THE TREE OF LIFE
Documentary, 76 min, 2008
Written and directed by Hava Volterra
The history of the Jews in Italy is beautifully inter-woven into the
director's personal and moving story. Los Angeles based director,
Hava Volterra, tries to come to terms with her father's death by
traveling to Italy, the land of his birth, to trace the roots of the
family tree.
With the help of her feisty 82 year old aunt, her father's sister,
she travels persistently from city to city, digging through ancient
manuscripts and interviewing a wide range of quirky scholars, to
piece together the fascinating and humorous stories of her Italian
Jewish ancestors.
As Hava continues her journey, her aunt begins to come to terms with
her own past, and plans a trip to find and thank the family who hid
her and Hava's father during WWII.
This documentary is indispensable for students of Jewish history. The
film is an important stepping stone in the understanding of a unique
and complex Jewish community. "The Tree of Life" will be a
significant contribution to any collection of Jewish film.
In her review in The Forward, Susan Zuccotti ("The Italians and the
Holocaust: Persecution, Rescue, and Survival" University of Nebraska
Press, 1996) says of Hava Voltera's efforts "the result is "The Tree
of Life," a remarkable 76-minute film of great beauty and substance.
It is not only a portrait of a man, but also a personal glimpse of
the history of Italian Jewry and its complex, delicate, often fraught
but equally often intimate relationship with Italian culture".
The list of institutions that have already purchased this film
include Yale University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, the
University of Maryland, UCLA, Yale University, University of
Pennsylvania, California State University and the Bureau of Jewish
Education. "The Tree of Life" is a worthy addition to your department
and library.
Pricing:
For Universities libraries = $300
For Public libraries = $115
For more information about the Film, a trailer and voices from the
press, please check:http://www.ruthfilms.com/the-tree-of-life.html
To order a DVD, please contact: [email protected]
Ruth Diskin Films Ltd.
Tel: 972-2-6724256; Fax: 972-2-6724210
E-mail: [email protected]
Don't forget to check our online catalogue: www.ruthfilms.com
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and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL)
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