The 12th NY Sephardic Jewish Film Festival February 7-14, 2008 Opening Night Thursday, February 7th 7:30pm Got No Jeep and My Camel Died U.S. Premiere Director: Ehud Tomalak. Producers: Aida and Amos Michaeli. Israel, 2006, 65 mins. Hebrew w/English subtitles. Inspired by the Jewish masters of Iraqi music, the film portrays the musical journey of Yair Dalal, and his vow to carry on their vanishing legacy. Post-screening performance and discussion with Yair Dalal. Reception follows.
Saturday, February 9th 7pm Exodus: Ada's Dream North American Premiere / TRIBUTE TO ISRAEL @ 60 Presented in collaboration withCentro Primo Levi, the Consulate General of Italy, the Consulate General of Israel, the Italian Cultural Institute and RAI Corporation. Director: Gianluigi Calderone. Italy, 2007, 140 mins. Italian w/English subtitles. Starring Monica Guerritore. Based on the true story of Ada Sereni, who became a leader of the Aliyah Bet, helping the underground Jewish Brigade bring survivors to Palestine in 1945. She mediated the departure of the ships with both the British and Italian Prime Ministers. Saturday, February 9th 9:30pm Family Heroes (Le H?ros de Famille) New York Premiere Director: Thierry Klifa <http://cineuropa.org/filmography.aspx?lang=en&documentID=48743>. Producer: Sa?d Ben Sa?d <http://cineuropa.org/filmography.aspx?lang=en&documentID=6314>. France <http://cineuropa.org/filmsindex.aspx?lang=en&ctr=5&documentID=61350&alt=2005>, 2006, <http://cineuropa.org/filmsindex.aspx?lang=en&year=2005&documentID=61350&alt=5> 103 mins. French w/English subtitles. Cast: Catherine Deneuve <http://cineuropa.org/filmography.aspx?lang=en&documentID=5696>, Miou-Miou <http://cineuropa.org/filmography.aspx?lang=en&documentID=60637>, Emmanuelle B?art <http://cineuropa.org/filmography.aspx?lang=en&documentID=17262>. Partial nudity. The story unfolds with the unexpected death of the cabaret owner of the Blue Parrot (in Nice, France) and his decision to leave his establishment not to his prot?g? of the past 40 years, Nicky Guazzini, but rather to Nicky's children by different mothers. The result is confusion and pain, followed by secrets revealed and lives turned upside down. (Presented solely by the American Sephardi Federation.) Sunday, February 10th 12Noon Sallah Shabati Director: Ephraim Kishon. Israel, 1964, 110 mins. Hebrew w/English subtitles This social satire, about an Oriental Jewish family in a settlement camp in Israel in 1949, placed director, Ephraim Kishon, and producer, Menahem Golan, among the first Israeli filmmakers to achieve international success, and introduced actor Chaim Topol to audiences worldwide. It was nominated for a 1964 Academy Award in the category of Best Foreign Language Film, a first for an Israeli production. Post-screening discussion, "The Bourekas Cinema and its Legacy," with Professor Yaron Shemer, filmmaker, author, and Senior Lecturer on Israeli Media and Popular Culture, Hebrew Language and Literature, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, University of Texas at Austin. Sunday, February 10th 3pm Souvenirs Directors: Shahar Cohen and Halil Efrat. Israel, 2006, 75 mins. Hebrew w/English subtitles. With humor and compassion, the film exposes a complex father-son relationship. Sleiman, a strict 82 year old Yemenite, suggests that his filmmaker son, Shahar, make a film about the Jewish Brigade, in which he served during WW II. They set out on the trail of the Jewish Brigade, beginning in Israel and continuing through Italy, Germany and ending in Holland, with a surprising discovery. Souvenirs won the Audience Award at New York's Tribeca Film Festival. Sunday, February 10th 4:30pm Operation Mural: Casablanca 1961 U.S. Premiere / TRIBUTE TO ISRAEL @ 60 Director: Yehuda Kaveh. Israel, 2007, 55 mins. Hebrew, English, French w/English subtitles. Presented in collaboration with the Dorot Jewish Division of the New York Public Library and the Institute for Sephardic Studies, CUNY Graduate Center. Special thanks to the Consulate General of Switzerland in New York. This film documents a forgotten story, adding a new page to Israel's heroic birth and history. Forty-five years after their clandestine mission, three Mossad agents return to Casablanca to retrace their steps in a humanitarian mission whereby 530 Jewish children reached Israel in 1961, under the guise of holidays in Switzerland. "Operation Mural" (16 March - 24 July 1961) succeeded beyond all expectations. "Mural", code-name of David Littman - himself unaware that the operation was directed by the Mossad - and his contacts, "Georges" and "Jacques," were assisted by a dedicated local group of Jewish youth (the Misgeret). There are many precious testimonies of children and key Mossad figures in Israel, and the Littmans in Switzerland. Post-screening discussion with David Littman and Bat Ye'or. Moderator: Professor Jane Gerber, Institute for Sephardic Studies, CUNY Graduate Center. Sunday, February 10th 6:30pm The Jews of Lebanon (le Petite Histoire des Juifs du Liban) Director: Yves Turquier. France/Lichtenstein, 2006, 77 mins. In the 1960's, there were nearly 8,000 Jews in Lebanon; today there are less than 60. Through the stories of community members, now scattered all over the world, this film recounts their times of happiness, and then their exile to many countries -- among them the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Israel, France, Italy, and Switzerland. Post-screening discussion with the filmmakers. Sunday, February 10th 8:30pm Aviva My Love (Aviva Ahuvati) Director: Shemi Zarhin. Israel, 2006, 107 mins. Hebrew w/English subtitles. The touching story of a hard-working mother in the small northern Israeli town of Tiberias. For years she has kept her remarkable writing skills under wraps, until her sister introduces her to Oded, an accomplished novelist who becomes her mentor. On the brink of fulfilling her lifelong dream to become a published author, she finds that her novelist mentor has other plans for her work. She learns about pursuing one's dream in the face of brutal ambition and family obligations. Winner of six Israeli Academy Awards. Monday, February 11th 3pm Mortgage Directors: Tal Franit and Sharon Maymon. Israel, 2006, 55 mins. Hebrew w/English subtitles. A comic drama that examines how far a young couple will go in order to save their home from being taken back by the bank. As the confiscation date approaches, the relationship has been marred, but their deep love holds in store a very precious surprise. followed by Black Over White New York Premiere Director: Tomer Heymann. Israel, 2007, 50 mins. Hebrew, Amharic w/English subtitles. The "Idan Raichel Project," a huge hit in Israel and worldwide, envisions a modern, multicultural nation where voices of young and old, Ethiopian and Yemenite, unite in a unique and extraordinary sound. The film takes us on a journey to the group's musical origins in Ethiopia. This is a story about longing for home, and discovering identity. Tuesday, February 12th 5pm & 7:30pm Centro Primo Levi presents two programs of documentaries, television shorts, and fiction films exploring little-known aspects of Italian Jewish history and identity. Hosted by Natalia Indrimi with special guests to be announced. Wednesday, February 13th 5pm The Last Jews of Libya Director: Vivienne Roumani-Denn. USA, 2007, 50 mins. Hebrew, English, Italian, Arabic w/English subtitles. Through the story of her own family, who moved from Benghazi to Boston when she was 12 years old, Vivienne Roumani-Denn tells the story of Libyan Jewry, an ancient Sephardic community that lived on the southern shores of the Mediterranean for hundreds of years. At the end of World War II, there were 36,000 Jews remaining in Libya. Not one remains today. The film is narrated by Isabella Rossellini. Post-screening discussion with the filmmaker. Wednesday, February 13th 6:30pm Leaving Paradise: The Jews of Jamaica U.S. Premiere Director: Melanie Levy. Producer: Chandra Simon. Jamaica, 2007, 13 mins. A lively and colourful look at the little know Jewish Community In Kingston, Jamaica . They have existed on the island for over 350 years, and possess one of the only five extant synagogues in the world with a white sand floor. followed by Ladino - 500 Years Young Director: Rina Papish. Israel, 2006, 52 mins. Hebrew, Ladino, Spanish w/English subtitles. Since their expulsion from Spain in 1492, generations of Sephardic Jews succeeded in maintaining the Ladino language, a hybrid of Hebrew, Spanish, Turkish and Greek. Israeli singer, Yasmin Levy, following in the footsteps of her father, Yitzhak Levy, a revered singer who dedicated his life to recording and documenting the musical culture of Ladino, takes us on a powerful and exciting singing tour in Israel and Spain. This rich and beautiful culture is in danger of becoming extinct. Levy is determined to keep it alive. Wednesday, February 13th 8:30pm Adieu Meres (Goodbye Mothers) North American Premiere Director: Mohammed Ismael. Morocco, 2007, 115 mins. French and Arabic w/English subtitles. This portrays the relationship of two Moroccan families - one Jewish, the other Muslim - during a time of social upheaval in the 1960s. The film, shot mostly in Casablanca and Tetouan, depicts the situation of Moroccan Jews during the period known as the "Black Years of Emigration," when there was a pervading sense of hesitation between two conflicting desires: remaining in Morocco or uprooting themselves to emigrate. Thursday, February 14th 7:30pm CLOSING NIGHT Nuba of Gold and Light Director: Izza Genini. Morocco, Spain and France, 2007, 80 mins. Arabic, Spanish w/English subtitles The word "n?ba" ("each one in turn") came to describe the process of reciting poems accompanied by music with a progressively accelerating tempo. In the 9th century in Cordoba, Zyriab, also called the Blackbird, came from Baghdad to the Caliph's Court, where he set down the foundations of Arab Andalusian music, within which the "n?ba", a musical suite, plays the key role. Tradition says that some of these suites were gradually lost after Cordoba's fall in 1236 and Seville's in 1249. From that time, Jewish and Muslim populations brought back to North Africa the al-Andalus scholar's musical art. Genini's beautiful documentary presents the North African music and features Francoise Atlan and the Orchestra of Mohammed Briouel from Fez; Ihsan Rmiki and the El Awj Ensemble; The Amine El Akrami Orchestra of Tetouan; The orchestra of M. Zitouni and the musicians of the Hanafta caf? in Tangiers; The Arab Andalou Orchestra and the Hadarate of Chefchaouen; Albert Bouadanah and G?rard Edery. Post-screening performance by Gerard Edery and discussion with filmmaker, Izza Genini. Film schedule subject to change. TICKET INFORMATION Opening Night $45 for film, musical performance and post-screening reception. Academic discounts available. Closing Night $35; $30 for ASF and YUMuseum members for film, musical performance and post-screening reception All other films: $11 General Public/$9 ASF and YUMuseum members, seniors and students; Festival Pass (for 5 films of choice): $45; $40 for ASF & YUMuseum members. (Does not apply to Opening & Closing Nights and Centro Primo Levi films on February 12th.) Reservations for specific screenings must be made at time of purchase. Tickets may be purchased in advance: Phone: Center for Jewish History Box Office at 917.606.8200; In person: 15 West 16th Street. Sunday through Thursday 11am - 5pm; one hour prior to screenings. E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; Online: www.ticketweb.com <http://www.ticketweb.com/> Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) =========================================================== Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: Hasafran @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html History: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/history.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
