Joyce Forum—A Day of Emerging Filmmakers

Monday, February 15AMC La Jolla 12 JOY F. KNAPP PRESENTATIONS The Joyce Forum presents outstanding Jewish-themed short-subject, documentary and feature films by student and early-career filmmakers from all over the world. Named in honor of San Diego Jewish Film Festival Founder Joyce Axelrod, the Joyce Forum supports emerging filmmakers by showcasing their talent and exposing their work to established filmmakers, artists and industry peers.

Shorts in Winter Part 1 • 1:30pm

Theatre	Date	Time
AMC La Jolla	Mon, Feb 15	1:30 PM

The Kiddush Man

A coming-of-age drama set in Israel, about 10-year-old Yoni who each Sabbath attempts to sneak past curmudgeonly Mr. Katz into Kiddush before the end of services—but one day Mr. Katz is nowhere to be seen.

[ Film Details ]

Mendel’s Tree

Mendel is a Jew with a problem—he loves Christmas. His Orthodox parents announce an unexpected visit and their impending arrival causes Mendel’s illicit secret love to come crashing around him. When Jingle Bells meets Hava Nagila, the resulting union is filled with laughter.

[ Film Details ]

Lost Paradise

A couple tenderly makes love in a cheap hotel room. A few minutes later, while the man and woman get dressed in silence, the idyll that seemed so authentic suddenly seems to have vanished.

[ Film Details ]

Saturday’s Shadow

13-year-old Aaron witnesses his father, Josef, being humiliated by a gang of kids. Afterwards, Aaron does not want to hear his fathers explanations. Josef’s suppressed feelings find an outlet in the unnerving final scenes.

[ Film Details ]

Shred of Hope It is winter and Julian is heading to work, as always. On his face signs of trouble are noticeable, but maybe it isn’t so, maybe it’s nothing, just another ordinary day at work… [ Film Details ]

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Shorts in Winter Part 2 • 4pm • Ma’ale School Tribute

Theatre	Date	Time
AMC La Jolla	Mon, Feb 15	4:00 PM

I'm Ready

When a father’s memory begins to fail due to Alzheimer’s disease, his special relationship with his Down syndrome son breaks down. As their stable happy routine collapses, they must face the truth of their situation.

[ Film Details ]

A Jerusalem Tale

When Lazer and Baila Hirsch make aliyah, they struggle with financial hardship and general misfortune. Their Bretzlav Hassidic tradition challenges them to fulfill their capacity for joy, so they pray for a miracle—only to learn that miracles come when and where they’re least expected.

[ Film Details ]

A Shabbos Mother Three sisters—a secular radio broadcaster, a very pregnant woman who questions her ability to mother a child, and the religious heroine who is struggling to conceive— gather at their widowed mother’s home for an intense Shabbat together. [ Film Details ]

Willingly

When 27-year old Ma’ale Film School student Pazit Lichtman experienced marital trouble, she channeled her pain into something creative. The resulting film, Willingly, follows a young couple to the rabbinical divorce court where they must grapple with their decision to split.

[ Film Details ]

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Main Feature - 8pm

Off and Running Avery is an African-American teen raised Jewish, living in a multi-cultural home with her lesbian adoptive parents, her Korean brother and her mixed-race brother. Curious about her biological roots, she contacts her birth mother. The exchange spurs a full-blown identity crisis. A gifted runner, Avery planned to attend college on a track and field scholarship, but she becomes estranged from her loving family and drops out of school. She decides to pick up the pieces of her life and is Off and Running to the brink of adulthood, exploring the strength of family bonds and the challenges of becoming oneself. Awards: Finalist Audience Favorite, 2009 Tribeca Film Festival; Best Documentary Screenplay, Silverdocs; Outstanding Documentary; Outfest; Best Documentary, Philadelphia Qfest [ Film Details ]

To submit your film to be considered for entry into the Joyce Forum, please send a screener (DVD NTSC format) to:

The San Diego Jewish Film Festival
Lawrence Family JCC, JACOBS FAMILY CAMPUS
4126 Executive Drive
La Jolla, CA 92037