On Sunday, for the first time in my life, I attended two film festivals on the same day. Only in the Bay Area. Modern Cinema/Black Powers: Reframing Hollywood SFFILM and SFMOMA don't officially call their various series festivals, but they qualify in my book. When you can see eight films in three days, all built … Continue reading A Day of Two Film Festivals
Tag: Holocaust
1945: When the Jews returned to town
A Period drama Written by ván Angelusz , Péter Reich, and Ferenc Török Directed by Ferenc Török It's August, 1945. The war in Europe ended scarcely three months ago. In a small Hungarian town, two Orthodox Jews get off the train. Who are they and what are they doing there? 1945 isn't about these two Jews. … Continue reading 1945: When the Jews returned to town
Revisiting Schindler’s List
I loved Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List when I first saw it in 1993. It blew me away. Within a year or so I bought the Laserdisc (used), and watched it two or three times over the next decade. I recently revisited it for the first time in maybe 15 years - this time via Netflix. … Continue reading Revisiting Schindler’s List
Fanny’s Journey: Children on the run
A Holocaust thriller Written by Lola Doillon and Anne Peyregne; based on the book by Fanny Ben Ami Directed by Lola Doillon [Note: I wrote this review, after previewing the film before the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, with the intention of posting it before the picture's theatrical release. I changed my plan Sunday morning, … Continue reading Fanny’s Journey: Children on the run
Survivor documentaries: Sunday at the Jewish Film Fest
Attending the SanFrancisco Jewish Film Festival in the East Bay is an entirely different social experience than going to any other festival...at least it is for me. When I go to most festivals, I socialize with other cinephiles - people I've come to know and befriend because we all love cinema. But at the Jewish … Continue reading Survivor documentaries: Sunday at the Jewish Film Fest
Before and after the Holocaust: Saturday at the SF Jewish Film Fest
I caught two movies Saturday at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. The first was set just before official anti-Semitism turned into genocide. The second one was set right after the war. Voyage of the Damned This big-budget overstuffed turkey from 1976 tells an important and largely true story, and one that's exceptionally important today. … Continue reading Before and after the Holocaust: Saturday at the SF Jewish Film Fest
Jewish Film Festival Preview, Part 2
Here's four more movies that will screen at this year's San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. As usual, I've listed them from best to worst - although there are no real turkeys in this batch. You can also check out my first collection. A Fanny's Journey In occupied France, a school mistress attempts to smuggle a … Continue reading Jewish Film Festival Preview, Part 2
This year’s Jewish Film Fest deals with refugees, music, romance, and yes, genocide
This year's San Francisco Jewish Film Festival focuses considerably on the traditional command of tikkun olam (healing the world). Several of the films have little or nothing to do with Judaism, but they are very much about justice, charity, freedom, and cleaning the planet - all parts of tikkun olam. But not all. The festival … Continue reading This year’s Jewish Film Fest deals with refugees, music, romance, and yes, genocide
