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UPCOMING MOVIES FROM JEWISH AUTHORS

You may recall Wonder, a 2017 film that starred Owen Wilson and Julia Roberts as the supportive parents of Augie, a 10-year-old boy whose face is disfigured by a rare medical condition. It got great reviews and made mucho gelt (cost $20 million and grossed $305 million).

Wonder was based on a novel of the same name by R.J. Palacio, 57, the daughter of Colombian immigrant parents. In the book, the boy has a Jewish father and a non-Jewish mother. Religion isn’t mentioned in the film. This cinematic “de-Jewing,” as a friend calls it, of original written source material, is incredibly common.

This same friend told me that a graphic novel by Palacio, White Bird: A Wonder Story, is now filming in Europe. As my friend pointed out, this time they can’t “de-Jew” the film. In a collection of short stories, Palacio expanded on the characters in Wonder and introduced Sara, Augie’s French Jewish paternal grandma. In White Bird, we learn that when Sara was a girl, she was hidden during the Nazi occupation.

The film co-stars Gillian Anderson (Margaret Thatcher in The Crown) as a Christian woman who hides Sara. Helen Mirren plays the much-older Sara. The screenplay is by Mark Bomback, 49, a top writer of many hit films.

In a 2019 Kveller interview, Palacio (first name Raquel), described how she was close to her late Jewish mother-in-law (who lost a lot of family in the Holocaust). She added that the novel was written to function as an introduction to the Holocaust for younger readers.

“Greenlighted” for film production is Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. It’s based on a mega-selling 1970 young adult novel by Judy Blume, 83. It’s about an adolescent girl who frequently talks to God, even though she is being raised in no faith by her Jewish father and Christian mother. This is the first time Blume has consented to have a film made from a book of hers (she says she “trusts the team” behind this film). Kathy Bates will play Sylvia, Margaret’s beloved Jewish grandma. Sylvia gently tries to get Margaret to embrace Judaism.

JTA

R.J. Palacio

WIKIPEDIA

Judy Blume

ON THE GO

PEOPLE | PLACES | EVENTS

TRAUMA & MEMORY NOON-1 PM, MARCH 25

“Thinking from Somali Diasporic Contexts” is presented by the U-M Frankel Center for Judaic Studies via Zoom. This workshop focuses on how geographies continue to limit our thinking. Advance registration required: https:// tinyurl.com/eyh7xady.

FIRESIDE CHAT 8 PM, MARCH 25

Join The Well’s Rabbi Jeff and the Big Ten Network’s lead studio host Dave Revsine for a fireside chat about all things college sports (in and out of a pandemic), sports broadcasting and Jewish identity. Visit meetyouatthewell.org/ calendar/2021/3/25/a-marchmadness-fireside-chat-withdave-revsine-of-btn.

BIM BOM BABY 10-10:30 AM, MARCH 26

Temple Shir Shalom will host this Zoom celebration of Shabbat. The program is geared to babies and children up to age 6. Free. Info: Julie at julie@shirshalom.org or 248-406-4255.

MUSIC SCENE 7:30 PM, MARCH 26

The Kerrytown Concert House in Ann Arbor, 415 N. 4th Ave., will present the Daley-Smith-Robinson Trio. For ticket info: kerrytownconcerthouse.com or 734-769-2999.

SOULFUL YOGA 11 AM, MARCH 27

Join Adat Shalom Synagogue Rabbi Aaron Bergman and yoga instructor Mindy Eisenberg for Soulful Yoga, connecting body and soul as we apply the wisdom of Torah. No yoga experience is necessary. Free. To receive the Zoom link, email jgross@ adatshalom.org or visit adatshalom.org/calendar.

MARCH 26 Daley-Smith-Robinson Trio

WANDERING JEWS 4:30-6:30 PM, MARCH 30

The Sterling Institute for Jewish Studies and Modern Israel in East Lansing presents a webinar panel discussion followed by a book discussion of Wandering Jews: Global Jewish Migration. Info: jsp.msu.edu.

Compiled by Sy Manello/Editorial Assistant. Send items at least 14 days in advance to calendar@thejewishnews.com.