Jewish Film World, Vol. 3, No. 1 Spring 2008

Here are short takes from the current issue of Jewish Film World. To read the full articles, click on “subscribe” and we’ll rush you the spring issue.

BEAUFORT: An American-born Filmmkaker Finds His Historical Moment

By Jan Lisa Huttner.

Joseph Cedar’s new film Beaufort, set during the Israel Defense Force’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000, is Israel’s candidate for this year’s “Best Foreign Language Film” Oscar. The Academy Awards’ ceremony will be history by the time you read this article, but win or lose, I believe images from Beaufort will endure long after most films released in 2007 have faded from memory. Beaufort is more that just a milestone in Israeli filmmaking, it’s one of the most significant combat films ever made.

NEW JEWISH SOUNDS

By George Robinson.

Want to know what you should pay for a certain Brazilian feature? Curious about how well an Israeli doc went over at other festivals? Seeking advice on attracting a younger audience? Then the Film Presenters Network is for you. This informal group, with over one hundred members, is sure to have someone who can furnish the information you need. Thanks to the Network’s initiator, Isaac Zablocki of the JCC in Manhattan, pricing standards are being established, members are being encouraged to share speakers’ costs and there is a conference in the works for next summer’s Jerusalem Film Festival.

A PERSONAL TAKE ON MAILER AND THE MOVIES

By Mashey Bernstein.

Although best known as a prolific author and essayist, Norman Mailer, who died last November at the age of 84, had a long connection with movies, as well. He starred in several, most notably in Ragtime (1982), Milos Forman’s recreation of early twentieth century New York. He played the real-life architect Stanford White, who was killed by the jealous husband of Evelyn Nesbit (Elizabeth McGovern.) His last appearance was in  the television show, Gilmore Girls, in which he played himself in an episode that was shot in Provincetown, where he spent his later years.

THE WIT AND WISDOM OF THEODORE BIKEL

By Barbara Greenleaf.

Theodore Bikel has been everywhere and done everything—actor, folk singer, civil rights activist, arts advocate—yet as Cantor Mark Childs said recently in giving the highlights of his mile-long resume to a packed and rapt house at Santa Barbara’s Congregation B’nai B’rith, “This is no mere memory. Theodore Bikel is very much with us.” You can say that again. Whatever the 83-year-old Bikel has done he’s still doing, only the venues have changed.

BOOK REVIEW:
MAZEL TOV: Celebrities’ Bar and Bat Mitzvah Memories

By Jill Rappaport.

Reviewed by Mashey Bernstein. Although I am sure it was not the intent of the writer of Mazel Tov, Celebrities’ Bar and Bat Mitzvah Memories, no book depressed me more in a long time. What was meant to be a fun examination of the way that various well-known figures, primarily Hollywood celebs, remember that pivotal moment in their lives when they stood in front of family, friends and congregations to declare, “today I am a man,” (bat mitzvahs get short shrift in this book,) becomes instead, with one or two exceptions, a portrait of the demise of American-Jewish culture. Jill Rappaport, who compiled the book, hopes the reader will find the stories told by Larry King, Noah Wylie, Richard Dreyfus et. al, to be “as touching, heartfelt and hilarious” as she did, but I found none of those emotions here.  What I found instead were the usual and rather unsurprising accounts that any one of us could recite: learning the portion by rote, awful outfits, proud parents and parties of all shapes and sizes.

ERIN KOLIRIN ON THE BAND’S VISIT

By Laura Blum.

Eran Kolirin is the director and writer of The Band's Visit, a fable about the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra’s star-crossed visit to Israel to perform at an Arab Cultural Center. With a world premiere at Cannes, Kolirin’s debut feature swept Israel’s Ophir Awards and won Best Picture at the Tokyo International Film Festival. It was also Israel's official entry for the Best Foreign-Language Oscar—until it wasn’t. When I spoke with Kolirin, I learned why getting lost can sometimes be a find.

AND THE WINNERS ARE…

There was a lot of excitement around Jewish Film World’s first annual Jewish Film Festival Poster Contest. Over 1,200 readers voted online for their favorites among the 38 entries for 2007. Outpacing all others was the 22nd Israel Film Festival, which was created by Ant Farm, a Los Angeles advertising agency. According to the festival’s executive director Meir Fenigstein, “The poster served to brand the event. The Star of David created by fingers conjures up images of peace as well as Israel. We feel it helped enormously in increasing our numbers to 51,000 admissions at our three cities, Los Angeles, Miami and New York.”