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WORLD OF JEWISH FLICKS DECEMBER 2009

The holiday of Chanukah is one of the most joyous and fun-filled periods in the Jewish calendar. For eight days, presents are given out to children, who play games and eat special foods such as potato latkes and jelly-filled donuts. Unfortunately, not too many films have been made to celebrate this wonderful time of the year, although there have been a number of television programs produced that are now available on DVD, so let’s take a look at some of those. The holiday is a celebration of the victory of the Jewish Maccabees in the second century B.C. against the occupation of the land of Israel by the Seleucid empire. When King Antiochus IV Epiphanes decided to impose his religion and his gods on the Jews, a Jewish priest by the name of Mattathias and his five sons Jochanan, Simeon, Eleazar, Jonathan, and Judah led a rebellion and headed into the Judean hills. Mattathias and his sons formed a small army, and from the sanctuary of the rugged hill country, they set out on forays against the Seleucid armies, defeating them time and again. Eventually, the Jews swept the Seleucids out of Jerusalem and retook the Holy Temple. At that point the Jews found only one vial of oil with which to fuel the eternal light, and it would require eight days to make a new supply of the oil. They lit the light and by some miracle, the light burned for eight whole days, until a new supply of oil was ready. That was the miracle of Chanukah. And through two thousand years of history, the Jews have...

The Jewish Americans

Originally broadcast on PBS, The Jewish-Americans covers 350 years in the lives of Jews who have struggled to maintain their religious identity and still be fully accepted as Americans. It is a story at once specific and universal, one that can be appreciated by any ethnic or religious minority who tests whether “democracy, like America, can find room for everyone.” Beginning with 23 Jewish exiles seeking safe haven in New Amsterdam in...

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

The innocence of childhood savagely collides with the Holocaust in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Bruno (Asa Butterfield) knows that his father is a soldier and that they have to move to a new house in the country… a house near what he thinks is a farm. But his father isn’t just a soldier; he’s a high-ranking officer in Hitler’s elite SS troops who’s just been placed in command of Auschwitz. As Bruno explores the woods...

THE SECRETS

The Secrets Beautifully evocative, nominated for 8 Awards of the Israel Film Academy, The Secrets explores the passage into womanhood of the daughter of an orthodox rabbi finding herself at a crossroads of life. While studying at a women’s religious seminary in Safed, Naomi and her new friend explore the complexities of a religious lifestyle in a vibrant environment of youth, rebellion and desire as they befriend a beautiful, mysterious older woman. Watch...

WORLD OF JEWISH FLICKS DECEMBER 2009

World of Jewish Flicks – October

Summer is over! With October comes cooler weather and a flood of new movies at the theaters. It is time for the film studios to begin releasing the films they hope will garner public attention and Academy Award consideration. In the World of Jewish Flicks, it means the release of such outstanding films such as Inglourious Basterds and A Serious Man. Inglourious Basterds was actually released in August and it has already taken in over $100 million...

World of Jewish Flicks – September

In many ways September is the beginning of a new year. School starts up again after a long summer break, film studios begin releasing the films they consider Academy Award contenders, and DVD companies gear up for the big Christmas season and begin releasing their summer blockbusters for home consumption. September is also the beginning of a new film festival season in Toronto. Every year close to one hundred film festivals enliven the Toronto landscape...

World of Jewish Flicks – July

July is a red letter month in the World of Jewish Flicks. The Jerusalem International Film Festival takes place July 9th – 18th and the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival begins its three week run on July 23rd. The Jerusalem International Film Festival is the oldest and biggest film festival in Israel. It is entering its 26th year and has become one of the best film festivals in the world. I attended the Jerusalem festival last year and...

World of Jewish Flicks – June

June is busting out all over with lots of activity in the World of Jewish Flicks. Although June is usually a slow month for Jewish Film Festival activity, I can report that at least two festivals are being held in major cities of North America. The first is the Israeli Film Festival in Ottawa (www.ottawa.mfa.gov.il). This has become an annual event in Canada’s capital city and will feature four Israeli films between June 4 and 28. These include...

World of Jewish Flicks – May

May brings lots more activity in the World of Jewish Flicks. May is the month of Hot Docs, Toronto’s international documentary film festival and one of the biggest and most important documentary film festivals in the world. Hot Docs this year is showing over 170 films from around the world, and in that total there are several films with Jewish content. The most important Jewish film to appear at Hot Docs this year is Inside Hana’s Suitcase. The...