18th Annual San Diego Jewish Film Festival

2008 Audience Choice Award Winners!

Best Feature Film: A Love to Hide

Best Documentary: Praying with Lior

Best Short: Diary of Niclas Gheiler

Thursday, Feb 07

Sixty Six

Opening Night

Bernie Rubens has planned every detail of his Bar Mitzvah. Bernie hopes that this will be the biggest day of his life, and he will finally be the center of attention in his eccentric family. However, the fates conspire against him. His Bar Mitzvah is jeopardized as his family experiences one misadventure after another, and England threatens to make it all the way to the 1966 World Cup Final . . . on Bernie’s Big Day. Would anyone show up for Bernie’s party? Helena Bonham Carter (A Room with a View, Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix) and Stephen Rea (The Crying Game, V for Vendetta) join a star-studded cast in this quirky comedy.

Guest Artists: Director Paul Weiland invited.

AMC La Jolla Thu, 7:00 PM

Friday, Feb 08

Freedom on the Fence

World Premiere

As World War II drew to a close, fences were constructed around the rubble that was once Warsaw and other major cities in Poland. These empty, chain-link tableaux were quickly covered in posters by artists who desperately needed to speak out through their art after years of suppression. The tradition took hold and blossomed through the Cold War. Freedom on the Fence documents the history of poster art in Poland with rich images of this little-known art form. The film is followed by a discussion with the filmmaker and panel, a luncheon and tours of the Jewish/Polish Posters exhibit in the Gotthelf Art Gallery.

Presented in collaboration with the Gotthelf Art Gallery
Guest Artist: Director Andrea Marks
Polish lunch catered by: Continent European & Russian Delicatessen

David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre, 10:30 AM

Saturday, Feb 09

Arranged

Rochel and Nasira are both first year teachers at a public school in Brooklyn, New York. They share a passion for their careers and a devotion to their faiths. Even though Rochel is an Orthodox Jew, and Nasira is an observant Muslim, the two quickly form a close friendship and lean on each other while they are both going through the process of arranged marriages. Their friendship is frowned on by some, but they are undeterred. A feel good movie for all faiths, Arranged was the recipient of the Best Feature Film award by the Brooklyn International Film Festival.

Special Screening for “Mommy and Me” February 12 presented in partnership with JCC Shalom Baby.
THE JOY F. KNAPP CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
has generously provided tickets for special populations to attend the screening of this film

AMC La Jolla, 6:15 PM

Jellyfish

Various Tel Aviv urbanites experience life altering moments, and these strangers’ lives zig-zag around each other until they finally intersect. Keren, a bride, loses her chance for a dream Caribbean honeymoon when she breaks her leg. Batya, a catering waitress at Keren’s wedding, takes in a mysterious little girl. Joy, a wedding guest, is dealing with guilt and grief over leaving her son behind in her native Philippines. Directors Shira Geffen and Etgar Keret employ magical surrealism to show joy in the unexpected on everyday life. Jellyfish was the recipient of the prestigious Camera d’Or for Best First Feature at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.
Viewer Discretion: Adult Content.

Community Partner: JCC Singles & Young Adult Division, UJF of San Diego County

AMC La Jolla, 8:45 PM

Three Mothers

Nominated for nine Israeli Academy Awards, this epic tale traces the lives and loves of Jewish triplets born in Egypt in 1942. Sisters Rose (legendary actress Gila Almagor), Flora and Yasmin move to Israel, where personal dramas consume them. Throughout the film, the three sisters take turns visiting Rose’s daughter Rucha to videotape their memories. Soon, secrets are revealed and old ghosts are dug up in an effort to reconcile and forgive. Lush cinematography and the hypnotic vocal talents of Miri Mesika come together to make this a feast for the senses.
Viewer Discretion: Adult Content.

UltraStar Mission Valley, 6:15 PM

Dear Mr. Waldman

It is the early 1960s in Israel, and ten-year-old Hilik wants only to make his Holocaust survivor parents happy. When Hilik’s father, Moishe (Schindler’s List Rami Heuberger), thinks that his son from his first marriage miraculously survived and is now advisor to President Kennedy, Hilik attempts to make his father’s dream come true. The family’s stability is threatened when Moishe comes to terms with the fate of his family during the Holocaust. Nominated for three Israeli Academy Awards, Dear Mr. Waldman is a compelling coming-of-age story that teaches about the healing power of love.

Guest Artist: Actress Evgenia Dodina (February 16 screening)
Community Partner: San Diego Jewish Genealogy Society

UltraStar Mission Valley, 8:45 PM

Sunday, Feb 10

Marti—The Passionate Eye

Marti Friedlander, New Zealand’s most famous photographer, has not forgotten her past. Friedlander recounts her life— beginning with growing up in a Jewish orphanage in England—and shares her artwork in this striking documentary. After getting her start in photography in Bohemian London during the 1950s, Friedlander followed her husband to New Zealand, which was hardly the center for Jewish culture at the time. Archival footage traces 40 years of social change that Friedlander has captured in black-and-white photos. Full of life and enthusiasm, Friedlander has never missed a moment to interact with her subjects, and this comes through in her work and the film.

Guest Artist: Photographer Marti Friedlander invited
Guest Speaker: Deborah Klochko, Director, MoPA
Community Partner: Museum of Photographic Arts

AMC La Jolla, 1:00 PM

Orthodox Stance

In this corner. . . undefeated, 24-year old Brooklyn, New York welter-weight Dmitriy Salita, a Ukrainian Jewish immigrant boxer whose relentless body punches in the ring echo his relentless observance to Jewish law. Cameras follow him through his grueling training, boxing matches and the challenges he faces as an Orthodox Jewish boxer. In the words of his trainer Jimmy O’Pharrow: “Kid looks Russian, prays Jewish and fights black.” A story in the spirit of Rocky with more than a touch of Yiddishkeit, this documentary is sure to get audiences cheering.

Guest Speakers include Rabbi Yonah Fradkin, Director of Chabad in San Diego County and Rabbi Michoel
Shapiro “The Fighting Rabbi” of Chabad La Costa - February 17 screening only

AMC La Jolla, 4:00 PM

Three Mothers

UltraStar Mission Valley, 7:30PM

Encounter Point

Bereaved families, both Israeli and Palestinian, come together to heal and to spread their grassroots movement for peace and nonviolence. These loved ones of those who have died in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict work together to overcome their hatred and grief to find a peaceful solution. A powerful documentary by first-time filmmakers, Encounter Point has won numerous awards, including recognition from the Bahamas International Film Festival, Barcelona Docupolis, the Bend Film Festival and the San Francisco International Film Festival.

Guest Speaker: Robi Damelin invited. Rabbi Aliza Berk
Director, The Jewish Healing Center and Rabbi Michael Berk, Congregation Beth Israel (February 10 screening)
Community Partner: Rabbi Aliza Berk, Director, The Healing Center, Jewish Family Service

UltraStar Mission Valley, 1:00 PM

Jellyfish

Community Partner: JCC Singles & Young Adult Division, UJF of San Diego County

AMC La Jolla, 4:00 PM

Preceded by A Kiss is a Kiss is a Kiss

When eight strangers are paired into four odd couples, it’s funny enough. When they are asked to kiss each other, hilarity ensues. An Israeli female soldier and a Palestinian man and a right wing settler and a left wing Tel-Aviv resident, are among the couples.

Monday, Feb 11

The Tree of Life

When electronics engineer and fledgling filmmaker Hava Volterra decided to document her family tree, she hoped only to gain a better understanding of her heritage. But her journeys to Italy, Israel and the United States opened up fascinating stories of her Italian Jewish ancestors from 1392 to the present, as well as new insights into her late father. Animation and computer-enhanced marionettes add to this fascinating look at little-known Jewish history.

Guest Artist: Director Hava Volterra

AMC La Jolla, 12:00 Noon

Paying for Justice

World Premiere

Acclaimed journalists and new filmmakers Guy Meroz & Orli Vilnai take on the Israeli government and banking institutions in order to get Holocaust survivors financial compensation under the law. In Israel, 25 percent of Holocaust survivors live in poverty. Reminiscent of the early years of 60 Minutes, Meroz and Vilnai burst into Board meetings and confront those who are responsible for the welfare of Israeli Holocaust survivors. Searching back through history and around the world, Paying for Justice is a thorough and startling look at this under-reported issue.

Directors: Guy Meroz and Orli Vilnai
Dinner option catered by Pick Up Stix (Kosher style)

AMC La Jolla, 5:00 PM

Praying with Lior

Lior Liebling is preparing for his Bar Mitzvah, helped by his tight-knit family and community. Lior has Down Syndrome, and he learned to daven (pray) before he could talk. His mother, who died when he was six years old, taught him to daven and wished that he could someday become a Bar Mitzvah. Now, he is considered by some to be a “spiritual genius” and by others as a “Hassidic master.” As Lior approaches the milestone of his Bar Mitzvah, his family offers differing viewpoints into how disability affects a family. Praying with Lior is an intimate, triumphant documentary by emerging filmmaker Ilana Trachtman.

Guest Artist: Director Ilana Trachtman invited
Co-presented by JCC Inclusion Department,
Lawrence Family JCC, JACOBS FAMILY CAMPUS

AMC La Jolla, 7:30 PM

Tuesday, Feb 12

As Seen Through These Eyes

During the Holocaust, many artists in concentration camps gathered scraps of paper, charcoal and sometimes paint to record the horrors of their daily existence. Some of these testaments to Nazi atrocities were hidden away and later recovered after the war. Director Hilary Helstein has brought together artwork, archival footage and interviews with survivor artists—including the late Simon Wiesenthal—for a gripping documentary narrated by renowned poet Maya Angelou.

Guest Artist: Director Hilary Helstein
Guest Speaker: Survivor Dina Babbitt invited
Community Partner: Anti-Defamation League

AMC La Jolla, 4:30PM

Preceded by:Diary of Niclas Gheiler

Niclas Gheiler meets Adolph Hitler when he fights alongside him during World War I and is horrified to see his rise to power in Germany. As a Jew, Gheiler is forced to flee his homeland. This short, based on the diary of the filmmaker’s grandfather, was created using footage and photos found on the internet with added text, sound effects and music.

Guest Artist: Director George Aguilar (UCSD graduate)

Little Heroes

Teen Screen Nights

Four children embark on an adventure to rescue two teens who have had an accident. Erez feels that he has to prove himself in the wake of his father’s death, Alicia and her special needs brother try to fit in as immigrants to Israel and Lior is a troubled youth from a Kibbutz. As their journey progresses, the four become good friends and learn life lessons.

Co-Presented by The Coalition of San Diego Jewish High
School Youth Groups
Community Partners: Agency for Jewish Education & JITLI
Panel Discussion to follow
*Teen Screen is open to any teens under 18 at no charge.

UltraStar Poway, 4:00 PM

A Love to Hide

Sara is forced into hiding after witnessing the murder of her parents and sister by the Nazis in occupied Paris. She finds shelter with her childhood friend Jean and his lover Philippe. However, Sara’s new-found security is threatened by Jean’s meddling brother, and soon Jean and his lover must also fear from the Nazis as their affair comes to light. A Love to Hide is a stirring love story set against the backdrop of the Holocaust

Co-Presented with J*Pride, Lawrence Family JCC, JACOBS FAMILY CAMPUS
Guest Speaker: Laurie Baron, Nasatir Professor in Modern Jewish History, SDSU

AMC La Jolla, 7:30 PM

Preceded by:The Elephant

Unrequited love pushes a loveable, animated elephant to drastic measures in this irresistible short.

Wednesday, Feb 13

Encounter Point

AMC La Jolla, 12:00 PM

Not All Were Murderers

Michael and his mother struggle to evade the Nazis and survive in Germany throughout the war. The two go from one hiding place to another, relying on the kindness of others to keep their Jewish identities secret. Michael and his mother encounter good samaritans, who range from eccentric to ideological to opportunistic. Throughout their journey, Michael tries to hang onto his childhood, as it quickly slips away. Not All Were Murderers is based on the true life story of German actor Michael Degen (Leo and Claire).

AMC La Jolla, 5:00 PM

Beaufort

Israel is preparing to withdraw from Lebanon.
After 18 years, Israel has to abandon a last outpost near the legendary Crusader stronghold, Beaufort in the year 2000. Anonymous bombs drop from the sky, as the young outpost commander Liraz tries to hold his men together during the last futile days. The camera captures the claustrophobic living conditions of the soldiers and the pressure-cooker atmosphere, created by the constant attacks by an unseen enemy. Beaufort was the recipient of the Silver Berlin Bear for Best Director at the 2007 Berlin International Film Festival, and it is Israel’s submission to the upcoming Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film.

Guest Speakers: Jean-Jacques Surbeck
Community Partner: UJF Israel Center, LLC

AMC La Jolla, 7:30 PM

Little Heroes

Teen Screen Nights

AMC La Jolla, 6:00 PM

Thursday, Feb 14

The Eternal Light: A Historical Retrospective

The Eternal Light radio and television series ran on NBC from the 1940’s to the 1980’s featuring Jewish artists, performers, authors and great thinkers of the time. This Emmy Award winning documentary features original footage from many of these memorable episodes. Narrated by Tony Award winning actress Marian Seldes, The Eternal Light includes interviews with Elie Wiesel, Theodore Bikel, Gene Wilder and Alan Arkin, among many others. Recipient of the 2007 Emmy for Religious Programming.

Community Partner: San Diego Yiddish Clubs

AMC La Jolla, 12:00 PM

Preceded by:Under the Roller Coaster

Home is where the heart is, and for Mae Timpano, it rested under the Thunderbolt Roller Coaster on Coney Island. Director Lila Place tells Mae’s story in this short documentary that reawakens memories of a lost era.

Aviva My Love

Winner of six Israeli Academy Awards, Aviva My Love is the bittersweet tale of a working-class woman trying to realize her dream. Aviva takes in the small details of life and writes charming stories, which she hopes to publish someday. But life as the matriarch of her family is about all she can handle, and Aviva cares for others at the expense of herself. When a famous author takes an interest in her work, Aviva jumps at the chance to be mentored, but is this the path to make her dreams come true?

Community Partner: UJF Women's Division

AMC La Jolla, 4:30 PM

Preceded by A Kiss is a Kiss is a Kiss

The Galilee Eskimos

The aged founders of a kibbutz in the hills of Galilee in Israel have woken up to find that they have been abandoned. Old and infirm, they are left to fend for themselves after their children sell the indebted kibbutz to the bank. At first, the old-timers wallow in self-pity, but they quickly remember their pioneer spirit and take a stand to save the kibbutz, refusing to act like old Eskimos who go off to die in the snow. This poignant comedy is guaranteed to make anyone feel young at heart.
Viewer Discretion: Adult Content.

Sponsored by Southwest Airlines

AMC La Jolla, 7:30 PM

Preceded by Brandon

A sheltered young woman collides with reality on her very first date, when she is fixed up with a geek. Brandon is the charming and funny thesis film by Rachel Israel, which she completed while studying at the Rhode Island School of Design.

Friday, Feb 15

Six Days

It is June 1967, and Egyptian President / Gamal Abdel Nasser’s dream of Pan-Arabism provokes a war that reshapes the Mideast and focuses the world on the previously unknown West Bank. In Six Days, Israel smashes the Arab armies, and it is the film’s thesis that the victory’s repercussions are still being felt today, both politically and socially. Stunning archival footage, including an intimate look at Egyptian President Nasser before the war, along with first-hand accounts, make this a comprehensive documentary on the Six Day War with a fresh perspective.

Lawrence Family JCC David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre, 10:30 AM

Saturday, Feb 16

She’s Got It

Life is not going well for Malka, Yafit and Irena. Malka’s husband has been laid off while she leads her factory’s workers against the management. Yafit falls in love with a security guard, who is plotting to rob the bank where she works and makes her an unwitting accomplice. Irena suffers an abusive husband, who is also plotting to rob the bank. The three women take control and try to outwit the robbers, grab the money and lead new lives in this screwball romp.

AMC La Jolla, 6:15 PM

Dear Mr. Waldman

Guest Artist: Actress Evgenia Dodina (February 16 screening)
Community Partner: San Diego Jewish Genealogy Society

AMC La Jolla, 8:45 PM

The Galilee Eskimos

Sponsored by Southwest Airlines

UltraStar Poway, 7:30 PM

Preceded by Brandon

Sunday, Feb 17

A Touch Away (Episodes 1–4)

Forbidden love blossoms in the Orthodox neighborhood of Bnei Brak in Tel Aviv, when Zorik, a young, secular Russian immigrant, and his family move in next door to Rochale and her Haredi family. Rochale is destined for an arranged marriage, but she cannot ignore the sparks that fly when Zorik is near. A Touch Away, an eight-part miniseries, broke rating records in Israel when it was broadcast in 2007. Festival goers are treated to the first four episodes in a special preview. You will beg for more! (The series, in its entirety, will be screened as a special event March 3 and 6 at the JCC.)
Viewer Discretion: Adult Content

Guest Artist: Actress Evgenia Dodina

AMC La Jolla, 1:00 PM

So Long Are You Young

A Southern Jewish businessman takes pen to paper and writes: “Youth is not a time of life—it is a state of mind.” It is the beginning of his poem, “Youth,” which makes its way around the world and winds up on the wall of General Douglas MacArthur’s office in postwar Japan. “Youth” not only inspires the General, but it is soon adopted by the Japanese people. First-time filmmaker Judith Schaefer traces the history of this influential poem and its author in an inspiring documentary.

Guest Speaker: Inspirational speaker Dr. Edith Eva Eger
Community Partner: San Diego Asian Film Festival

AMC La Jolla, 4:30 PM

Making Trouble

Closing Night

Can we talk? Making Trouble is a documentary tribute to Jewish American comedians Molly Picon, Fanny Brice, Sophie Tucker, Joan Rivers, Wendy Wasserstein and Gilda Radner. These legendary performers challenged notions of what it means to be Jewish, funny and female. Produced by the Jewish Women’s Archive, Making Trouble includes performances, interviews, archival footage and the latest generation of women comics—Judy Gold, Cory Kahaney, Jackie Hoffman and Jessica Kirson—who lend their commentary about the revered Jewish women comedians while lunching at Katz’s deli in New York. A must see for anyone who likes to laugh. Recipient of Special Mention at 2007 Jerusalem Film Festival.

Community Partner: Hadassah

AMC La Jolla, 7:30 PM

Orthodox Stance

Guest Speakers include Rabbi Yonah Fradkin, Director of Chabad in San Diego County and Rabbi Michoel
Shapiro “The Fighting Rabbi” of Chabad La Costa - February 17 screening only

UltraStar Poway, 1:00 PM

Love & Dance

2008 Underwriter Kick-Off Selection

Chen is caught between his Russian-born mother and Israeli father when he discovers a young girl and ballroom dancing. The dance teacher, a former champion (Evgenia Dodina) encourages him to join. Chen quickly learns to love to dance, but he hides his new passion from his macho father. But armed with a tango, waltz and cha-cha, Chen tries to overcome family problems and to win over the dance partner of his dreams. Love and Dance is the uplifting story that bridges the cultural divide through young love and the love of dance.
Viewer Discretion: Adult Content.

Guest Artist: Actress Evgenia Dodina

UltraStar Poway, 4:00 PM

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