Cultural Calendar

Event

Title:: 12th Annual Israel Film and Cultural Festival
When:: 20 Feb 2010 - 20 Mar 2010
Category:: Film

Description

A Matter of Size

Directed by Sharon Maymon, Erez Tadmor

Herzl, a 340-pound chef has been gamely diving into a sea of perpetual diet groups and fitness regimes, and failing. He’s fired from a restaurant because of his “unpresentable” image; then his rigid weight-loss class dumps him because he keeps gaining pounds. The relentless pursuit to be slim is frustrating Herzl and his three seriously overweight buddies in the working-class town of Ramle. But all this starts to change when Herzl discovers the one place where fat guys can be rock stars: the world of sumo wrestling. The film was nominated for 14 Israeli Academy ‘Ofir’ Awards in 2009

February 20, 2010 @ 8:30pm

Kaplen JCC on the Palisades, Tenafly

$10 for JCC members $12 for General Admission

March 4, 2010 @ 7:30pm

YM-YWHA of North Jersey

$8.00 at YM-YWHA of North Jersey

Menachem and Fred

Directors: Ronit Kertsner, Ofra Tevet

An Israeli professor and an American space engineer now reunite as adults. They were separated during the Holocaust. Fred moved to New York, changed his full name and raised all-American Christians; Menachem went to Israel, is a religious Jew and lives near his children and their West Bank settlement. The men avoided their history for over sixty years until letters from their mother surfaced and forced them to confront the past. This stranger-than-fiction tale is told beautifully, both visually and through Fred’s and the film-makers lyrical narration, inviting viewers to join in questioning the meaning of home, identity and fate. Awarded the Most Inspirational Movie of 2009 at the Berlin Film Festival.

February 20, 2010 @ 8:00pm

Barnert Temple, Franklin Lakes

$8.00 at Barnert Temple

Discussion following the film with Director Ronit Kertsner

March 6, 2010 @ 8:00pm

Congregation Gesher Shalom/JCC of Fort Lee

$8.00 at Congregation Gesher Shalom/JCC of Fort Lee

Discussion following the film with Professor Udi Sommer, SUNY

Eli and Ben

Director: Ori Ravid

Eli is 12 years-old and his world is turned upside down when his father, the City Architect of Herzilya (Lior Asheknazi), is charged with taking bribes. His father is taken into custody and the news makes its way into the newspaper and Eli’s school. Eli is convinced that his father is innocent but will face injustice, corruption and pretence, among both adults and children to prove this. In the process he will re-discover his father and taste the bitter sting of first love.

February 24, 2010 @ 7:30pm

Temple Avodat Shalom, River Edge

$8.00 at Temple Avodat Shalom

Discussion following the film with Rabbi Neal Borovitz

March 7, 2010 @ 4:00pm

Temple Emanuel of the Pascack Valley, Woodcliff Lake

$8.00 at Temple Emanuel of the Pascack Valley

Discussion following the film with Community Shaliach

Stuart Levy

Rafting to Bombay

Director: Erez Laufer

November 2008 – While filming his father revisiting his childhood city of Mumbai, India, Israeli director Erez Laufer finds himself caught in the worst terror attack in the history of the city. As the drama of the terrorist takeover of Chabad House in Mumbai unfolds, the Laufer family recounts how they found refuge there in the 1940s after fleeing the Nazis. From a child's memory of a hopeful and romantic journey, to the mother's horrific reality, and finally to the cruel encounter of past and present time.

March 7, 2010 @ 6:30pm

Kaplen JCC on the Palisades, Tenafly

$10.00 for JCC members $12.00 for General Admission

Discussion following the film with Dr. Jonathan Golden, Associate Director of the Center on Religion, Culture and Conflict, Drew University

March 18, 2010 @ 7:30pm

YM-YWHA of North Jersey

$8.00 at YM-YWHA of North Jersey

Discussion following the film with Dr. Jonathan Golden, Associate Director of the Center on Religion, Culture and Conflict, Drew University

Galilee Eskimos

Director: Jonathan Paz

As a financially-faltering kibbutz in Galilee, Israel is forced to file Chapter 11, many of its residents pack their belongings and take flight before the bailiffs arrive. But in their departure, the emigrants neglected to bring with them a dozen senior citizens who share a special residence inside of the kibbutz, and when the new contractor (hired by the foreclosing bank) arrives, the presence of the elderly individuals naturally surprises him. Never ones to be daunted, the seniors band tightly together and vow to rebuild the kibbutz singlehandedly.

March 8, 2010 @ 7:30pm

Jewish Center of Teaneck

$8.00

Discussion following the film will be led by

North American Kibbutz Movement Central Shaliach, Yaniv Sagee

Jaffa

Director: Keren Yedaya

The film unfolds the dramatic story of Mali (Dana Igvy), who lives with her family in Jaffa and works with her brother and father (Moni Monoshov) at the family owned car repair shop. Mali falls in love with Tauffik, a mechanic in the garage. Despite underlying racism and jealousy that surrounds them, their love affair grows. When Mali finds out she is pregnant, the couple decides to run away and get married abroad. On the morning of the flight, a tragic event reshapes this couple’s future. Also starring Ronit Elkabetz.

(Equivalent rating PG-13)

March 11, 2010 @ 7:30pm

Bergen County Y, a JCC

$8.00 at Bergen County Y, a JCC

Discussion following the film with Community Shaliach, Stuart Levy

Kaplen JCC on the Palisades, Tenafly

$10.00 for JCC members $12.00 for General Admission

Discussion following the film with Professor Udi Sommer, SUNY

For more information contact -

Galeet Lipke

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 201-820-3908

www.ujannj.org/israelifilms

March 20, 2010 @ 8:30pm