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November 7, 2003/Cheshvan 12 5764, Vol. 56, No. 7
Film festival at Sun Lakes
JESSICA BARBER
Staff Writer
Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation, Temple Havurat Emet and Chabad of the East Valley have joined forces to offer the first-ever Jewish film festival in Sun Lakes this winter.
"Film festivals are popping up all over the world," said Sid Israel, festival director. "Let's put Sun Lakes on the map."
The festival will offer seven films throughout the series, with each individual screening featuring a major full-length film and a shorter film. Films will be shown Jan. 11, Jan. 25, Feb. 15 and Feb. 22 at Pollack Tempe Cinemas, 1825 E. Elliot Rd., Tempe.
Israel began thinking about putting together a film festival shortly after a fund-raiser for the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus included a screening of the film "The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg."
Israel's wife, Gloria, is the former baseball player's niece, and wanted the film to be shown to her community in Sun Lakes.
"We wanted to show the film, but there were some contractual problems over the last few years," said Israel. "It's open, so now is the time to show it. And then I said to myself, as long as I'm showing one (film), why not show more?"
Since then, the festival has grown to include the films "The Quarrel," "Deaf Heaven," "Left Luggage," "Advice and Dissent," "Dad on the Run" and "Zahor (Remember)." Event coordinators are also working to attract guest speakers to each screening.
So far, about 1,000 of the 2,800 tickets available have been sold. Fifty percent of the proceeds from the event will be put into community and charity programming at the three sponsoring synagogues, explains Israel. The other half will be donated to the Maricopa County Library, Ed Robson Branch, in Sun Lakes.
"Chandler is one of the fastest growing areas of the Valley," said Judy Hippner, publicity chairwoman of the event. "We want our own libraries, closer to where we live. I think having our own film festival is a statement of our own cultural independence."
Hippner also stresses that the film festival goes beyond the local community.
"We have these congregations in the geographical area, and this is a project where we can all work together and join forces for the good of the entire community, as well as the Jewish population," said Hippner.
Gloria Israel notes that choosing the library as the benefactor of funds is a way to attract the non-Jewish community to participate as well.
"We want the support of the gentile community," she said. "Quite a few tickets have been purchased by non-Jews."
Cost for each screening is $5. Tickets for the entire series are $16.
Call Gloria Israel, ticket chairwoman, at 480-895-0322.
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