Jewish film festival

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January 25, 2002/12 Shevat 5762, Vol. 54, No. 19

Jewish film festival explores diversity

LEISAH NAMM
Assistant Editor

Gay and lesbian Orthodox Jews, the Messianic Nationalist Movement and the Lebanon war are topics covered in the sixth annual Phoenix Jewish Film Festival.

Before the actual festival begins, a pre-opening dessert buffet and a video screening of "The Power of Good: Nicholas Winton," a follow-up film to last year's "All My Loved Ones," will start at 7:45 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, at Temple Beth Israel, 10460 N. 56th St., Scottsdale.

"The Power of Good" is a documentary about an Englishman responsible for saving the lives of 669 children during World War II by arranging for them to leave the Czech Republic by train to safety in England.

Tickets are $12.50 and include a presentation by the film's writer and director, Matej Minac.

The festival runs Feb. 17-21 at Harkins Camelview 5 Luxury Cinemas at Fashion Square, 7001 E. Highland Ave., Scottsdale.

The Phoenix Jewish Film Festival was founded in 1995 by Phyllis and Sheldon Pierson; last year's festival drew about 1,300 viewers.

This year's films are:

"Time for Cherries"

2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17

Miki, a yuppie advertising copywriter, is called up to reserve army duty. In this surreal journey through the war zone, he becomes a star of a TV special about the Lebanon war's closing days.

The Israeli film is in Hebrew with English subtitles. Arizona State University professors Madalaine Edelman and Shai Ginsburg will lead a discussion following the film.

"Leon, The Pig Farmer"

7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17

In this British film, Leon Geller, a young Orthodox real estate agent, discovers he is the product of artificial insemination and that his biological father is a pig farmer in Yorkshire.

"Solomon & Gaenor"

7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 18

This Academy-Award nominee is a star-crossed story of a young Jewish peddler, hiding his faith, and a Welsh Christian coal miner's daughter.

The Welsh film is in English, Welsh and Yiddish with English subtitles. Jack Kugelmass, head of the ASU Jewish Studies Program, will lead a discussion after the film.

"Trembling Before G-d"

7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19

This film is a documentary about gay and lesbian Hasidic and Orthodox Jews and their dilemma of reconciling their passionate love of Judaism and the biblical prohibition against homosexuality.

The American film is in English, Hebrew and Yiddish. Local film authority and critic Fred Linch and Rabbi Bill Berk of Temple Chai of Phoenix will lead a discussion panel following the film.

"Time of Favor"

7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20

This study of the Messianic nationalist movement is a thriller about religious nationalist settlers who conspire to blow up the Dome of the Rock mosque on the Temple Mount.

This Israeli film, winner of six Israeli Academy Awards, is in Hebrew with English subtitles.

A question-and-answer session with the Israeli star of this movie, Aki Avni, and the shaliach of the Israel Center for the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix, Eitan Ben-Ami, follows.

"Left Luggage"

7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21

Isabella Rossellini stars in this Belgian film about an Orthodox Jewish family. A liberated nanny develops a bond with the Orthodox family's 4-year-old son and clashes with the stern father as she is drawn into their closed Orthodox world.

The film is in Yiddish with English subtitles.

Each film will conclude with a discussion session; some details were not available at press time.

Sponsors are Lund Cadillac, Northern Trust Bank and Renaissance Construction. Jewish News of Greater Phoenix is the media underwriter.

Tickets are $7.50 per film, $5 students.

For tickets, contact the participating organizations: Beth El Congregation, Har Zion Congregation, Ruach Hamidbar-Spirit of the Desert, The Israel Center of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix, the Jewish Studies Department of Arizona State University, The Sylvia Plotkin Judaica Museum of Temple Beth Israel, Temple Beth Sholom, Temple Chai, Temple Emanuel, Temple Kol Ami and Temple Solel.

Visit the Web site at www.phxjewishfilm.org.

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Jewish film festival explores diversity

LEISAH NAMM Assistant Editor

LEISAH NAMM
Assistant Editor