Brisbane / 8 Nov — 18 Nov, Canberra / 1 Nov — 11 Nov Perth / 7 Nov — 18 Nov Melbourne / 24 Oct — 21 Nov 21 — Oct 24 / Melbourne Nov 21 — Oct 23 / Sydney SPONSORS, PARTNERS & FRIENDS OF JIFF — CHAI SPONSORS — SILVER SPONSORS — BRONZE SPONSORS — Sophie Landa MEDIA PARTNERS — CINEMA PARTNERS — 2 SPONSORS, PARTNERS & FRIENDS OF JIFF — CULTURAL & PROGRAMMING PARTNERS — FRIENDS OF JIFF — A.I.S. Insurance Noah’s Creative Juices Abraham Australian Migration P & R Weinman Anonymous PGML Communication Arnold Bloch Leibler Phil and Sue Lewis Connect Plus Property Solutions PSN Family Charitable Trust David Simons Rampersand Escala Partners See-Saw Films Fraid Family Shadowlane Golden Sheaf Hotel Sharon and Gary Hendler Judy Becher The Caulfield Juilliard Group (Werdiger Family) The Choc Top Icecream Company Lauren and Bruce Fink The Pacific Group Leo & Mina Fink Fund Viv and Phil Green Link Financial Services Westfield Bondi Junction Milne Agrigroup Wolanski Foundation Sponsorship & advertising enquiries [email protected] COVER Top: Dear Fredy (pg 16); Bottom: Promise at Dawn (pg 35). 3 The 2018 Jewish International Film Festival CONTENTS — Highlight Events . 6 Films (alphabetical order). 8 Melbourne Schedule ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������50 Melbourne Events . 54 Sydney Schedule . 56 Sydney Events ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������58 Brisbane, Canberra and Perth Schedules ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������59 Tickets & Venue Info. 68 Booking Form . 69 Index ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������71 KEEP UP WITH ALL THINGS JIFF — Subscribe to JIFF e-news ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� JIFF.COM.AU/SIGNUP Be our friend ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������FACEBOOK.COM/JEWISHIFF Follow us . INSTAGRAM.COM/JIFF_OZ Tweet @JEWISHIFF. or follow #JIFF2018 Enquiries . [email protected] or (03) 9524 7955 JIFF HAS BEEN EXEMPT FROM CLASSIFICATION BY THE CLASSIFICATION BOARD. UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE ON THE WEBSITE, ALL SCREENINGS ARE RESTRICTED 4 TO PERSONS AGED 15 AND OVER UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT. Welcome A NOTE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR — We have had the honour of gathering the creative sparks inherent in each of the films in our 2018 collection. Together they spotlight this Jewish moment in time and resonate universally. Thank you for your tremendous support and curiosity. See you at the movies. — Eddie Tamir, Artistic Director FESTIVAL TEAM — EXECUTIVE FESTIVAL DIRECTOR .... Lindy Tamir WEB DEVELOPMENT .................Sam Morgan FESTIVAL & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR .... Eddie Tamir TRAILERS.........................Hudson Sowada MARKETING MANAGER, PROGRAMMING MATERIALS & & DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR .. Erin Rosenberg CONVERSIONS .......JORR Pty Ltd & Roar Digital VENUES, OPERATIONS & TICKETING COORDINATOR .......Meg Donaldson A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE DEDICATED TEAMS COPYWRITER .....................Erin Rosenberg AT CLASSIC, LIDO AND CAMEO CINEMAS, PUBLICIST ..........................Cardinal Spin GREATER UNION AND EVENT CINEMAS, FESTIVAL IDENTITY ROSEVILLE CINEMAS, DENDY CINEMAS, & DESIGN ............Studio Round & Kylie Holmes AND NEW FARM CINEMAS. 5 Highlight Events Opening Night — The Interpreter Join us to celebrate the start of JIFF 2018 with the Australian Premiere of critically-acclaimed road movie, The Interpreter (pg 21). Debuting at the 2018 Berlin Film Festival, The Interpreter offers a charming and witty interpretation of our complex relationship to familial histories and guilt. Tuesday 23 Oct 6:15PM FOR 7PM The Interpreter screening — ticket includes complimentary glass of wine. EVENT CINEMAS, BONDI JUNCTION Wednesday 24 Oct 7:15PM Drinks, canapés, and live music from Melbourne trio Yonatan is a Giraffe, who will perform songs from the iconic Israeli album The 16th Lamb (Hakeves Hashisha Asar). 8:30PM The Interpreter screening CLASSIC CINEMAS, ELSTERNWICK Saturday Night Live — Director Q&As Celebrate the extraordinary life of beloved comedian Gilda Radner with our Q&A screenings of Love, Gilda (pg 28). Director Lisa D’Apolito joins us from the USA to share her experiences on the making of this exuberant and moving documentary. 9PM Saturday 27 Oct CLASSIC CINEMAS, ELSTERNWICK 6:45PM Sunday 28 Oct LIDO CINEMAS, HAWTHORN 6:30PM Monday 29 Oct EVENT CINEMAS, BONDI JUNCTION Sobibor Based on the true story of the Sobibór camp uprising, this Russian blockbuster production tells an extraordinary story of the resistance of the human spirit. Director and star Konstantin Khabensky joins us from Russia for a series of Q&A screenings (pg 43). 6:35PM Sunday 4 Nov EVENT CINEMAS, BONDI JUNCTION 6:15PM Monday 5 Nov CLASSIC CINEMAS, ELSTERNWICK 6 Börek Bake-Off Fire up the oven and ready your tummy — it’s time for the inaugural JIFF Börek Bake-Off! Prior to a screening of documentary The King of Börek (pg 24), bring your flakiest and tastiest böreks (or bourekas!) to the Classic Cinemas Elsternwick for your chance to be crowned JIFF’s Best Baker! 3:15PM Sunday 18 Nov. Register your participation at jiff.com.au 4PM The King of Börek screening (tickets sold separately). CLASSIC CINEMAS, ELSTERNWICK SPONSORED BY ESKAL Closing Night — The Unorthodox Fresh from an Opening Night berth at the Jerusalem Film Festival, The Unorthodox (pg 47) is the electrifying new film from Eliran Malka, the writer/director of hit Israeli TV series Shababnikim. Inspired by the unique formation of Israel’s Shas party, The Unorthodox is a stirring, moving and laugh-out-loud film about the rise of the underdog, and the power of a single man to create real societal change. Wednesday 21 Nov 7:00PM FOR 7:30PM The Unorthodox screening — ticket includes complimentary drink. EVENT CINEMAS, BONDI JUNCTION 7:30PM FOR 8:30PM The Unorthodox screening — ticket includes complimentary drink. CLASSIC CINEMAS, ELSTERNWICK SPONSORED BY SIX PARALLELS SOUTH “JIFF is so Jewish...confronting, challenging, amusing, moving, exhilarating and exhausting. You are creating an essential cultural vehicle for exploring ideas.” —LEAH JUSTIN, CO-DIRECTOR OF THE JUSTIN ART HOUSE MUSEUM (JAHM) See pages 54–59 for the full list of JIFF events. Tickets at jiff.com.au and participating cinema box offices. 7 UKRAINE — 2017, 92 MIN USA — 2018, 85 MIN DIRECTOR — Akhtem Seitablaev DIRECTOR — Paula Eiselt LANGUAGE — Russian (English subtitles) LANGUAGE — English 87 Children 93Queen Nazi-occupied Crimea, 1944. A boy named “You’ll kvell. Forget Supergirl and DOCUMENTARY Itzhak turns to Saide Arifova, a local Tatar Wonder Woman: to see a real female Muslim woman, for help, explaining that superhero in action, check out this he and a group of other Jewish orphans are all-female, Hasidic EMT corps.” hiding from the Nazis. Arifova faces a moral — The Hollywood Reporter FEATURE dilemma: should she try to help them or save herself by refusing? Despite the danger, she Set in the Hasidic enclave of Borough Park, decides to protect the children by hiding them Brooklyn, 93Queen follows Ruchie Freier, in plain sight and disguising them as Tatars. a diminutive, no-nonsense Hasidic lawyer Based on an incredible true story, and mother of six who is determined to 87 Children celebrates the bravery of a single provide dignified Emergency Medical woman, and pays testament to the ingenuity Services (EMS) to the women of her and gall that allows us to survive in the neighbourhood. With insider access, this unlikeliest of circumstances. uplifting documentary offers up a unique portrayal of a diverse group of tenacious MELB (CLASSIC CINEMAS) MELB (CAMEO CINEMAS) Thurs 25 Oct 6:45pm Sun 11 Nov 6:45pm women who are taking matters into their own ★ Sun 28 Oct 6:30pm hands to change their community from within. Tues 30 Oct 12:15pm SYD (EVENT CINEMAS) Sat 3 Nov 9:20pm Thurs 25 Oct 6:45pm MELB (CLASSIC CINEMAS) SYD (EVENT CINEMAS) Tues 6 Nov 12:00pm Sat 3 Nov 8:50pm Thurs 25 Oct 12:00pm Sun 28 Oct 6:35pm Tues 13 Nov 4:45pm Thurs 15 Nov 8:30pm Tues 30 Oct 4:30pm Wed 14 Nov 6:45pm Thurs 15 Nov 8:40pm Sun 18 Nov 12:00pm Fri 9 Nov 12:00pm Sun 18 Nov 12:00pm SYD (ROSEVILLE CINEMAS) Sun 11 Nov 12:00pm PERTH Wed 21 Nov ★ 12:00pm Wed 14 Nov 8:15pm Wed 14 Nov 6:30pm See page 59. MELB (LIDO CINEMAS) Thurs 15 Nov 12:15pm BRISBANE, CANBERRA, Sun 18 Nov 2:15pm Sat 27 Oct 9:00pm PERTH Thurs 1 Nov 6:30pm Tues 20 Nov 2:00pm See pages 59 – 60. Sun 4 Nov 6:30pm MELB (LIDO CINEMAS) Mon 5 Nov 4:30pm Sun 28 Oct ★ 4:15pm Thurs 8 Nov 8:45pm Tues 6 Nov 6:30pm Sun 11 Nov 12:00pm 8 SOUTH AFRICA, NETHERLANDS — 2017, 123 MIN DIRECTOR — Jean Van De Velde LANGUAGE — English, Afrikaans (English subtitles) An Act of Defiance “The ideal of a democratic and free society is one MELB (CLASSIC CINEMAS) DOCUMENTARY for which I am prepared to die.” — Nelson Mandela Thurs 25 Oct 4:15pm Mon 29 Oct ★ 6:30pm FEATURE Sun 4 Nov 12:15pm ★ 1963, South Africa. Ten men — some black, some Jewish — are Wed 7 Nov 12:00pm Sat 10 Nov 9:15pm arrested for conspiring to commit sabotage against the Apartheid Mon 12 Nov 6:30pm state and its government. Led by fellow defendant Nelson Mandela Thurs 15 Nov 6:30pm Mon 19 Nov 4:20pm and represented by courageous lawyer