Film schedule
Jan. 14, 7 p.m., The Loft
“Once in a Lifetime” (Les Heritiers) — Anne Gueguen is determined to give the best education she can to her underprivileged inner-city pupils, but overcoming their apathy is difficult. Lessons from the Holocaust prove to be a potent teaching tool. Based on a true story. (France, 2014, 105 min., French with subtitles)
Jan. 15, 1:30 p.m.
“Advanced Style” – Based on the popular blog of the same name, this documentary celebrates the lives of seven New Yorkers whose eclectic personal style and spirit have guided their approach to aging. (USA, 2014, 72 min.)
Jan. 16, 7:30 p.m.
“Women in Sink”
Filmmaker Iris Zaki trains her lens on the women of an Arab-Israeli beauty salon in Haifa and learns how they feel about peace, strife, life, love and friends. (Israel, 2015, 35 min., Hebrew with subtitles)
“Rock in the Red Zone”
When American filmmaker Laura Bialis set out to document the Sephardic music scene in Sderot, not far from the Gaza border, she had no way to predict where the path would lead. Bialis has crafted an intimate, insightful portrait of Israelis living in a war zone, and the price they pay for their loyalty. (Israel, 2015, 90 min., English and Hebrew with subtitles)
Jan. 17
1 p.m.
“The Seder”
Leo is bringing his boyfriend home to meet the folks, but Mitchell isn’t just any date, and the Passover Seder isn’t just any meal. (Canada, 2011, 13 min., English)
“Portrait of a Serial Monogamist”
Smart, successful and charming, Elsie is the perfect girlfriend. She also happens to be a serial monogamist, with a long history of broken hearts. When Elsie breaks up with her longstanding girlfriend to pursue another woman, she faces her mother’s disapproval, conflicting advice from friends and the nagging suspicion that she may have made a big mistake. (Canada, 2014, 84 min., English)
3:30 p.m.
“Mr. Kaplan”
After fleeing Europe for Uruguay during World War II, Jacob Kaplan built a quiet life. After learning of a mysterious German prowling the shores of a nearby beach, he becomes convinced that he's found a Nazi in hiding and plans to expose him. Distilling a potent mixture of emotional depth and deadpan comedy, “Mr. Kaplan” is a meditation on family, aging and the drive for significance. Uruguay’s entry to the 2014 Academy Awards.(Uruguay/Spain/Germany, 2014, 98 min., Spanish with subtitles)
7 p.m.
“Enter the Faun”
An unlikely collaboration between a veteran choreographer and a young actor with cerebral palsy delivers proof that each and every body is capable of miraculous transformation. Q & A with filmmaker Tamar Rogoff to follow the film. (USA, 2015, 68 min., English)
Jan. 18
1:30 p.m.
“Dear God” (Elohim yakar)
A devout woman visits Jerusalem’s Western Wall each day, hoping that someone will hear her prayers. Little does she know, her supplications are being observed by someone who wants to make her hopes and dreams come true. (Israel, 2014, 12 min., Hebrew with subtitles)
“Vice Versa” (Haahayot Cahana)
Based on the controversial novel by Yehoshua Greenberg (and directed by his brother Amichai), “Vice Versa” tells the story of an unlikely romance between a devout Yeshiva scholar and his terminally-ill student. Their intimate love story transcends the rules of religion, society and faith. (Israel, 2015, 62 min., Hebrew with subtitles)
Jan. 18 7 p.m.
“Theodore Bikel: In the Shoes of Sholom Aleichem”
When Theodore Bikel passed away in 2015 at the age of 91, he left behind a legacy on stage and screen that few could hope to match. From Yiddish theater, to countless folk albums, to his iconic Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof,” Bikel recounts the highlights of his career. (USA, 2014, 75 min.)
Jan. 19, 5 p.m.
“A Borrowed Identity” (Aravim Rokdim)
Eyad is a gifted Arab teen trying to find his place in Israeli society. Given the chance to go to a prestigious Jewish boarding school in Jerusalem, he desperately tries to fit in with his Jewish schoolmates and within Israeli society, He discovers, however, that he will have to sacrifice his identity in order to be accepted, and makes decisions that will change his life forever. (Israel/Germany/France, 2014, 104 min., Hebrew and Arabic with subtitles)
7:30 p.m.
“The Farewell Party” (Mita Tova)
When a gutsy group of senior citizens decides that the end isn't coming fast enough for one of their friends, they decide to take matters into their own hands. While their good intentions quickly spiral out of control, their efforts are marked by warmth, grace and an unmistakably Israeli sense of humor. Nominated for 14 Israeli Oscars. (Israel/Germany, 2014, 95 min.)
Jan. 20
5 p.m.
“To Life!” (Auf das Leben!)
Jonas, a young man on the run, arrives in Berlin just in time to save Ruth’s life. Evicted from her apartment and tormented by her past, the aging Jewish cabaret singer attempts suicide to end her pain. Jonas is not without his own secrets, however, and as Ruth recovers, the two form a deep bond. (Germany, 2014, 95 min., German with subtitles)
7:30 p.m.
“Watchers of the Sky”
“Watchers” interweaves four stories of courage, compassion and determination, while uncovering the forgotten life of Raphael Lempkin, the man who coined the word “genocide” and who believed that the law could protect the world from mass atrocities. The film takes viewers on a provocative journey from Nuremberg to The Hague, from Bosnia to Darfur, from criminality to justice and from apathy to action. (USA/Netherlands/France, 2015, 120 min., English)
Jan. 21
5 p.m.
“Carvalho’s Journey”
When pioneering artist Solomon Carvalho (1815-1897) took his camera and left Charleston, South Carolina’s thriving Jewish community to document John C. Fremont’s Fifth Western Expedition, he could not imagine the adventure that lay in store. This stunning film retraces Carvalho’s steps and recreates his daguerreotype photographs of an unspoiled Western landscape. (USA, 2015, 85 min., English)
7:30 p.m.
“End of Season Sale” (Mechirat Sof Haona)
Two aging strangers connect on a rainy night, one looking for sex, the other holding out for love. When the lack of Viagra precludes a one-night stand, the two men get a chance instead to exchange the pleasures of the flesh for the pleasures of the heart. Best Israeli short film, Tel-Aviv LGBT International Film Festival. (Israel, 2014, 35 min. Hebrew)
“The Invisible Men” (Gvarim Bilti Nir'im)
The documentary highlights the untold story of persecuted gay Palestinians forced to hide illegally in Tel Aviv. Fleeing torture and the threat of death, often at the hands of family members, these men find temporary asylum in Israel’s gay underground as they await passage to the West. (Israel/Netherlands/Palestine, 2012, 68 min., Hebrew/English/Arabic with subtitles)
Jan. 22
1:30 p.m.
“7-Day Gig”
A precocious Brownie, an old man and a chicken gather round after Jay (a Guamanian/Romanian/Catholic/Jew) puts an ad on Craigslist looking for mourners to assist him in sitting shiva for his father. (USA, 2013, 10 min., English)
“Marvin Hamlisch: What he did for Love”
Composer, conductor, genius, mensch — Hamlisch was as close to a modern day Da Vinci as it gets. A career marked by big successes (“The Way We Were,” “Nobody Does It Better,” “The Sting”) also saw some staggering flops. The film crafts a deeply personal and candid portrait of one of the great artists of our time. (USA, 2013, 85 min., English)
Jan. 23, 7:30 p.m.
“Raise the Roof”
Inspired by images of the magnificent wooden synagogues of 18th century Poland — the last of which were destroyed by the Nazis — artists Rick and Laura Brown set out to reconstruct a replica of the stunning, mural-covered Gwozdziec synagogue. “Raise the Roof “tells the story of this 15-year project against the backdrop of the 1,000-year history of Jews in Poland. Closing night wrap party features refreshments and the music of the Klezmopolitans. Proceeds benefit the Bob Polinksky Memorial Media Arts Fund, which supports Arts & Culture programming at the J. (USA, 2015, 85 min., English)
