future in jeopardy. This extraordinary, humanistic drama was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short.

What does it mean to be a Jew in 21st century Europe? Irreverent and self-referential, this dark comedy follows the insane day-in-alife of a Russian-Jewish teenager living in Berlin.

A young London woman has her life thrown for a loop when she discovers her roommate is entering a beauty pageant...dedicated to one of history’s most loathsome men. Based on true events

After getting fired from his job for offensive behavior, a young man’s growing obsession with white supremacy takes a terrifying turn.

BUY TICKETS

VIRTUAL ON-DEMAND | WEEK ONE

KISS ME KOSHER Directed by Shirel Peleg Narrative Feature Germany/Israel | 2020 | 101 min English, German, Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles Official Selection: Atlanta Jewish Film Festival | Miami Jewish Film Festival | Toronto Jewish Film Festival

BUY TICKETS

Moran Rosenblatt (Wedding Doll, Fauda) stars in this delightfully subversive Israeli romcom about the highs and lows of cross-cultural love and the limits of forgiveness.

Serial dater no more, Shira believes she has finally found "the one." Even her incredulous grandmother is happy for her.

That is until she learns "Maria" is German and has serious plans for her granddaughter. With news of an engagement that neither of the women’s families saw coming, chaos engulfs the young lovers' lives from both sides of the proverbial aisle. While Shira's grandmother, who is secretly dating a Palestinian man, rejects Maria because of her nationality, Maria's parents are terrified to set foot across the Israeli border.

With an equal serving of screwball laughs and biting humor, KISS ME KOSHER is a fun, modern exploration of that age-old question: s love ever enough?

VIRTUAL ON-DEMAND | WEEK ONE

LEAVING PARADISE Cleo had always wanted to leave the big city and live on a large farm with his family. After years of saving and planning, he is finally able to pursue his dream and transition his wife and fifteen children to communal living in Brazil's great outdoors.

In establishing the family farm, the Barolo family grows closer than ever. They form a deep and powerful bond in working, cooking, studying, and playing music together. Everything appears to be working according to plan until Cleo's daughter returns from studying in Israel and delves into her family's

Directed by Ofer Freiman Documentary Feature Israel | 2020 | 90 min English, Portuguese and Hebrew with English subtitles Official Selection: Haifa International Film Festival Awards: Best Documentary Film, Haifa International Film Festival

roots. In researching the Baralo family tree, she discovers her family's Jewish heritage, the news of which sets her and her siblings' imaginations aflame with a burning desire to immigrate to Israel and convert to Judaism!

Will the children's pursuit of their destiny undermine the utopian paradise Cleo worked so hard to build? How can a father deny his children their dream after they've sacrificed much of their own childhood so that he could realize his? At its heart, LEAVING PARADISE is a fascinating portrait of a family at a crossroads. Wrestling with philosophical questions of ethics and morality, the roads not chosen here are just as critical to the path forward as those that are path forward as those that are.

BUY TICKETS

VIRTUAL ON-DEMAND | WEEK ONE

THE LOST BROTHERS Directed by Moriel Levi Fradis Documentary Feature Israel | 2019 | 57 min Hebrew, Polish and English with English subtitles

BUY TICKETS

What would you do if, at age 72, you find out you have a brother who had been searching for you for the past 70 years?

So is the fate of Arie Perel, who not only discovers that he has two Polish siblings but that his mother and father were not his biological parents. Reunited with his brother, Adam, in Warsaw only three months after first hearing of his existence, Arie learns that his older brother's life was devastated by agony and loneliness. In one of the most heartfelt, profound reunions ever caught on film, Arie listens to Adam as he shares the tragic events that marked his childhood, adolescence, and adult life after their parents got murdered. Knowing that after all his brother had been through, what Adam needed most was a chance to be heard and his trauma validated, Arie listened without expecting anything in return. Adam also confided to Arie that his health was failing, and it was unclear how much longer he had to live. Realizing that this would likely be the last opportunity the siblings would have to break bread together, exchange stories, or look one another in the eye, Arie takes care to make the reunion possible despite Adam's reluctance to communicate with their sister again.

With its fair share of unexpected twists and turns, THE LOST BROTHERS is a heart-pounding meditation on the fragility of life, grief, and gratitude — a bittersweet reminder of the importance of family at the end of one's path.

VIRTUAL ON-DEMAND | WEEK ONE

MURANOW Do you believe in ghosts? You may find yourself contemplating this question after watching this riveting new doc from PJFF alumnus Chen Shelach. An exploration of the once flourishing hub of Jewish life and culture that was Muranow, the popular Warsaw neighborhood was transformed into the “Warsaw Ghetto” during the war and was the last place Jews resided before being deported to the Treblinka death camps. Rebuilt

Directed by Chen Shelach Documentary Feature Israel | 2020 | 70 min English, Hebrew and Polish with English subtitles Official Selection: Jerusalem Film Festival | Toronto Jewish Film Festival

over the rubble of its destruction after the war, this graveyard of broken Jewish bones and relics was mixed into the cement cinderblocks that paved the way for the green and spacious Muranow neighborhood thousands of Poles call home today.

However, according to some of Muranow’s current inhabitants, the dust has yet to settle. Poland’s dark past looms in the corners of rooms and hallways, haunting the apartments formerly belonging to Jewish families – entire families who perished during the Holocaust. Many of Muranow’s residents believe that Jewish apparitions reside in their neighborhood, wandering the streets where they once lived. Other residents believe that these spirits serve as metaphors for the Jewish men, women, and children buried beneath the ground.

BUY TICKETS

VIRTUAL ON-DEMAND | WEEK ONE

THE NEW JEW Directed by Daniel Adar Limited Documentary Series Israel | 2021 | 45 min 4 Episodes English and Hebrew with English subtitles

Before Guri Alfi, one of Israel's most popular comedic actors and TV personalities, moved to the United States in 2018 with his family, he did not realize how distinctive American and Israeli Judaism were. He found that being Jewish in America meant different things to different people, and these disparities fascinated him. Eager to learn more, Guri travels

BUY TICKETS

across America and discovers "a Judaism" that is pluralistic, multi-cultural, and packed with promise. In meeting with female rabbis, observing the Sabbath in the most unlikely places, and hearing the perspectives of recent converts and young Jews of color, Guri introduces the Holy Land to what he calls the "New Jew" (the series was originally made for Israeli TV).

Fast-paced, hilarious, and deeply insightful, THE NEW JEW is a spirited and ultimately hopeful journey through modern American Jewry – warts and all.

Sponsored by Betsy Filton

VIRTUAL ON-DEMAND | WEEK ONE

PLAN A The war is over, and Max, a former Buchanwald inmate, is devastated to learn that his whole family perished in the camps. Now residing in a British refugee camp, he soon joins a group of Jewish soldiers with one objective in mind: eradicate any German officer hiding in plain sight. More vindictive than he first realized, Max eventually finds another clandestine

Directed by Doron Paz and Yoav Paz Narrative Feature Germany/Israel | 2021 | 109 min English Official Selection: San Francisco Jewish Film Festival

group of survivors, the Nakam, with even deadlier plans to annihilate entire German towns as vengeance for the six million murdered Jews.

Starring August Diehl (Inglourious Basterds) and Michael Aloni (Shtisel), this gripping true story of unbridled revenge examines a centuries-old philosophical quandary: can the pursuit of justice justify amorality?

BUY TICKETS

VIRTUAL ON-DEMAND | WEEK TWO | NEW MEDIA DAY Directed by Itamar Rose Documentary Feature Israel/Germany | 2019 | 54 min Hebrew and English with English subtitles

BUY TICKETS

100 MILLION VIEWS This amusing and illuminating documentary by Itamar Rose follows the Israeli comedian/activist/YouTuber around the world in his quest to uncover the secret to “going viral” and becoming a YouTube sensation. In his trademark satirical style, Rose interviews international YouTube legends of yore and reveals deep truths about the global video-sharing platform and its far-reaching impact on culture and society.

Directed by Aryeh Shalom Musical Feature USA | 2021 | 52 min English

BUY TICKETS

EXILE AND REDEMPTION: A NEO-HASIDIC ROCK OPERA Philadelphia-based musician Aryeh Shalom's EXILE AND REDEMPTION: A NEO-HASIDIC ROCK OPERA is a mystical tale of divine providence, shattered dreams, and resilient transformation, drawing from Hasidic legend and refracted through the lens of one family's existential struggle and triumph of spirit. Aryeh’s twelve musical short films, which he wrote, directed, and scored, invite viewers on a symphonic journey exploring the mysteries of Judaism and the meaning of life.

VIRTUAL-ON DEMAND | WEEK TWO | NEW MEDIA DAY

JOURNEY OF THE LOST Theater on Film (Also available in-person November 14)

In 1939, nearly a thousand German Jewish refugees boarded the MS St. Louis in Hamburg, Germany, pursuing sanctuary in Cuba. Desperate to escape the atrocities of their homeland, most passengers gave up everything they had to finance the arduous journey, only to be barred entry upon reaching Havana. For the next 30 days, the MS St. Louis endeavored refuge along every shore in the Americas but was refused by all.

With superb performances and stellar direction, this expertly filmed stage adaptation of Daniel Kehlmann’s German play, Die Reise der Verlorenen, delivers a riveting reprisal of the events portrayed in the 1976 film, Voyage of the Damned.

TODAY’S STORYTELLERS ARE TOMORROW’S CHANGEMAKERS: INTERVIEW WITH LACEY SCHWARTZ DELGADO, FILMMAKER & CO-FOUNDER OF TRUTH AID In 2014, Lacey Schwartz Delgado (then Lacey Schwartz)

Directed by Janusz Kica Live Theater on Film Germany | 2020 | 109 min German with English subtitles Official Selection: Miami Jewish Film Festival

BUY TICKETS

presented the Philadelphia Premiere of her critically acclaimed documentary feature, Little White Lie, as part of the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival. While exploring a personal family secret, Lacey discovered the identity of her biological father. She quickly understood why her skin had always appeared darker than that of her friends growing up — it was darker. Lacey discovered she was both Black and Jewish.

The realization of Lacey's dual identity changed her life, making the personal political and the political personal. Today, Lacey is an award-winning producer, writer, director, and outreach strategist who draws on her interdisciplinary background to create compelling stories that span documentary and fiction. As the co-founder of the production company Truth Aid, Lacey produces inspiring and empowering multi-media content to affect social change in communities worldwide. In this exclusive interview, PJFM sits down with Lacey — screen-to-screen — to discuss the impact of her past and current projects — precisely how she uses storytelling to affect positive change in society and empower others to do so the same.

BUY TICKETS

VIRTUAL ON-DEMAND | WEEK TWO

200 METERS Directed by Ameen Nayfeh Narrative Feature Palestine/Jordan/Qatar/Italy/ Sweden | 2020 | 96 min Arabic, Hebrew and English with English subtitles Official Selection: Atlanta Jewish Film Festival | Berlin International Film Festival | San Francisco Jewish Film Festival

Mustafa lives in the West Bank, near the city of Tulkarem. His family lives 200 meters away on the Israeli side of the border wall. Expressing his love to his wife and children with a flicker of a flashlight each evening, Mustafa hopes the simple gesture will bring his family some joy and a sense of connection in the darkness of night. Though he knows that applying for an Israeli ID would allow him to travel home more freely, it would also, by Mustafa's logic, condone the legitimization of unfair policies. By his wife's logic? Well, for the parent taking on the brunt of parenting while still working

BUY TICKETS

two jobs, it's a bit more complicated.

One day, Mustafa receives a call that his son has been badly injured in an accident. He instantly tries to cross the Israeli checkpoint, but is kept back due to a technicality. Out of options, Mustafa reluctantly employs a contract smuggler to get him past the checkpoint under the radar. It turns out he isn’t the only one in a bind. Joining him for the ride are a teenage boy desperately in need of work and a Palestinian man and his German filmmaker girlfriend endeavoring to get to a family wedding; no one remotely aware of just how dangerous the journey they've signed up for truly is. With its powerful performances and taut, understated direction, 200 METERS is a unique genre-blending thriller you won't soon forget.

VIRTUAL ON-DEMAND | WEEK TWO

THE ADVENTURES OF SAUL BELLOW (Also available in-person on November 15)

The first major documentary on the celebrated Jewish American writer, Saul Bellow, is also a finalist for the Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film. Tracing the iconic author's influence on American literature, director and PJFF alumnus Asaf Galay delves into Bellow's legendary life and career, using his major works as both territory and map for how the author related to the most critical issues of his time.

Exploring Bellow's approach to race, gender, and the Jewish American post-war immigrant experience, Galay weaves together excerpts from Bellow's novels and the recollections and observations of his contemporaries. Featuring interviews with the late great Philip Roth, Salman Rushdie, and Martin Amis, THE ADVENTURES OF SAUL BELLOW is a must-see doc for Bellow fans and a comprehensive primer for newbies interested in learning more about Bellow and his contributions to the 20th-century American Jewish literary canon.

Directed by Asaf Galay Documentary Feature USA | 2021 | 85 min English Official Selection: Hot Docs | San Francisco Jewish Film Festival | Toronto Jewish Film Festival

BUY TICKETS

VIRTUAL ON-DEMAND | WEEK TWO

AN UNORTHODOX EDUCATION | WE MADE MATZAH BALLS FOR THE REVOLUTION (Also available in-person on November 17)

AN UNORTHODOX EDUCATION In ultra-Orthodox Brooklyn, thousands of children are educated at religious yeshivas.

While receiving comprehensive understanding of religious texts like the Torah and Talmud, they continue to be denied the fundamental education required to succeed outside of their communities.

Directed by Joe Kolman Documentary Short USA | 2021 | 41 min English

WE MADE MATZAH BALLS FOR THE REVOLUTION This nostalgic trip down memory lane explores the history of the Kosher Kitchen, a charming, “antiprofit” restaurant created by a group of Jewish students in 1975.

Directed by Kellie Welborn Documentary Short | USA | 2021 39 min | English

BUY TICKETS

JEWISH SHORTS PROGRAM 2 VIRTUAL ON DEMAND WEEK TWO

A FRIENDLY MAN

Directed by Lukasz Konopa Documentary Short | Israel/Poland 2019 | 22 min | Arabic, English, German and Hebrew with English subtitles

CHAZAK: THE STORY OF YUDI DUKES

Directed by Andrew Leibman Documentary Short | USA | 2021 13 min | English

An eccentric tour guide in Jerusalem talks about his wild past, from not being accepted by his peers as a child to becoming one of the Israeli State’s biggest cocaine dealers.

SUSAM

Directed by Sami Morhayim Narrative Short | Turkey | 2021 | 18 min Turkish with English subtitles The Sabbath’s strict rulings interfere with a Turkish-Jewish family in unexpectedly comical ways as their son refuses to leave his room for his bar mitzvah.

Despite a life-threatening battle with COVID-19, Rabbi Yudi Dukes continues to follow his faith and engage in Tikkun Olam (repairing the world).

A HEAD SHORTER

Directed by Sasha Bortnik Animation Short | USA | 2019 | 23 min English

THE MOHEL

Directed by Charles Wahl Narrative Short | Canada | 2021 | 14 min | English A young couple hire an out-of-town mohel to perform their son’s circumcision and learn a valuable lesson. Official Selection of the SXSW Film Festival.

With remarkable twists and turns, this engrossing true story is like no other.

Holocaust survivor Naftali Deutsch animates his tumultuous early life, imprisoned in multiple concentration camps.

BUY TICKETS

SPACE TORAH

Directed by Rob Cooper Documentary Short | USA | 2021 | 24 min | English This inspiring, true story takes us aboard Space Shuttle Columbia to outer space where NASA astronaut Dr. Jeff Hoffman brings along his Torah scroll and recites from the Book of Genesis to the literal universe.

VIRTUAL ON-DEMAND | WEEK TWO

SHADOW COUNTRY Directed by Bohdan Sláman Narrative Feature Czech Republic/Slovakia 2020 | 135 min Czech with English subtitles

Calling to mind arthouse gems like The White Ribbon, Sátántangó, and most recently, The Painted Bird, Bohdan Sláma's SHADOW COUNTRY is the latest historical drama to peer fearlessly into the annals of the human psyche and reveal larger truths about our world today.

BUY TICKETS

Welcome to Shadow Country — a small village on the CzechGerman border that, during the Nazi occupation, saw its Czech, German, and Jewish citizenry turn into pawns for political aggression. With a vulnerable Czech locale willing to pledge loyalty to the Reich in exchange for farming subsidies, it would not take long for the Jews of Schwarzwald to be betrayed by their neighbors. Cut to after the war — after the Jews and their allies had long been round-up and sent off to concentration camps. One survivor of the camps, Josef, a Czech formerly married to a Jew before the war, returns home, shocked to find that the resistance had sworn allegiance to the Soviets. With nowhere to hide and no one to trust, in Schwarzwald, the hunters had suddenly become the hunted. Even those who had committed no war crimes, who weren't collaborators but who had turned a blind eye to the horror, were at risk of reprisal.

Developed over 14 years and based on actual events, SHADOW COUNTRY is one of this season's most highly anticipated Holocaust films.

VIRTUAL ON-DEMAND | WEEK TWO

TUNE INTO THE FUTURE The fascinating life story of Hugo Gernsback, otherwise known as the "inventor of science-fiction" and "the most influential nerd you never heard of," is this season's must-see doc for sci-fi and pop-culture fans alike.

In addition to laying the groundwork for iconic sci-fi brands

Directed by Eric Schockmel Documentary Feature Luxembourg | 2020 | 80 min English

Official Selection: Miami Jewish Film Festival

such as Superman and Star Wars, it turns out that Gernsback is the man to thank for America's decades-long love affair with UFOs. Of course, Gernsback's influence transcends time and geographic locale. The Luxembourg-born, self-taught scientist also foresaw the advent of Skype, jetpacks, space mining, and drones. With friends like Thomas Edison and Nicholai Tesla, not to mention the more than 80 patents accumulated over his lifetime, you'd think Gernsback would hardly have the time to pursue similarly ambitious ventures.

But after settling in New York in 1904, Gernsback switched gears and took the publishing world by storm with the magazine, Modern Electrics, one of the first periodicals dedicated to popularizing science. In the next thirty years, this self-made entrepreneur would go on to publish Amazing Stories, Science Wonder Stories, and Superworld Comics, establishing the world's first community of sci-fi authors and fans.

BUY TICKETS

VIRTUAL ON-DEMAND | WEEK TWO

SIN LA HABANA

(Also available in-person November 18) Directed by Kaveh Nabatian Narrative Feature Canada | 2021 | 95 min Spanish, Farsi and English with English subtitles Official Selection: Miami Film Festival | San Francisco Jewish Film Festival | Washington Jewish Film Festival

Leonardo, an aspiring ballet dancer, lives with his girlfriend, Sara, in an impoverished but lively section of Havana, Cuba.

Drowning in financial woes, Sara sees a lifeboat in Nasim, an attractive Canadian Iranian-Jewish tourist in Leonardo’s salsa class. Convincing Leonardo that Nasim is their ticket to a better life outside of Cuba, Sara spends lonely evenings at home, while her lover seduces another woman at her bequest.

Just as Sara envisions, it is not long before Nasim invites Leonardo to live with her in Montreal. Despite his bouts of

BUY TICKETS

doubt and homesickness, not to mention the hardships and racism Leonardo encounters in his new home, Leonardo is resolute to do whatever it takes to reunite with the love of his life. Their scheme, however, goes awry when Nasim, still recovering from her divorce, begins to suspect her new boyfriend isn’t who he appears to be.

Hypnotically filmed and sexy from start to finish, it’s hard to take your eyes off SIN LA HABANA or keep from considering the conditions that originally lead Leonardo and Sara's lives to intersect in this entertaining and substantive immigration drama.

VIRTUAL ON-DEMAND | WEEK TWO

THE WOMEN’S BALCONY Sneak Preview (Episodes 1 & 2)

Based on the hit movie that took Jewish film festivals by storm in 2017, THE WOMEN’S BALCONY is back and reimagined as an episodic TV series. This charming and sunny dramedy follows a group of Orthodox women living in the Bukharan Quarter of Jerusalem as they respond to the bevy of change engulfing their close-knit neighborhood. Their synagogue, once the beating heart of their community, is on its last

Directed by Ariel Benbaji Limited Narrative Series Israel | 2021 | 38 min 2 Episodes Hebrew with English subtitles Official Selection: Washington Jewish Film Festival

breath. Meanwhile, Felician, a big-shot real estate businessman and former neighborhood “bad boy,” has returned home with plans to buy up properties and turn Bukharan into something it is not – up for sale. Fierce and independent, the women who take their seats in the women’s balcony soon take matters into their own hands and together work to return their beloved synagogue to its former glory.

Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to catch a sneak peek of this knockout Israeli series’ first two episodes.

BUY TICKETS

VIRTUAL ON-DEMAND | WEEK TWO

YERUSALEM: THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF ETHIOPIAN JEWRY DREAMING OF JERUSALEM Screening with

YERUSALEM: THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF ETHIOPIAN JEWRY This film deftly weaves together stories from first and secondgeneration immigrants, rabbis, activists, Mossad personnel, ship commanders, pilots, and other key decision-makers who risked their lives to bring Ethiopian Jews to their ancestral land.

Having endured a hostile Christian environment for centuries, the faithful Jewish Ethiopian community, otherwise known as “Beta-Israel,” have passed down their ancient Jewish traditions from generation to generation. Yet even after surviving their Directed by Levi Zini Documentary Feature Israel | 2021 | 92 min Hebrew with English subtitles

tumultuous exodus from Ethiopia and making Aliyah in Israel,

Official Selection: Jerusalem Film Festival | Washington Jewish Film Festival

their livelihood in the homeland.

the Beta-Israel can’t shake their outsider status. Having to prove their Jewishness to earn a legitimate place in Israeli society, the powerfully devout group continues to fight for

DREAMING OF JERUSALEM The origin of the 2000-year-old Jewish community in Ethiopia is still a matter of speculation and dispute. Despite being cut off from world Jewry until the mid-19th century, over the last 40 years, more than 100,000 Ethiopian Jews have emigrated to Israel. One group, however, has been left behind. Although this group has returned to practicing Jewish religion and customs, they are kept from emigrating to Israel because their families were converted to Christianity by missionaries in the late nineteenth century. Today, approximately 12,000 Directed by Peter Decherney and Sosena Solomon Documentary Short | 2020 | 25 min | Hebrew with English subtitles

BUY TICKETS

members of this community remain in Gondar and Addis Ababa, awaiting the chance to complete their journey to the Promised Land.

WHO WE ARE PJFM BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PJFM SCREENING COMMITTEE

Jacob Cohen Chair

Sidney Amster Olivia Antsis Randi Boyette Matt Bussy Dani Castillo Elaine Culbertson Malcolm Davidow Kim Decker Iris Drechsler Bob Epstein Debra Felman Grace Flisser Elaine Gelb Abby Gilbert Marc Goldberg Darcy Grabenstein Beverly Haas Libby S. Harwitz Gordon R. Hodas Edward Hoffman Ellen Holtzman Caren Hosansky Mary Kahn Cathy Kaufman Kate Kelsen Eva Kernis Florence Golum Klein Linda Koven Ron Levine Joseph Moser Larry Rappoport Michael Riccardi Patricia Saddier-Dana Tali Segal Adam Setren Marilyn Silberstein Neal Strauss Paul Waimberg Deborah Weinstein Kara Wexler Madelon Zitin

Phyllis Fischer Chair Emerita Judy Golden Chair Emerita Ruth Perlmutter Chair Emerita Debbie Fleischman Vice Chair Larry Rappoport Vice Chair Francine Tabas Advisory Committee Chair Sarita Gold Secretary Barbara Black Iris Drechsler Debra Felman Betsy Filton Judy Finkel Seth Goldstein Libby S. Harwitz Edward Hoffman Julie Jafffe Cathy Kaufman Nadine Liez-Weiner Elaine Lindy Francyn Sacks Nancy Shein

PJFM STAFF Kristen Evans Executive Director Olivia Antsis Executive Artistic Director Matt Bussy Program & Digital Marketing Manager Ainyae Straxkson Development & Administrative Coordinator

STAFF KRISTEN EVANS Executive Director

A New Jersey native, Kristen has been with PJFM since 2007. After majoring in Graphic Design at the University of the Arts, she attended La Salle University where she focused on nonprofit administration. An avid music enthusiast and film lover, Kristen previously owned and operated JAM Musical Industries, a one-stop-shop for independent musicians that served a booking agency, recording studio, video production, and tour management.

OLIVIA ANTSIS

Executive Artistic Director Olivia Antsis has served as the Artistic Director of PJFM for nearly 13 years. As the creative force behind the organization, Olivia began her career path at the Philadelphia Art Alliance where she served as the Director of Programs. After earning an MFA from the University of the Arts, she worked as the Site Editor for InLiquid.com. Olivia’s RussianJewish roots, concern for human rights, and love of the arts helped shape her artistic vision. In addition to her work at the festival, Olivia enjoys being behind the camera. Her videos and artwork have been exhibited in galleries, film festivals, and venues throughout the world.

MATT BUSSY

Program & Digital Marketing Manager A Film & Media Arts major at Temple University, Matt has been obsessed with movies for as long as he can remember! On the side, Matt also works as a film studio representative for Allied Global Marketing, a full-service integrated marketing agency, assisting with advance screenings of upcoming films throughout the city for press and patrons. Judaism has improved his life on so many levels, so much so that he officially converted in 2020!

AINYAE STRAXKSON

Development & Administrative Coordinator Ainyae attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania where she majored in Communications Media with a concentration in TV/Film/Photography. She has acted in various short films and continues a career as an actress. You can catch her on her ongoing “Monologue Monday” social media series on YouTube and IGTV (Instagram: @its_yaestratton) each Monday where she acts out different monologues from films and theater.

TICKETS AND PASSES GENERAL TICKETING

PJFM APP

ALL-ACCESS PASSES

Snap a picture of a QR code below to download PJFM's new mobile app! Use the app to purchase tickets, keep track of all your favorite festival films, and access exclusive PJFM content.

$15 General Admission

$180 | Fall Fest All-In Pass $125 | Fall Fest Virtual Pass $40 | Fall Fest New Media Day Pass

Google Play App

FREE EVENTS

11/14 EXILE AND REDEMPTION: A NEO-HASIDIC ROCK OPERA Streaming Nov. 14 – 20 11/14 TODAY’S STORYTELLERS ARE TOMORROW’S CHANGEMAKERS: SPOTLIGHT ON LACEY SCHWARTZ DELGADO, CO-FOUNDER OF TRUTH AID Streaming Nov. 14 – 20 11/14 POTIONS 101: THE ENCHANTED WORLD OF EASTERN EUROPEAN BOTANICAL ELIXIRS 6 PM

TICKETING POLICY

Please do not attend a screening if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or are feeling sick. If you cannot attend an event due to the above reasons, PJFM will provide you with a virtual ticket to a film of your choosing. If you do not wish to exchange your ticket for a virtual offering or turn your original purchase into a donation to the festival, PJFM will provide you with a full refund.

For more information about how to fest with PJFM, please visit our FAQ page on PhillyJFM.org.

Apple App

VENUES AMBLER THEATER

108 E Butler Ave Ambler, PA 19002 (215) 345-7855 https://amblertheater.org/ Masks are REQUIRED inside the theater, which will be limited in capacity.

BRUCE MONTGOMERY THEATRE Annenberg Center 3680 Walnut St Philadelphia, PA 19104 (215) 898-3900 https://pennlivearts.org/

Covid-19 vaccination card (or a picture of it) or a negative PCR test for children under 12 are REQUIRED and will be checked at the door. Masks are REQUIRED inside the theater.

BRYN MAWR FILM INSTITUTE 824 Lancaster Ave Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 (610) 527-9898 https://brynmawrfilm.org/

Covid-19 vaccination card (or a picture of it) are REQUIRED and will be checked at the door.

Masks are REQUIRED inside the theater, which will be limited in capacity.

GRATZ COLLEGE

Mandell Education Campus 7605 Old York Rd Melrose Park, PA 19026 (215) 635-7300 https://www.gratz.edu/

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY 101 S Independence Mall E Philadelphia, PA 19106 (215) 923-3811 https://www.nmajh.org/

Masks are REQUIRED inside the theater, which will be limited in capacity.

PHILADELPHIA ETHICAL SOCIETY 1906 Rittenhouse Square Philadelphia, PA 19103 (215) 735-3456 https://phillyethics.org/

Masks are REQUIRED inside the theater, which will be limited in capacity.

PHILADELPHIA FILM CENTER 1412 Chestnut St Philadelphia, PA 19102 (267) 239-2941 https://filmadelphia.org/

Covid-19 vaccination card (or a picture of it) are REQUIRED and will be checked at the door. Masks are REQUIRED inside the theater, which will be limited in capacity.

REEL CINEMAS NARBERTH 2

129 N Narberth Ave Narberth, PA 19072 (610) 667-0115 https://reelcinemaspa.com/locations/nar berth-2/ Masks are REQUIRED inside the theater, which will be limited in capacity.

Covid-19 vaccination card (or a picture of it) are REQUIRED and will be checked at the door. Masks are REQUIRED inside the theater, which will be limited in capacity.

For more information about how to fest with PJFM, please visit our FAQ page on PhillyJFM.org.

PJFM CELEBRATES

GivingTuesday unleashes the power of radical generosity to transform communities and the world.

Being able to give is a gift in itself. Helping others, giving to the causes we care about, and supporting organizations that continue to do great work are wonderful ways to give back to our communities and pay it forward.

PJFM's goal for GivingTuesday is to raise $5,000. Your contributions will help build an even more diverse and inclusive community of film lovers, as well as make it possible for PJFM to highlight new and innovative forms of Jewish storytelling.

SPONSOR

Created in 2012 as a simple way to encourage people to give, today GivingTuesday is a global movement that celebrates generosity and kindness, inspiring hundreds of millions of people to donate each year.

DONATE

Remember, everyone has something to give, and every act of generosity counts!

VOLUNTEER

PJFM CELEBRATES

SIX EASY WAYS TO GIVE 03

BECOME A VOLUNTEER

Bring your love of film and media arts, your beautiful smile, and help PJFM serve its community.

01

DONATE

Give to cause you care about and watch your gift grow.

02

BECOME A SPONSOR

Begin your philanthropic journey with PJFM and choose the plan for you.

04

05

PJFM has some incredible screenings this season. You can find the full lineup at PhillyJFM.org.

PJFM created a captivating line-up this season with something for everyone to enjoy. What better way to experience the festival than with a friend?

ATTEND A SCREENING

06

DOWNLOAD OUR APP

Our new app will streamline your festival experience, providing the information you need right at your fingertips.

TELL A FRIEND