Jewish film blog

Festive film Jews

This in via SomethingJewish:

This year's London Film Festival is underway in the capital, offering two weeks of great movies from around the world. And among this year's highlights are some of the best new Jewish-themed movies around. So for those of you who fancy checking out some Semitic cinema, Caroline Westbrook looks at what you should be seeing.

Everything Is Illuminated

Based on Jonathan Safran Foer's novel, this quirky comedy drama stars Elijah Wood as Jonathan, a young Jewish man who travels to Ukraine in search of the woman he believes saved his grandfather from the Nazis.

He's joined on this journey by a pair of Ukranian tour guides – a grumpy old man and his grandson whose command of English is dodgy at best. This is very much a film of two halves, the first part being a hilarious fish-out-of-water comedy, the latter half taking a more dramatic turn as Jonathan comes closer to finding out the truth about his grandfather.

Showing on: November 1, 6.30pm/November 3, 4pm, Odeon West End

Song of Songs

Set among London's Orthodox community, this tells the story of Ruth (Natalie Press) whose dying mother's last wish is to be reunited with her estranged son David (Joel Chalfen). However, when Ruth tracks him down it sparks off a chain of unexpected and sinister events.

Showing on: October 24, 6.30pm, Phoenix East Finchley November 1, 9pm, National Film Theatre

Bee Season

Based on Myla Goldberg's book, this family drama follows Eliza Naumann (Flora Cross), a young girl who surprises her family by winning her school spelling bee and heading for the national championships. Her dad, a Judaism professor (Richard Gere) who has never realised his daughter's potential, begins taking more of an interest in her as a result and introduces her to the world of Jewish mysticism.

Showing on: October 22, 6pm/October 24, 3.30, Odeon West End

Ushpizin

This Israeli tale is billed as the first film made by and with members of the Orthodox Jewish community that's aimed at a mainstream audience. It focuses on Moshe and Mali, a childless married couple getting ready for Succot. Trouble is, they've got no guests to pay host to, and no money to spend – until an unexpected windfall turns their lives upside down.

Showing on: November 2, 6.15pm/November 3, 4pm, National Film Theatre

The Constant Gardener

Kosher British actress Rachel Weisz is already being tipped for an Oscar nomination for her performance in this thriller, which was the opening night film. The Constant Gardener, which is based on a novel by John le Carre, stars Weisz as a human rights activist who is murdered in Kenya. Her husband (Ralph Fiennes) travels to the area to investigate the circumstances surrounding her death – and is shocked by what he finds. The film's already had its London Film Festival run (it was the opening night movie), but it's released in UK cinemas on November 11.

For further information, visit the LFF website: www.lff.org.uk

Calling all filmmakers

This in from Daily Jews

The second UK Jewish Film Festival's Short Film Funds competition is now inviting entrants. A £15,000 grant is up for grabs to the winning submission to make a film with a Jewish theme to appeal to both a Jewish and non-Jewish audience.

The second UK Jewish Film Festival's Short Film Funds competition is now inviting entrants.

More info here.

Let's Twist Again

Caroline Westbrook reviews Oliver Twist (courtesy of Daily Jews)

Legendary film director Roman Polanski got in touch with his Jewish roots in his last film, the Holocaust drama The Pianist – and won himself an Oscar into the bargain. Three years on, and he's followed it up with another project with a Jewish theme – this time, it's Charles Dickens' classic Oliver Twist that he's bringing to the screen.

This story's been filmed several times before, most famously as the musical Oliver! in the 60s – but if you're expecting big song and dance numbers in Polanski's version, then you're going to be disappointed. For this is a by-the-book adaptation of the Dickens tale, about Oliver, young orphan boy who falls into the clutches of Fagin and his den of thieves. He is eventually rescued by a rich man who wants to adopt him – but Fagin, who is in the pay of the evil Bill Sykes, is determined to get Oliver back before he spills the beans on his pickpocketing past and gets them all into trouble.

Fagin – the Jewish character – was memorably played by Ron Moody in the musical version, and here Ben Kingsley (who has Jewish heritage himself) takes over the role.

In the original novel, Fagin is referred to as 'the Jew' on numerous occasions – and accusations of anti-Semitism have been levelled at the book since it was first published over 160 years ago. But here Fagin's
Jewishness is never actually mentioned, suggesting Polanski has found a way to tell this story without stooping to the usual stereotypes associated with Dickens' work.

Although Fagin is as unpleasant as ever, Kingsley gives him the same kind of human side that Al Pacino gave to Shylock in the recent film of The Merchant Of Venice – he's more of a pathetic character than
anything else. It's a great performance, that gets to the heart of Fagin without turning him into a pantomime villain.

This isn't the best adaptation of Oliver Twist by any means, but Polanski makes it enjoyable – while some adaptations of classic novels can be boring, this one isn't, and the story remains compelling even though the film is nearly two and a quarter hours long. A great introduction to Oliver Twist for those who don't know the story,  and even if you do know the story it's worth seeing.

UK Jewish Film Festival

It might still be a month away, but select highlights of this year's UK Jewish Film Festival, set to take place in November, have been announced – and you should start planning your viewing schedule now.

In fact, if you're planning a holiday during November then cancel it, because this year's line-up is just too good to miss.

Among the highlights will be the following premieres:

"Go For Zucker" This comedy was a huge hit in its native Germany. Not surprising, given that it's set in Germany and is in German. It centres on the Zucker brothers (no, not the ones who gave us Airplane). One is a religious Jew , the other is secular. Following the death of their mother, in order to inherit her money, the pair have to settle their differences.

"The First Time I Was Twenty"  Parisian set comedy-drama about a teenage girl who wants to be like one of the lads.

"Live and Become" (Dir. Radhu Mihaileanu) This drama tells the story of an Ethiopian boy whose mother forces him to declare himself Jewish A Christian in order to be included in Operation Moses, which rescued Ethiopian Jews in the 1980s and brought them to Israel.

"Keep Not Silent" An Israeli documentary, which explores the often unspoken subject of lesbianism and Orthodox Jews.

The full programme will be revealed next week. The 2005 London programme runs first from 5-10 November at the Screen on the Hill, Belsize Park then 12-16 November at selected cinemas across London. Look out for screenings at other venues across the country.

For more information, www.ukjewishfilmfestival.org.uk

Films in Sheffield

Sheffield is probably best known throughout the world as the home setting for the hit movie The Full Monty, but for those who are fans of documentary films, it is also home to the annual Sheffield International Documentary Festival.

The 12th event will takes place from October 10 to October 16 and features a number of Jewish and Israeli themes.

Getting its world premiere is the rather bizarre Philip and His Seven Wives. The story of a messianic "rabbi" who thinks he is a Hebrew King living in Brighton.

Avenge But One of My Two Eyes gets its UK debut. The film looks at Israel and the Palestinian territories and explores the founding of the state of Israel.

Seeds shows how 10 teenagers from Israel, Palestine, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan come together for three weeks at the Seeds of Peace International Camp in Maine.

Tell Them Who You Are takes a look at Jewish cinematographer Haskell Wexler who won Oscars for such films as Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Bound For Glory. The film is made by his photojournalist son Mark.

For more information, visit: www.sheffield2005.com

Jews of Mexico on film

This sounds very interesting:

"In the early twentieth century, thousands of European Jews sailed to Mexico seeking opportunity and escaping persecution at home."

"The documentary Tijuana Jews tells the story of this unique community which blended Jewish and Mexican cultures and customs in an unlikely place and time."

Find out more about Tijuana Jews here.

Everything Is Illuminated

This in from Caroline Westbrook

The trailer for the film version of Jonathan Safran Foer's cult novel Everything Is Illuminated has just been released, and is well worth a look.

Directed by Jewish actor Liev Schrieber (who was last seen in The Manchurian Candidate), the film stars Elijah Wood as the author, who heads for a remote part of Ukraine to trace the woman who saved his grandfather from the Nazis several decades ago. His guides on the trip are a young Ukranian named Alex with a decidedly dodgy grasp of English, and his grandfather, whose grumpiness is concealing a dark secret from his past.

At first glance it looks as though this ought to be a difficult book to put on film. The action spans several centuries, the plot frequently borders on the surreal, and much of it is narrated by Alex in broken English. However, if the trailer is anything to go by it looks like Schreiber and co have done a good job. Wood, almost unrecognisable in big glasses and dark suit, is appealing as Foer, while other moments in the trailer suggest that the blend of comedy and emotional drama will work very well indeed.

The film's due out in December – and if it lives up to the promise of the trailer could be one of the best Jewish movies we've seen in ages.

Click here for the trailer

German comedy triumphs

This in from Caroline Westbrook:

German Jewish comedy Alles Auf Zucker has won six prizes at this year's Lola Awards – the German equivalent of the Oscars. Among the prizes it took home were Best Film, Best Director and Best Actor.

German Jewish comedy Alles Auf Zucker (Go For Zucker) has won six prizes at this year's Lola Awards – Germany's answer to the Oscars.

It took the prize for Best Film at the ceremony in Berlin last week, as well as winning Best Director and Best Actor. It also picked up honours for screenwriting, costume design and music.

Alles Auf Zucker, directed by Swiss filmmaker Dani Levy, is the first Jewish-themed comedy to be produced in Germany since World War II. It focuses on two brothers who are raised on opposite sides of the Berlin Wall – one, Samuel has an Orthodox Jewish upbringing, while Jacob, the other does not. When their mother dies they discover they will only
receive her inheritance if they are reconciled – which means Jacob has to get back in touch with his Jewish roots.

The film has been praised by German critics for taking an everyday look at Jewish life in a country where most Jewish themed films focus on the Holocaust.

"I think this film was a sort of 'liberation' for a lot of people," said Levy. "People tell me how relieved they are after seeing the movie about Jews that they are free to laugh about. I'm happy audiences enjoy it."

It has been a huge hit at the German box office, although no UK release date has been confirmed yet.

Walk on Water review

This review courtesy of SomethingJewish.

SJ's Caroline Westbrook reviews Walk On Water, the most successful Israeli movie of all time in the US which has just been released in the UK. The film centres on Eyal, a Mossad hitman whose has to track down and kill an ageing Nazi war criminal.

The latest film from American-Israeli director Eytan Fox, Walk On Water (15) has already been a hit with audiences across the world, becoming the most successful Israeli movie of all time in the US and winning the Audience Award at the Washington Jewish Film Festival.

Now UK audiences have their own chance to see what the fuss is about – and those who do have the chance to check out this low-budget thriller won't be disappointed.

The film centres on Eyal (Lior Ashkenazi) a Mossad hitman whose latest task is to track down and kill an ageing Nazi war criminal who is in hiding. He attempts to trace his would-be victim by befriending his grandson Axel (Knut Berger), posing as a tour guide while he visits his sister in Israel. However, Eyal suffers a crisis of conscience after the pair become unexpectedly close – and when he travels to Berlin to complete the job (believing that the old man will resurface at his son's birthday party) he is unsure whether he can go through with it.

What follows is a tense and surprisingly touching thriller as the seemingly cold killer is forced to wrestle with personal tragedy (namely, his wife's suicide) and his own conscience. It's helped by an intelligent script (written by Gal Uchovsky) and great performances from the male leads – and while the underlying theme of Israel's attitude towards Germany and its past is ever-present, it's never allowed to dominate the action. If anything, the German characters find their past harder to come to terms with than the Israeli ones do – the central character confronts his own stereotypes and discovers that modern Germany is a very different place from the Germany of World War II.

Ultimately though, this works best as a study of friendship and as a tense thriller – one which entertains even as it makes you think. The fact that it's mainly in English (with some Israeli and German dialogue, subtitled in English), helps too. Well worth seeing.

2006 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival

The 6th annual Atlanta Jewish Film Festival will be taking place from January 23 to January 29 2006 and they are now inviting entries.

For more info, visit the AJFF site here.