Jewish film aficionados converge in Boston

Picture yourself in Boston - the cradle of American history, the home of the first public school in America, the Freedom Trail and the Boston Tea Party - spending four wonderful days with Jews from all over the world, sharing a common interest and goal.

I did that very thing.

As board members of the Phoenix Jewish Film Festival, Pam Levin, director of the Sylvia Plotkin Judaica Museum in Scottsdale, and I attended the Nov. 4-7 Conference of Jewish Film Festivals, sponsored by the National Foundation for Jewish Culture. The most profound thing I came away with was the knowledge that, whether your festival is in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Canada, Germany, or the United States, we are all Jews linked by our heritage and traditions.

Film festivals all over the world face many of the same issues. How do you curate an interesting and exciting program? Will a film you believe is important offend your audience? How do you keep your festival fresh? How do you entice the 20-40 year olds to attend? How do you, year after year, keep the channels of money flowing?

We talked about these issues and heard experts on various panels throughout the conference. The answers aren't easily found. When you can meet with representatives from festivals from around the world, you not only learn you're facing the same challenges, you can search for answers together, and also have a marvelous time.

As Jews we are challenged to create an identity for our children that connects not only to religion, but also to culture. For younger Jews, traditional Jewish organizations are not the bridge that brings them together. Because these young people have a higher amount of debt, they enjoy free events when socializing. Wayne Firestone, director of Israel Affairs and Hillel International, suggested to us that we show films late in the evening; for example, Boston's festival has many midnight screenings. Gesher City is another organization that tries to engage the younger generation, through its interactive Web site that brings information on cultural events such as film festivals to Jews ages 20-30.

The issue of non-affiliation is not always relevant because many people relate to Jewish culture rather than Jewish religion. The key value to Jewish film festivals is their ability to connect a crossing point in Jewish life.

Censorship is another issue. The executive directors from the United Kingdom and Haifa festivals were both threatened with the loss of their jobs if they included a film of "delicate" subject matter.

In the United Kingdom, the director wanted to include a film that didn't show Israel in the best light, while the Haifa director wanted to include a film made by a Palestinian filmmaker. They each stood their ground, feeling that it's OK to push the limits in order to challenge traditional perspectives. Happily, they both convinced their boards that this was important and the films were shown.

As an American, it was shocking to hear that even now the Barcelona and Mexico City festivals are subject to government censorship. The director from Barcelona is in his late 20s. His festival is very unusual in that it's geared to 20-30 year olds. It was wonderful to meet someone so young and so involved in providing a connection for his fellow Barcelonians.

With the same passion to share films of Jewish content, in 1990 the San Francisco film festival brought their festival to Moscow. It was the first time since 1915 that a government-sanctioned Jewish event was held there.

It's not just going to the movies when things such as this happen. No matter the country or city, here or abroad, everyone at the conference felt that passion for film festivals would help create a new cinematic language. It reflects the complexity in our society and challenges the audience. That's a good thing. It's because of Sheldon and Phyllis Pierson who nine years ago had the vision to start the Phoenix Jewish Film Festival that we here in the greater Phoenix area have the opportunity to learn, taste and enjoy our wonderful traditions and culture.

During a free afternoon, a group of us got together and toured Boston. Spending the time with our fellow conference goers from Tucson, Brooklyn, Jerusalem and Warsaw was exciting. Looking out in the harbor at the U.S. Constitution together as Jews from different parts of the world was thrilling. Watching the faces of new friends from Poland and Israel sharing this journey in American history was something I will never forget.

On Blackstone Square, in the middle of so much of our American history, is the Holocaust Memorial. There are six glass and steel towers 50 feet high that are etched with six million numbers in random sequence. Recollections by Holocaust survivors are set into the glass walls as well. Walking through these towers was a shattering experience. People reduced to numbers. As difficult as it may be to watch a film about the Holocaust, it is important. Genocide is part of our world today; it is not just history.

Films are a way of building bridges between countries. They allow us to have a peek into another way of living and thinking. Films with Jewish content are an important part of keeping the connection between Jews here at home and throughout the world. America is a country of immigrants. We toured and experienced Boston not only as representatives of film festivals from around the world, but also as Jews sharing a common and very special heritage.

Roni Zee is a board member of the Phoenix Jewish Film Festival.

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