I saw three films at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival Tuesday. Two were documentaries about ultra-Orthodox Jews connecting with outsiders. The third was a dramatic comedy about a Holocaust vacation. I don't have to tell you why these are Jewish films. They're obvious. City of Joel A short fiction film, Black Hat, preceded the … Continue reading Religious fanatics and a strange honeymoon: Tuesday at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival

I saw three movies at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival Saturday. Two of them were documentaries, the other was a fiction film based on history. One of them was the best I've seen at this year's festival. Another was the worst. Carl Laemmle This interesting, entertaining, but conventional documentary tells us that the creator … Continue reading A lovable Hollywood mogul, the Holocaust & the Occupation, and the man who made Casablanca: Saturday at the SF Jewish Film Fest

Monday was Take Action Day at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. It's kind of a strange name when you think about it. Sitting in a movie theater all day is anything but taking action. Of course, what it really means is that the films (all documentaries) will inspire you to take action. And the … Continue reading Take Action Day at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival

Sunday was my first full day at this year's San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. I saw three features: two documentaries and one narrative. They were all good, but none were excellent. This Is Personal Watching this documentary sometimes feels like experiencing all the horrors of the last three years all over again. But it also … Continue reading San Francisco Jewish Film Festival: Sunday at the Castro