Film festival builds community

If you like the movies at the 2005 Sun Lakes Jewish Film Festival, thank the people on the selection committee. They worked hard to choose them.

"We literally spent months previewing films," says Judy Hippner, the festival's co-chairwoman and a member of the committee. "We surveyed the (Jewish) film festivals of all the major cities in America."

From there, the committee made a list of the top-rated films. Then they coordinated with distributors to see which ones were available, which ones were compatible with their theater's projectors, and which ones were rated PG and could be shown to a wide audience.

The committee created a short list of 10 possibilities, which was narrowed down to the four feature films they selected.

Fortunately for members of the public, all they have to do is reap the benefits.

This is the second year for the festival, which is sponsored by Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation, Temple Havurat Emet, Chabad of the East Valley and Hospice of the Valley.

"I think (the festival) is a uniting force," Hippner says.

Hospice of the Valley is this year's guest charity, and proceeds from the festival will be split among it and the three sponsoring congregations.

This year's films are:

"Imaginary Witness": 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 9 - "Imaginary Witness" depicts the history of the Holocaust in the movies. The film integrates clips from Hollywood films made before and after World War II with an array of interviews with directors, historians and Holocaust survivors, to examine the American film community's response to the Nazi genocide.
"A Day in October": 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 16 - "A Day in October" is the portrayal of one family's struggle to protect a resistance fighter during the rescue of the Danish Jews during World War II.
"The Line King": 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 13 - "The Line King" examines the career of legendary cartoonist Al Hirschfeld through interviews with his subjects, insights from his family, vintage home movies and commentary from Hirschfeld himself.
"Double Edge": 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 20 - "Double Edge" is a thriller about the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. When a New York reporter is sent to Jerusalem to cover the conflict, she gets wrapped up in the murder of a Palestinian leader and caught between the murdered man's son and an Israeli officer.

Moviegoers will also be treated to a guest speaker after each screening. For "Imaginary Witness," the speakers will be Rabbi Irwin Wiener of Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation and Bill Straus, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League. Erik Mikkelsen, whose family escaped Poland during World War II only to encounter the Nazis again in Denmark, will speak after "A Day in October."

Local comedian Jamie Fialkin will chat with the audience after "The Line King," and the speaker after "Double Edge" will be Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, a local physician and the chairman of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy.

"The speakers are terrific," says Hippner, because they are "so uniquely related to the films. They are experts in their field."

To celebrate the festival, there will be a patrons' cocktail party held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15. Bashas' is donating food, beverages and the use of the Zelma Basha Salmeri Gallery of Western American and Native American Art for the event. The gallery is located at 22402 S. Basha Road, Chandler. Cost is $50. Call Gloria Israel, 480-895-0322.

Hippner cites cooperation and dedication as the building blocks of this year's festival, as well as the hours spent by the festival volunteers, a group of more than 50 people.

The festival "would not have been as successful without the team effort," she says. "But it's very gratifying to work on something for a good cause."

Details

What: Sun Lakes Film Festival
Where: Pollack Tempe Cinema Theater, 1825 E. Elliot Road
Cost: $6 per film, or $20 for all four
Call: 480-883-9393

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Film festival builds community

JENNIFER GOLDBERG Staff Writer

JENNIFER GOLDBERG
Staff Writer