Thursday, March 24, 2011

the minneapolis jewish film festival kicks off tonight

Presented by the Sabes foundation, the 18th Annual Minneapolis Jewish Film Festival begins tonight with a party and screening of the 2009 Argentinean film Anita:
Opening Night Party: 6 pm
Opening Night Film:  7 pm
Venue: ShowPlace ICON Theatres in the shops at West End in St. Louis Park

“Life can give you a surprise at any turn.” Anita Feldman, a young woman with Down syndrome, lives with her widowed mother in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her warm, carefully structured life changes in an instant following an unforeseen tragedy. Anita is inadvertently plunged into a strange unfamiliar world where she interacts with many, receives help from some, and profoundly affects others. Marcos Carnevale’s film makes the larger tragedy personal. Anita—acted affectingly by Alejandra Manzo—is a young woman you will not soon forget.

Director: Marcos Carnevale | Argentina, 2009 | Spanish w/English subtitles | Drama, 104 min.

Argentinian AcademyAward, Best Supporting Actress – Leonor Manso
3 Additional AAA nominations (New Actress, Original Screenplay, Supporting Actress)
Best Drama & Audience Award, LA Latino International Film Festival, 2009
The rest of the films will be screening now until April 10th at the Sabes JCC, the St Louis Park theater, and the Mall of America.  Reviews for a handful of these films will appear over the next couple of days, so keep your eyes peeled, ok?

For those curious, wondering what the festival is about, according to their website it's to "present the best feature films, documentaries and shorts from around the world on themes of Jewish culture and identity."

I'm going to post the entire list of films right here, but first I have to say that the variety of films is impressive to say the least- there truly is something for everyone at this festival.   If I could recommend a couple to you right now, I'd highlight the film about Ethiopian rapper Jeremy "Cool" Habash (Children of the Bible), and the documentary on one Palestianian's family fight to save their ill baby (Precious Life).  And although I haven't seen it myself, any baseball fan should probably check out Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story.  That is unless you still have hard feelings about Sandy Koufax's dominance over the Minnesota Twins in the 1965 World Series (it's been nearly 50 years, guys, get over it!)  Anyway, here are the films:

MARCH 24Opening Night Film + Party
Anita
MARCH 26Auf Widersehen: 'Til We Meet Again
Where I Stand: The Hank Greenspun Story
La Rafle
MARCH 27My So-Called Enemy
Jimmy Wilson Children's Event
Ahead of Time
Grace Paley
Where I Stand: The Hank Greenspun Story
MARCH 29Children of the Bible & These Are My Names (Double Feature)
My So-Called Enemy
MARCH 30Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story
MARCH 31The Infidel
Seven Minutes in Heaven
APRIL 2Ahead of Time
The World Was Ours & The Girl From the Reading Primer (Double Feature)
Romeo and Juliet in Yiddish
APRIL 3New Faces of Minnesota
The World Was Ours & The Girl From the Reading Primer (Double Feature)
Precous Life
APRIL 5No. 4 Street of Our Lady
APRIL 7Auf Widersehen: 'Til We Meet Again
APRIL 9Children of the Bible & These Are My Names (Double Feature)
Where I Stand: The Hank Greenspun Story
Closing Dessert Reception
The Matchmaker
APRIL 10Rimon Salon

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