The Dayton Jewish Film Festival opens at the Neon on Thursday, April 24, at 6:45PM. The festival (running from April 24 through May 18) will bring the best in Jewish and Israeli cinema to the Dayton area, including an international selection of both feature films and documentaries. Festival venues include The Neon Movies in downtown Dayton and The Little Art Theatre in Yellow Springs.
Single Tickets $9, Student Tickets $8, Season Pass $72 (includes all films)
Film Listings:
Thursday, April 24, The Neon , Dayton
6:45PM Reception , Film at 7:30PM
JCC FILM FESTIVAL OPENING NIGHT: The Zig Zag Kid
2012 | Feature | 95 min | Dutch & French w/subtitles
A witty, spirited, and action-packed adventure about a boy on the brink of turning 13 named Nono, whose wild nature constantly gets him into trouble. Two days before his bar mitzvah, he is sent off to his uncle’s to be disciplined yet again. On the train, the over-imaginative boy discovers one last chance to prove himself by befriending a charming international thief. Based on the beloved novel by David Grossman, The Zig Zag Kid uses wit and humor to explore the most fundamental questions of good and evil.
WINNER: Dramatic Directing — Sundance; Audience Award, Best Feature — Hong Kong Jewish FF; Golden Elephant Award, Best Screenplay — International Children’s FF; Grand Prix Award — Kyoto International Children’s FF; Young Audience Award — European Film Academy; Audience Award, Best Feature — ANDkids World FF; Opening Night Film — San Francisco Jewish FF.
Opening Night features a red carpet and string quartet with members of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. The Zig Zag Kid will be showing in both theatres. Opening Night Sponsor: Morris Home Furnishings.
Tuesday, April 29 @ 7:15PM, The Neon, Dayton
Aftermath
2012 | Feature/Thriller | 107 min| Polish w/subtitles
A peaceful village embodying the idyllic beauty of the Polish countryside harbors a dark secret. Two brothers uncover the mystery and are forced to revise their perception of their father, their entire family, and the history of their nation.
Local native Daytonian Martin Gottlieb will speak after the film to share his historical perspective.
WINNER: Yad Vashem Chairman’s Award — Jerusalem FF; Best Actor, Best Production Design, Jan Karski Eagle Award Winner, Critics Prize — Gdynia FF; Eagle Awards — Polish Film Academy.
Thursday, May 1 @ 7:15PM, The Neon, Dayton
Bethlehem
2013 | Feature |100 min |Hebrew & Arabic w/subtitles, MATURE LANGUAGE AND SUBJECT MATTER
Bethlehem tells the story of the complex relationship between Razi, an Israeli Secret Service officer, and his teenage Palestinian informant, Sanfur. Now 17, Sanfur struggles to navigate between Razi’s demands and his loyalty to his family, living a double life and lying to both. Co-written by Israeli director Yuval Adler and Ali Waked and based on extensive research, this film transcends perspectives, revealing the impossible situations and moral dilemmas associated with the dark and fascinating world of human intelligence.
WINNER: Best Film — Venice FF; 6 Israeli Academy Awards (Nominated for 12); Best Israeli Feature — Haifa FF; Represented Israel at Academy Awards
Tuesday, May 6 @ 7:20PM & 7:40PM, The Neon, Dayton
Quality Balls: The David Steinberg Story
2013 | Documentary | 80 min | English
Follow David Steinberg’s hilarious history as Canada’s biggest comedic export. From apperances on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson to joining the ranks of fellow comedians George Carlin and Richard Pryor, Steinberg brings laughter and controversty to all his projects. With directing credits including Seinfeld, Golden Girls, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, Steinberg’s career has influenced a generation. After 25 years, he returns to the stage in this exceptional biography.
Official Selection – Hot Docs
Quality Balls: The David Steinberg Story will be showing in both theatres. Partnering with Hillel Academy of Greater Dayton. Barry Avrich, Director of Quality Balls, will join us for a short Q&A after the film.
Wednesday, May 7 @ 7PM, Little Art Theatre, Yellow Springs
When Day Breaks
2012 | Feature | 90 min | Serbian w/subtitles
A retired Serbian music professor uncovers his true origins and family’s tragic fate during the Holocaust in When Day Breaks, a sentimental and haunting drama from veteran director Goran Paskaljevic. The elderly and widowed Misha Brankov lives a largely solitary existence in Belgrade until the excavation of the city’s old fairgrounds unearths a decades-old secret. An iron box contains documents that verify the professor is the son of a Serbian Jewish couple murdered at a Nazi death camp, not the child of the Christian farmers who raised him. An earnest and seldom-seen remembrance of Serbian involvement in the Holocaust in which thousands of Jews, gypsies and political prisoners were killed.
WINNER: HP Bridging the Borders Award — Palm Springs Intl FF.Serbian Submission for Best Foreign Language Academy Award. Audience Award Best Film – Warsaw Jewish Motifs Film Festival; Silver Award Best Feature Film – Cleveland Film Festival
Thursday, May 8 @ 7:15PM, The Neon, Dayton
Suskind
2012 | Feature | 118 min | Dutch & German w/subtitles
The gripping true story of a Jewish industrialist who saved hundreds of lives is recounted in this lavish award-winning WWII drama. Actor Jeroen Spitzenberger brings magnetism and gravitas to the role of Walter Süskind who exploits his position to protect his family and maneuver some 600 children to safety. Exploring the morally ambiguous, sometimes treacherous line between traitor and hero during times of war, the handsomely-mounted SÜSKIND certainly delivers.
WINNER: Audience Award — Atlanta Jewish Film Festival
Film Sponsor: Square One Salon & Spa
Monday, May 12 @ 7:15PM, The Neon, Dayton
The Prime Ministers: The Pioneers
2013 | Documentary| 115 min | English
Based on the best-selling book, The Prime Ministers: The Pioneers takes the audience inside the offices of Israel’s Prime Ministers through the eyes of an insider, Yehuda Avner, who served as a chief aide and speechwriter to five of Israel’s Prime Ministers. The first of two parts, The Pioneers focuses on Avner’s years working with Prime Ministers Levi Eshkol and Golda Meir and reveals new details about the Six-Day War, the development of Israel’s close strategic relationship with the United States, the fight against terrorism, the Yom Kippur War and its aftermath.
The Pioneers is the 13th release by Moriah Films, the Academy Award winning documentary filmmaking division of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.
Film Sponsor: Brady Ware
Tuesday, May 13, The Neon, Dayton
9:30AM Coffee , Film at 10AM
Esther Broner: A Weave of Women
2013 | Documentary | 62 min | English
A sterling biography of the Jewish author and women’s rights advocate who, bringing her political beliefs to her religion, co-wrote The Women’s Haggadah, providing a revisionist text for patriarchal Seder services. Broner’s Haggadah, devised in 1975, has been utilized since at countless Passover meals, including women as active participants in the Jewish emancipation from the land of Egypt.
Chosen by the JCC Film Fest Committee In memory of Kathy Ellison, discussion following film facilitated by Lindsay Meck, daughter of Kathy Ellison. Partnering with Hadassah.
Tuesday, May 13 @ 7PM, Little Art Theatre, Yellow Springs
The Zig Zag Kid
2012 | Feature | 95 min | Dutch & French w/subtitles
A witty, spirited, and action-packed adventure about a boy on the brink of turning 13 named Nono, whos wild nature constantly gets him into trouble. Two days before his bar mitzvah, he is sent off to his uncle’s to be disciplined yet again. On the train, the over-imaginative boy discovers one last chance to prove himself by befriending a charming international thief. Based on the beloved novel by David Grossman, The Zig Zag Kid uses wit and humor to explore the most fundamental questions of good and evil.
WINNER: Dramatic Directing — Sundance; Audience Award, Best Feature — Hong Kong Jewish FF; Golden Elephant Award, Best Screenplay — International Children’s FF; Grand Prix Award — Kyoto International Children’s FF; Young Audience Award — European Film Academy; Audience Award, Best Feature — ANDkids World FF; Opening Night Film — San Francisco Jewish FF.
Thursday, May 15 @ 7:15PM, The Neon, Dayton
White Panther
2013 | Feature | 88 min | Hebrew & Russian w/subtitles
White Panther is the story of Alex, a young Jewish Russian immigrant, whose family falls apart after his father dies while serving in the Israeli army. In retaliation Alex joins a skinhead gang led by his older brother. An unexpected meeting with David, a religious Moroccan Jew, gives Alex a chance to pursue his longtime dream of becoming a boxer like his father. Alex finds himself torn between his two father figures – the violent older brother and the new Jewish trainer –until he finds out the truth about those he so admires.
NOMINATED: Best Feature — Israeli Academy Awards; Best Israeli Feature — Haggiag Award.
Film Sponsor: James Free Jewelers
Sunday, May 18 @ 7:15PM, The Neon, Dayton
JCC FILM FESTIVAL CLOSING NIGHT: The Third Half
2012 | Feature | 112 min | Macedonian, German, Bulgarian w/subtitles
Set in Macedonia following the Nazi invasion and based on a true story, The Third Half follows the fortunes of FC Macedonia. Determined to build the best football club in the country, Dimitry hires the German coach, Rudolph Spitz, to galvanize his rag tag team but – when the first Nazi tanks roll through the city and Rebecca, the beautiful daughter of a local banker, elopes with his star player, all Dimitry’s plans must change.
Winner: 2nd place Audience Award – Palm Springs Int. Film Festival; Best Narrative Feature – Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. Represented Macedonia at the Academy Awards
Local native Daytonian Alan Gabel will hold a discussion after the film.
Closing Night Sponsor: Economy Towel and Linen
Leave a Reply