November 7-21 Fall Fall Fest
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DIRECTORY OF FILMS AND EVENTS NEW INDICIA HERE NOVEMBER 7-21 FALL FALL FEST 35 YEARS Philadelphia, PA 19147 Philadelphia, PA | 401 S. Broad Street Street 401 S. Broad | 11 TO LIFE YEARS THE GERSHMAN Y 35 PRESENTS THE TABLE OF CONTENTS From The Chair, Phyllis Fischer 1 The Great Debate: What Could be More Jewish? 2 PJFF 35 Sponsors 4 PJFF 35 Supporters 5 Pre-Fest 6 Tickets & Passes 10 Seating Information 1 1 Fall Fest Program 1 2 THANK YOU Fall Fest Calendar 34 TO OUR FALL Venues 36 FESTIVAL PJFF Committees 37 SPONSORS: PJFF Sponsor and Community Ads 3 8 LEONARD AND MADLYN ABRAMSON, PHYLLIS AND HOWARD FISCHER, NADINE LIEZ-WEINER AND BART WEINER FROM THE CHAIR | Phyllis Fischer Dear Friends, Welcome to the 35th Anniversary Season of The Gershman YÕs Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival! Thank you for joining us in celebration of this special year. This fall, we are proud to present to you a smorgasbord of 24 feature films from nine countries Ñ we have something to please everyoneÕs cinematic palate, from historic docudrama to sci-fi thriller. The aim of the PJFF is to use the magnificent medium of film as a vehicle for perpetuating Jewish values, identity, culture, and community. Each of the films presented in our lineup accomplishes that mission in its own way, as you will see when you view them. You will witness those fighting for social justice, enduring the Holocaust, dramatizing the shtetl, eating deli, doing a mitzvah, belt out a song, baking a challah, uniting Palestinians and Jews, telling a story, falling in love, drawing cartoons, forging friendships, building a business, performing surgery, challenging the law, making music, and much more. A festival such as ours, the second one established in the nation and one of the largest Jewish film festivals in the US, does not happen by itself. We are very fortunate to have the brilliance and creativity of Olivia Antsis as our PJFF Director, supported by the entire Gershman Y staff, led by Maxine Gaiber. As Artistic Chair, Dr. Iris Drechsler co-leads (along with Olivia) our remarkable Screening Committee, which previews hundreds of films to find just the right ones for our Philadelphia audience. Our PJFF Committee works steadfastly to develop our audience and our support in the community. And our volunteers and remarkable young interns form a dedicated corps of people who also lend their valuable time and energy to help us accomplish our mission. Hats off to all of our Sponsors, Supporters, Advertisers, and Contributors who have helped make this season possible! And a special thanks to PJFF Co-Founders Judy Golden and the late great Archie Perlmutter for creating this festival for all of us to enjoy. YEARS Meet you at the movies, 35 Phyllis THE 35TH PHILADELPHIA JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL NOVEMBER 7Ð21, 2015 THE OUTRAGEOUS SOPHIE TUCKER PJFF.ORG | 215-545-4400 | 1 THE GREAT DEBATE: WHAT COULD BE MORE JEWISH? PROJECTIONS OF AMERICA Our Pre-Fest opening night film, SABENA HIJACKING Ð MY VERSION, while seeking to document the events surrounding the Black September hijacking of the Belgian airline in 1972, also gives the hijackers, Palestinian terrorists, an opportunity to ÒWhy did you show this film?Ó the occasional film festival attendee asks. In recent air their grievances. While the film is designed for Israeli viewers, we believe our years the question Ñ once a matter of aesthetic taste Ñ has grown into a more audience will be able to respond critically to the assertions made by the hijackers ideological inquiry. and challenge any legitimacy to their claims. The film, which has been nominated for Jewish Americans pride themselves on their commitment to American values, critical an Academy Award in Israel, has been lauded for its powerful depiction of one of the thinking, and love of learning. We value the arts and the free expression of ideas most daring rescue missions in IDF history. that are essential for a truly democratic society. Yet, when confronted with sensitive issues like nationhood, political loyalty, or religious ideology, the upholding of these SOFT VENGEANCE: ALBIE SACHS AND THE NEW SOUTH AFRICA, the powerful values can prove challenging. As a Jewish film festival screening committee, we are documentary we selected to close out our fall season, narrates one of the most accustomed to viewing films that give us pause, leading us to ask ourselves the very fascinating figures to emerge from the epic struggle against apartheid in South same question: Why should we show this film?Ó Africa. As our Tikkun Olam Award Winner, Sachs has demonstrated incredible perseverance and resilience throughout apartheid South AfricaÕs most turbulent Thankfully, such difficult choices are few and far between. In many screening periods. Never allowing controversy to dim his commitment to upholding the ideals committee meetings, we are of one mind regarding the merit of including a of freedom and equality, never wavering from his beliefs despite their unpopularity particular film. We think about all of you, the members of our loyal audience, and or the personal sacrifices involved, Sachs will be honored as much for his achievements are confident that celebratory and poignant films like last seasonÕs THE STURGEON as for his courage. QUEENS or ABOVE AND BEYOND will have you leaving our theaters satisfied and entertained. Nevertheless, each season there are a few films that demand more of Another no brainer for the screening committee is the inclusion of films that make us; these films we discuss a little longer, debate a little harder, and examine a little us laugh and feel good, leading us to the next question we often hear: ÒIs this film more closely. We are reminded of the challenges we face as a screening committee Jewish enough?Ó to curate a Festival that not only shines light on the life-affirming and inspirational stories enduring in our midst but also the stories that add dimension and nuance to Each season we program a few films that contain very little explicit ÒJewishÓ content, our greater understanding of Jewish life around the world. yet are pervasively Jewish Ñ populated by Jewish characters, culture, and spirit. You may wish to place our Centerpiece selection, VERY SEMI-SERIOUS, in this Jewish But how do we distinguish between films that enlighten us to the world outside grey area, but we dare you to think of something more ÒJewishÓ than spending the our own experience from films that cross a line into condemnation? Consider a film evening with Roz Chast, one of our nationÕs greatest cartoonists, and gaining a sneak that depicts an Orthodox Jewish community as uniformly intolerant: coming from peek into the wiseacres behind the cartoons of The New Yorker. Do non-observant a non-Jewish director, one would perhaps rightfully declare the film anti-Semitic, Jews have a role to play in our celebration of Jewish culture? Certainly. but what if the director were raised in an orthodox family and based the film on his own experiences? Or consider a film that is funded by the State of IsraelÕs cultural Our goal as a Jewish film festival is to go beyond the celebration of all things Jewish ministry yet is critical of ethnic relations between Jews and Arabs in Israel: is such and characterizations that only paint Jews as heroes. Film, at its best, should a delicate subject only suitable for an Israeli audience or are American audiences question our assumptions about the world and challenge our notions about human ready to be exposed to the warts-and-all treatment of the difficult issues facing behavior and the meaning of our lives together. As long as our film selections keep Israel today? PJFFÕs screening committee wrestles with many stories like these in the inspiring dialogue, compassion, and understanding, we feel we can contribute to the course of paring down dozens and dozens of films to the final selection chosen for rich tapestry of the Jewish experience. presentation at the Festival. The PJFF Screening Committee is composed of members with diverse backgrounds One thing we always agree on is that it is important to include films that and perspectives. When a film inspires healthy debate among our group, we step encourage further contemplation and dialogue. back and take this as a good sign that our audience will also have much to consider once leaving the theater. In this, our 35th Anniversary Season, we hope that the 24 This season, we came across a film that brings attention to important public policies feature films chosen for Pre-Fest and the Festival, as well as the numerous talkbacks, regarding the boundaries of artistic expression. In Germany today, the restriction panels, and receptions, offer all of you ample opportunities to dialogue, debate, and of Nazi-era propaganda films has led to a debate about public access: can non- even disagree Ñ what could be more Jewish? historians Ñ the general German public Ñ view these films critically? Will wider access to Nazi-era propaganda films spark forbidden nationalist fires in certain Ñ A message from the PJFF Screening Committee viewing circles? This yearÕs fascinating FORBIDDEN FILMS Ñ which addresses this very issueÑchallenges the audience, as well as the German public, to consider the relationship between film and sentiment, art and ideology, viewership and citizenship. 2 | FOR TICKETS AND FULL LINEUP OF SPEAKERS AND SPECIAL GUESTS, PLEASE VISIT PJFF.ORG. PJFF.ORG | 215-545-4400 | 3 PJFF 35 SPONSORS / SUPPORTERS PJFF 35 SUPPORTERS FESTIVAL SPONSORS Nancy and Benjamin Shein ACTORS MAJOR DONORS TO THE Leonard and Madlyn Abramson Sterling Trustees LLC (Principals Lynda Barness GERSHMAN Y AND PJFF 35 Phyllis and Howard Fischer Stanley and Antony Joffe) Penni and Mark Blaskey The Joseph and Marie Field Fund Nadine Liez-Weiner and Bart Weiner Nancy and Stuart Weiss Joan Brandeis Horace W.