Sonoma County Virtual Jewish Film Festival Oct. 13 – Nov. 16

Wed, October 21, 2020, 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Ten of the newest and best international films will be available online on a dedicated, user- friendly, film platform. Highlights include the newest release, SUBLET, a moving Israeli LGBTQ drama, and THEY AIN’T READY FOR ME, a documentary about an African American rabbinical student and mother singlehandedly fighting against violence on Chicago’s South Side. The films will be available on-demand throughout. Embracing the new medium, four live filmmaker talks will allow the community to interact with the creative minds behind the works. There will an audience award for best feature and best short film. Season passes are now on sale.

SUBLET (LGBTQ DRAMA) – A New York Times travel writer comes to Tel Aviv after suffering a tragedy and finds the energy of the city and his relationship with a younger man bring him back to life. Starring Tony Award-winner John Benjamin Hickey and directed by Eytan Fox (Walk on Water). Director talk, date TBA. (English, Hebrew).

THEY AIN’T READY FOR ME (DOC) – Astonishing story of Tamar Manasseh, the African American rabbinical student and mother who leads the fight against senseless killings on the south side of Chicago. When a mother was shot and killed breaking up a fight, Tamar did something simple yet revolutionary: she sat down on that corner and hasn’t left since. Filmmaker talk, date TBA. (English).

THE PASSENGERS (DOC) – In Ethiopia, there is a community of over nine thousand Jews, yet Israel continues to deny their entrance to Israel, a Jewish birthright. The film follows the amazing journey of two young Ethiopian Jews, Demoz and Gezi, as they represent their abandoned community on a fateful mission in America. Talk with director Ryan S. Porush October 27, 7 pm. (English, Amharic).

MOSSAD (COMEDY) – A globe-trotting Mossad agent finds himself hot on the trail of a mysterious “Really Bad Guys” terrorist organization when an American tech-billionaire is kidnapped in Jerusalem. This zany off-the-wall comedy is truly an Israeli Naked Gun! (Hebrew).

MY NAME IS SARA (DRAMA/TRUE STORY) – The true story of a 13-year-old Polish Jewish girl, Sara Goralnik, who escapes to Ukraine and assumes a Christian identity after her family is killed by Nazis. (English, Ukrainian).

THOSE WHO REMAINED (DRAMA) – A remarkably lyrical story of the healing power of love in the midst of loss and trauma, through the eyes of a young girl in post-World War II Hungary. Filmmaker talk, TBA. (Hungarian).

SHORT FILM PROGRAM – Four exceptional short films from around the world: a comedy in the West Bank, dancing with disability, antisemitism in high school, and a rare Jewish-Japanese documentary. (Hebrew, Arabic, German, Japanese, English). Complete information in the online film guide.

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