TJFF 2014 Press Summary

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22nd$Toronto$Jewish$Film$Festival$ May$1$to$11,$2014$ GAT$PR$Press$Summary$

Interviews*completed* * January*27,*2014* ! !

January*29,*2014** ! !

March*17,*2014** ! !

March*27,*2014** ! !

April*9,*2014** ! !

April*8,*2014** ! !

April*4,*2014* ! !

April*7,*2014** ! !

April*22,*2014** ! ! * * * April*23,*2014** * April*27,*2014* *

Playback* Debbie!Werner!

Jewish*Tribune* Debbie!Werner!

Diversity*Magazine** Helen!Zukerman!!

Xtra!** Joe!Balass!(Spotlight)!

Next*Projection* Joe!Balass!(Spotlight)!

IN*Magazine** Joe!Balass!(Spotlight)!

CJN* Mikel!Koven!(Horror!Porgramme)!

Fangoria* Mikel!Koven!(Horror!Porgramme)!!

CHCH*TV*–*The*Watchlist** Naomi!Jaye,!Grisha!Pasternak!(The$Pin)!!

The*Ethnics*Channel* Jeremie!Abessira!

Toronto*Star* Mikel!Koven!(Horror!Porgramme)!

CHRY*–*All*Things*Jewish* Rani!Sanderson!

* * April*29,*2014** ! ! !

May*1,*2014** ! ! ! ! * May*2,*2014* ! !

May*3,*2014* * * May*4,*2014* * * May*6,*2014** ! * May*8,*2014* * * ! ! ! ! ! !

Sirius*XM*–*Ward*and*Al* Mikel!Koven!(Horror!Porgramme)! * Rogers*TV*–*Daytime** Stuart!Hands!

Toronto*Sun** Bobby!Henline!

AM*740* Helen!Zukerman!

CHOQ*FM** Alexandre!Arcady!(24$Days)!!

Newstalk*1010*Y*Saturdays*with*Ted*Woloshyn** Harold!Troper!(Spadina)!!

CJTW*94.3*–*Perspectives*w/*Barry*Shainbaum* David!Ben!(The$Secret$Life$of$Uri$Geller)* * Sirius*XM*–*Ward*and*Al** David!Ben!(The$Secret$Life$of$Uri$Geller)!!

Global*TV*–*The*Morning*Show* Harold!Troper!(Spadina)!

CBC*RadioYCanada*–*Radio* Emmanuel!Naccache!(Kidon)!!

CHOQ*FM* Emmanuel!Naccache!(Kidon)!

Shalom*Life* Emmanuel!Naccache!(Kidon)!

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May*9,*2014* * * ! ! ! ! ! * ! $

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Sirius*XM*–*Ward*and*Al* Jonathan!Prinz!(Joachim$Prinz)!

Regent*Radio*–*Frameline* Hannah!Espia!(Transit)!!

Regent*Radio*–*Frameline* David!Cairns!(Natan)!!

Sirius*XM/Newstalk*1010*–*Humble*and*Fred* Joe!Kashnow!(Comedy$Warriors)!!

CBC*RadioYCanada*–*Radio* Joe!Balass!(Spotlight)!!

CHOQ*FM* Joe!Balass!(Spotlight)!

Sirus*XM*–*Ward*and*Al* Joe!Kashnow!(Comedy$Warriors)$$ Shalom*Life* Bobby!Henline!(Comedy$Warriors)!

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May*10,*2014!! ! ! !

Newstalk*1010*–*Saturdays*with*Ted*Woloshyn* Joe!Kashnow,!Bobby!Henline!(Comedy$Warriors)!

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Debbie!Werner!named!exec!director!of!TJFF! By(Julianna(Cummins(–(01.29.2014( http://playbackonline.ca/2014/01/29/debbieNwernerNnamedNexecNdirectorNofNtjff/( ( ( !

Debbie( Werner( has( been( appointed( executive( director( of( the( Toronto( Jewish( Film( Festival,( as( the(festival(aims(to(sustain(its(growth.( ( Werner( is( taking( on( the( new( role( following( a( successful(year(for(the(11Nday(spring(festival.(Last( year,(the(Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival(saw(a(14%( increase(in(box(office(sales(for(their(spring(festival( over(2012,(she(told(Playback.( ( Werner( first( joined( the( Toronto( Jewish( Film( Festival( in( 2009( as( director( of( operations,( and( was(promoted(to(managing(director(in(2012.( ( The( festival( has( being( growing( consistently( year( over( year,( Werner( said,( noting( that( it( is( challenging( to( maintain( that( growth( with( so( many( competing( film( festivals( in( the( Toronto( area.( ( “We(all(start(off(as(these(niche(festivals,(but(we(are(all(trying(to(attract(a(larger(audience,”( she(said.( ( In(2012,(the(festival(held(focus(groups(to(identify(how(to(attract(new(patrons(to(the(event,( Werner(said.( ( The( focus( groups( found( that( the( organization( needed( to( better( appeal( to( audiences( that( were(not(Jewish,(and(to(those(who(believed(the(festival(was(only(for(an(older(generation.( ( Based(on(the(feedback(from(the(focus(groups,(the(festival(decided(to(reorganize(its(program( so( that( films( were( listed( by( genre,( rather( than( alphabetically,( so( potential( patrons( could( better(navigate(the(content(of(the(event.( ( The( festival( also( focused( on( using( social( media( and( online( marketing( campaigns( to( better( appeal(to(a(younger(audience.( ( “We(just(made(it(easier(for(people(to(give(us(a(try,”(Werner(said.( ( The(2014(edition(of(the(Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival(will(run(from(May(1(to(May(11,(and(will( feature(over(90(films(from(more(than(15(countries.(

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TJFF!announces!Executive!Director! !

FEBRUARY!11,!2014!|! http://www.jewishtribune.ca/arts@and@culture/2014/02/11/tjff@announces@executive@ director! !

TORONTO!–!Although!the!official!announcement!was!made!recently,!Debbie!Werner!has! been!busy!helming!the!Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!(TJFF)!as!its!executive!director!since!the! fall.! !

“We’ve!had!our!busiest!fall!season!ever,!we’ve!had!just!one!event!after!another!and!it’s! been!fantastic,”!said!Werner.!“It!used!to!be!that!the!Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!was!a! spring!film!festival!and!now!we!are!a!year@round!organization.!It’s!a!pretty!full!schedule.”! !

Festival!co@founder!Helen!Zukerman!stepped!aside!as!executive!director!in!2012!to!become! artistic!director!and!the!position!was!left!vacant!until!Werner’s!appointment.!Werner!had!

16!years!of!experience!in!marketing!and!event!management!when!she!was!hired!as!the!

TJFF’s!director!of!operations!in!2009!and!in!2012!she!was!promoted!to!managing!director.! !

A!number!of!changes!have!already!been!made!under!Werner’s!leadership,!including! opening!an!in@house!box!office!service,!revamping!its!marketing!materials!and!introducing! new!community!outreach!initiatives!such!as!providing!American!Sign!Language!translators! at!events!and!hosting!“sensory@sensitive!family!screenings”!for!people!with!autism!and! other!special!needs.! !

“Part!of!our!mandate!is!to!make!the!festival!as!inclusive!as!possible!and!we’ve!tried!to!look! at!ways!that!we!could!do!that![such!as]!looking!at!marginalized!sectors!of!the!community,”! she!explained.! !

The!TJFF!has!also!established!a!new!joint!fellowship!program!with!Hillel.!

“It’s!a!committee!of!both!Jewish!and!non@Jewish!students!who!come!from!the!University!of!

Toronto,!York!University!and!Ryerson!University.!They!attend!monthly!sessions!with!film! professionals!in!the!city,!come!to!program!meetings!with!us!and!screen!films.!Ultimately,! they!curate!their!own!two@evening!program!at!our!festival.”! !

The!22nd!Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!will!run!from!May!1@11!and!will!coincide!with!the! start!of!Jewish!Heritage!Month.!

The!top!10!film!events!in!Toronto!for!spring!

2014!

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Posted'by'Blake'Williams'/'APRIL'3,'2014' http://www.blogto.com/film/2014/04/the_top_10_film_events_in_toronto_for_spring_ 2014/' !

May!1811!|!Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!

Going'strong'for'over'20'years'now,'the'Toronto'Jewish'Film'Festival'has'continuously' provided'the'city'with'a'wide'range'of'films'that'touch'on'the'Jewish'experience'from'all' over'the'world.'Their'programming'continues'to'evolve'each'year'as'they'look'for'new' ways'to'showcase'Jewish'film.'Assembling'invaluable'national'spotlight'series,'as'well'as' retrospectives'of'influential'Jewish'entertainers,'the'festival'remains'inventive'and' unique.'More'on'this'festival'once'they've'unveiled'their'lineQup.' ' '

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Five!things!to!do!in!Toronto!on!the!weekend!of!

May!2–4! http://www.torontolife.com/informer/torontoQevents/2014/05/01/weekenderQmayQ2/' ' FILM!|!Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!

This'year’s'Toronto'Jewish'Film'Festival'will'include'a'Sunday'special'presentation'of'The' Pin,'which'is'being'billed'as'“the'first'and'only'Yiddish'feature'ever'produced'in'Canada.”'

The'two'leads'had'to'learn'the'language'for'their'roles—a'process'presumably'much' more'intense'than'what'most'young'Jews'do'when'they'want'to'connect'with'the'lingo' of'their'grandparents,'which'is'browse'The'Joys'of'Yiddish'for'oldQworld'insults.'The'film' is'a'love'story'about'two'teenagers'forced'to'hide'in'a'Lithuanian'barn'during'World' War'II.'It’s'one'of'dozens'of'movies'screening'in'different'venues'over'the'festival’s'tenQ day'run.'Until'May'11.'Tickets'$13,'matinees'$8.'Various'venues,'tjff.com'

Toronto&Jewish&Film&Festival&puts&horror& movies&in&the&spotlight& In#its#22nd#year,#the#TJFF#features#Golems,#Dybbuks#and#the#Jewish# Fantastic.# # By:#Eric#Veillette#Special#to#the#Star,#Published#on#Thu#May#01#2014# http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/2014/05/01/toronto_jewish_film_festival_puts_hor ror_movies_in_the_spotlight.html# #

The$Fearless$Vampire$Killers$is$one$of$several$horror$films$screening$at$the$Toronto$Jewish$Film$Festival.$

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# In#Roman#Polanski’s#The#Fearless#Vampire#Killers#,#a#1967#parody#of#the#popular#Hammer#horror#genre,#a# young#woman#attempts#to#fend#off#a#Jewish#vampire#by#brandishing#a#cross#—#a#bloodsucker’s#kryptonite.# # It#doesn’t#go#so#well.# # “Oy#vey,#have#you#got#the#wrong#vampire,”#responds#the#unafflicted#creature#of#the#night.#

In#its#22nd#year,#the#Toronto#Jewish#Film#Festival#,#which#kicked#off#Thursday,#features#Golems,#Dybbuks# and#the#Jewish#Fantastic,#a#sidebar#series#highlighting#Jewish#identity#in#horror#films.# “When#some#Jewish#filmmakers#approach#the#horror#genre,#it#tends#to#be#as#parody,”#says#film#scholar# Mikel#Koven,#who#on#Saturday#will#discuss#mythical#Jewish#monsters#as#well#as#the#Jewish#directors# who’ve#contributed#to#the#genre.#Along#with#Polanski’s#film,#the#series#also#features#Larry#Cohen’s#God# Told#Me#To#—#which#looks#at#mind#control#and#cults#with#“tongue#planted#firmly#in#cheek”#—#Sydney# Lumet’s#televised#The#Dybbuk#(1960),#an#episode#from#the#The#XaFiles#,#and#a#modern#Israeli#horror#film,# Goldberg#and#Eisenberg#.# # Jewish#identity#is#rooted#in#the#earliest#days#of#the#horror#genre.#Paul#Wegener’s#Der#Golem#(1920)#—#the# German#director’s#third#filmed#adaptation#of#the#mythical#Jewish#creature#—#is#“a#classic#of#German# expressionist#cinema.”#Two#years#later,#F.W.#Murnau’s#Nosferatu,#an#unauthorized#adaptation#of#Bram# Stoker’s#novel#Dracula#,#featured#distinct#Jewish#iconography.## Upon#the#arrival#of#sound,#Universal’s#Frankenstein#,#featuring#Boris#Karloff#as#the#inimitable#monster,# drew#heavier#on#Golem#stories#than#Mary#Shelley’s#original#novel.# # Now#living#in#the#UK,#the#Torontoaborn#Koven#has#been#fascinated#by#Jewish#identity#in#horror#cinema# since#he#saw#Elwy#Yost#interview#David#Cronenberg#on#TVO’s#Saturday#Night#at#the#Movies#in#the#1970s.# “It#didn’t#matter#that#I#was#too#young#to#see#any#of#his#films#at#that#time,#here#was#this#young#Jewish# Torontonian#making#horror#films.#That’s#all#I#needed#to#know.”# # But#the#connections#to#Jewish#culture#weren’t#so#obvious#—#Cronenberg’s#work#is#largely#scientific#and# free#of#any#spirituality.# # “You#look#for#crumbs,”#adds#Koven.#In#The#Exorcist#,#the#skeptical#Lt.#Kinderman,#played#by#Lee#J.#Cobb,# becomes#a#grounding#Jewish#figure.#“He’s#arguing#the#rationalist,#scientific#approach,#as#opposed#to#the# metaphysical#approach,#which#is#entirely#Roman#Catholic#in#that#film.”# # In#Polanski’s#seldomaseen#yet#colourful#film,#which#screens#May#10,#the#director#treats#vampires#as#absurd# creatures.#After#all,#the#20th#century#had#its#own#monsters.#In#the#short#film#Zeitgeist#,#screening#earlier# that#day,#director#Navot#Papushado#explores#the#lingering#memories#of#the#Holocaust#on#modernaday# Israel.# # In#light#of#the#Holocaust,#Koven#asks#if#demonic#possession#or#mythical#monsters#represent#true#horror,# adding:#“Could#the#Devil#be#worse#than#Auschwitz?”# # The#genocidal#horrors#of#the#Second#World#War#have#often#weighed#heavily#in#exploitation#cinema#—# Nazisploitation#films#like#such#as#Ilsa,#SheaWolf#of#the#SS#and#SS#Hell#Camp#were#common#in#grindhouse# cinemas#in#the#1970s.# # In#his#talk,#Koven#will#refer#to#Eli#Roth’s#Hostel#films,#particularly#the#sequel.#“In#Hostel#II#,#there’s#a#very# strong#sense#of#industrial#torture,#and#it’s#taking#place#in#eastern#Europe,#in#the#Nazi#killing#fields.#It’s# impossible#to#avoid#that#connection#in#your#brain.”# # Beyond#the#sidebar#series,#the#festival,#which#closes#on#May#11#with#John#Turturro’s#Fading#Gigolo#,#also# features#a#series#of#free#screenings,#including#Tviggy#,#the#late#Al#Waxman’s#first#film#as#director,#as#well#as# the#Torontoacentric#Spadina#,#a#1984#documentary#showcasing#the#onceathriving#garment#industry#that# existed#along#Spadina#Ave.# # For#schedules#and#screening#times,#see#tjff.com.# # Correction$:$May$2,$2014:$This$article$was$edited$from$a$previous$version$that$mistakenly$said$Nosferatu$ was$an$authorized$adaptation$of$Bram$Stoker's$Dracula.#

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Exclusive!//!The!Pin! !

Posted:!May!8,!2014!10:55:07!PM!!!!|!!!Last!updated:!May!8,!2014!11:59:02!AM!!

Category:!Exclusives,!The!Watchlist,!The!Watchlist!Features! !

Tags:!grisha!pasternak,!interviews,!movies,!naomi!jaye,!the!pin,!toronto!jewish!film! festival,!Yiddish! http://www.chch.com/exclusivePpin/! ! !

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We!were!joined!in!studio!by!Naomi!Jaye!and!Grisha!Pasternak!to!talk!about!their!film!

The!Pin,!which!has!its!Toronto!premiere!on!May!11!at!the!Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival.!

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From! Hollywood! To! Nuremberg:! John! Ford,! Samuel!

Fuller,!George!Stevens!

By(Norman(Wilner(–(05.01.2014( http://www.nowtoronto.com/movies/story.cfm?content=197782( (

( ( When(America(entered(the(Second(World(War,(John(Ford(and(George(Stevens(enlisted(in(the( Army(and(were(put(to(work(by(the(Office(of(Strategic(Services(producing(propaganda(reels( and(documenting(the(war(for(the(military.(A(young(journalist(named(Sam(Fuller(also(joined( up,(bringing(his(own(movie(camera(along(to(the(front(lines(as(an(infantryman.( ( Produced( to( accompany( a( recent( exhibition( at( New( York’s( Museum( of( Jewish( Heritage,( Christian( Delage’s( documentary( is( basically( a( selection( of( the( footage( shot( by( Stevens( and( Fuller(as(they(made(their(way(through(the(European(theatre.(Ford(remained(in(the(United( States,( but( he( oversaw( the( production( and( edited( much( of( Stevens’s( work( –( including( a( presentation(screened(at(the(Nuremberg(trials(that(confronted(accused(war(criminals(with( the(gruesome(evidence(of(mass(murder(at(Dachau.( ( Delage(lets(the(footage(speak(for(itself(in(long(stretches,(so(the(presentation(might(seem(a( little( on( the( dry( side( to( casual( viewers,( but( this( is( an( invaluable( documentary( for( film( students(and(historians.(

24!Days!

(

By(Norman(Wilner(–(05.01.2014( http://www.nowtoronto.com/movies/story.cfm?content=197779( (

(

(

This( year’s( opener( is( a( slick( policier( based( on( the( 2006( case( of( Ilan( Halimi,( a( young( Parisian( abducted( in( Paris( by( an( international( gang( specializing( in( ransoming( Jewish( victims.( Director( Alexandre( Arcady,( who( also( coNwrote( and( coNproduced,( is( less( interested( in( the( specifics( of( the( case( (and( the( vile( motivations( of( Ilan’s( kidnappers)( than( in( packaging( the( story( as( a( pulseN pounding(thriller.( ( The( script( is( based( on( a( book( written( by( Ilan’s( mother,( Ruth( Halimi,( which( might( explain( why( Ilan( ceases( to( exist( as( a( character( once( he’s( taken.( But( it( doesn’t( justify( 24( Days’( odd( indifference( to( its( own( themes,( or( its( failure( to( allow(its(talented(leads((Zabou(Breitman(and(Pascal(Elbé(as(Ilan’s(parents,(and( Jacques(Gamblin(and(Sylvie(Testud(as(the(police(specialists(to(whom(they(turn)( to(do(more(than(look(worried(or(shout(at(one(another.(

(

Hunting!Elephants!

By(Norman(Wilner(–(05.01.2014( http://www.nowtoronto.com/movies/story.cfm?content=197781( (

(

(

Swinging( wildly( between( obnoxiously( frantic( farce( and( shameless( melodrama,( this( godawful(heist(comedy(is(apparently(what(passes(for(massNmarket(entertainment(in( Israel(these(days.(The(American(studios(have(nothing(to(worry(about.( ( An(obnoxious(12NyearNold((Gil(Blank)(and(his(grandfather((Sasson(Gabai)(plot(to(rob(a( Jerusalem(bank(with(two(other(seniors,(one(of(whom(is(a(casually(antiNSemitic(English( lord((Patrick(Stewart).( ( The( characters( insult( each( other( constantly( and( often( wave( guns( around( because( director/coNwriter(Reshef(Levi(believes(old(people(being(threatening(is(hysterical.(But( even(the(endlessly(game(Stewart’s(throwing(himself(into(a(performance(of(Funiculì,( Funiculà(can(only(get(him(so(far.( ( (Hunting(Elephants(can’t(even(be(enjoyed(ironically;(believe(me,(I(tried.(( (

(

Cupcakes!

By(Susan(G.(Cole(–(05.01.2014( http://www.nowtoronto.com/movies/story.cfm?content=197783( (

Six(neighbours(learn(the(meaning(of(authenticity(when(they(represent(Israel(in(a(EurovisionNstyle(song(contest.(( It(all(happens(by(accident.(When(Ofer((Ofer(Shechter)(sends(a(video(of(the(group’s(spontaneous(performance,( they(become(surprise(contestants(in(the(competition.(But(a(management(team(wants(to(turn(them(into(Abba( clones(and(strip(the(performance(of(its(soul.(( Each(of(the(performers(has(a(problem(being(who(they(really(are,(from(the(delightful(gay(Ofer,(forced(to(keep( his(relationship(in(the(closet,(to(Keren((Keren(Berger),(who(writes(a(popular(blog(but(is(socially(awkward.( This(musical(comedy(is(a(crowdNpleasing(piece(of(fluff.(Go(have(fun(–(just(don’t(expect(anything(deeper.(

(

The!Pin!

(

By(Susan(G.(Cole(–(05.01.2014( http://www.nowtoronto.com/movies/story.cfm?content=197784( (

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(

This( firstNever( Canadian( Yiddish( feature( –( about( two( young( adults( hiding( out( during( the( Second(World(War(–(has(a(very(strong(mood(and(good(performances(by(leads(Milda(Gecaite( and(Grisha(Pasternak.( When(a(shomer((David(Fox)(–(the(man(who(sits(vigil(for(the(dead(in(a(Jewish(funeral(home(–( believes( that( his( current( charge( is( the( same( woman( he( hid( out( with( decades( ago,( he( has( intense(flashbacks(about(the(experience.( During( the( war,( the( couple( connect( when( they( both( escape( to( the( same( barn.( He’s( much( more(forthcoming(than(she(about(what(brought(them(there.( It’s(a(tad(slow,(but(The(Pin(shows(insight(into(what(it(takes(to(maintain(your(humanity(under( dire(circumstances(and(how(desperately(survivors(seek(closure.(

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FANGORIA!and!The!Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!

Screen!Polanski,!Cohen!Classics!

By(Chris(Alexander(–(04.18.2014( http://www.fangoria.com/new/fangoriaNandNtheNtorontoNjewishNfilmNfestivalNscreenN polanskiNcohenNclassics/( ( ( Now( in( its( 22nd( year,( the( Toronto( Jewish( Film( Festival( runs(May(1(–(11,(2014.(For(this( round( of( fascinating( international( features( reflecting( Jewish( identity,( the( fest( has( teamed( up( with( FANGORIA(to(present(a(pair(of( bona(fide(genre(film(classics.( First( up,( on( May( 3rd( at( 9:30( p.m.( is( maverick( horror( and( exploitation( film( legend( Larry( Cohen’s( ambitious( and( fascinating( 1976( sciNfi( shocker( GOD( TOLD( ME( TO,( a( bizarre( picture( that( blends( urban( cop( thriller( with( theology( and( metaphysics( to( disarming( effect.( Cohen( will( be( appearing( via( Skype( for( an( audience( Q&A( conducted( by( Professor,( author(and(wellNrespected(horror(intellect,(Dr.(Mikel(Koven.( Then,(on(May(10th(at(9:15(p.m.((join(us(for(one(of(the(greats(in(Roman(Polanski’s(uproarious( JudaismNinformed(take(on(vampirism,(1967(‘s(THE(FEARLESS(VAMPIRE(KILLERS((aka(DANCE( OF(THE(VAMPIRES).(In(the(film,(Polanski(himself(stars(as(a(nebbish(running(afoul(of(a(coven( of(bloodsuckers.(Once(more,(the(picture(will(be(introduced(by(Dr.(Koven.( Other(genre(content(at(the(fest(includes(a(rare(screening(of(the(1960(TV(production(of(THE( DYBBUK( (directed( by( a( young( Sidney( Lumet)( and( the( GolemNthemed( XNFILES( episode,( Kaddish.(There(will(also(be(a(free(talk(by(Dr.(Koven,(who(will(explore(Jewish(representation( in(horror(movies.( For(tickets(and(venue(information(visit(the(TJFF(official(site.(Check(back(next(week(here(at( FANGORIA.com(for(a(chance(to(win(tickets(to(the(screenings,(as(well(as(an(exclusive,(edifying( interview(with(Dr.(Koven.(

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March&April+2014+issue+|+No+archive+available+online++

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THE BRIDGE BUILDER W RITTEN BY PETER KNE GT.

http://www.intorontomag.com/index.php/art4entertainment/3414the4bridge4 builder! !

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This!month!filmmaker!Joe!Balass!will!see!his!body!of!work!become!the!first!retrospective!in!the!new! annual!initiative!by!the!Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!(May!1>11)!to!showcase!a!Canadian!filmmaker.!

Three!films—Nana,!George!and!Me!(1997),!2007’s!Baghdad!Twist!(2007)!and!The!Length!of!the!

Alphabet!(2013)—will!make!up!the!program!that!collectively!works!as!a!rich!examination!of!the! many!intersecting!identities!that!Balass!himself!holds.!He’s!an!Iraqi>born,!Jewish!gay!man!who!lives! and!works!in!Quebec.! !

“I!think!it’s!interesting!to!have!this!opportunity!to!show!the!work!as!a!trilogy!on!Iraq!and!in!a!sense! on!identity,”!Balass!says.!“I!think!Nana,!George!and!Me!was!happening!at!a!time!when!it!wasn’t! common!to!make!films!that!were!approaching!identity!from!multiple!perspectives:!Jewish,!gay,!

Iraqi.”! !

Nana,!George!and!Me!depicts!its!three!titular!subjects:!Balass!himself,!his!own!beloved!92>year>old! grandmother!and!a!rather!outrageous!73>year>old!gay!man!he’s!just!met.!Like!Balass,!George!and!

Nana!are!all!Iraqi>born!Jews,!and!through!adventures!with!both!of!them—and!his!own!

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introspection—Balass!offers!up!a!funny,!touching!portrait!of!a!very!complex!trio.!But!one!that!Balass! had!a!hard!time!screening.! !

“Back!then,!Jewish!film!festivals!didn’t!know!what!to!do!with!it;!documentary!film!festivals!didn’t! know!what!to!do!with!it;!gay!film!festivals!didn’t!know!what!to!do!with!it,”!he!says.!“That!was!part!of! the!dilemma.!It!was!like!dropping!a!kind!of!bomb!at!the!time!to!make!a!film!that!bridged!different! identities!that!way.!But!by!the!time!I!got!to!Length!of!the!Alphabet,!it!was!more!about!just!being!able! to!have!those!multiple!identities!flourish!as!opposed!to!just!finding!a!space!for!them.”! !

Length!of!the!Alphabet,!which!Balass!finished!last!year,!is!a!portrait!of!the!life!and!work!of!Naïm!

Kattan,!an!Iraqi>Jewish!Francophone!Canadian!author!and!recipient!of!the!Order!of!Canada.!Balass! follows!Kattan’s!story!from!his!youth!in!Baghdad!through!his!studies!in!France!and!his!move!to!

Montreal,!where!he!founded!the!first!francophone!Jewish!newsletter.! !

“I!heard!about!Naïm!in!the!early!1990s!and!I!was!thinking!about!approaching!him!for![the!project! that!would!become]!Nana,!George!and!Me,”!says!Balass.!“I’d!envisioned!Nana,!George!and!Me!as!a! much!more!plural!piece!with!different!members!of!the!Iraqi>Jewish!community!participating.!

Ultimately!as!I!worked!through!the!process!it!didn’t!make!sense.!But!in!my!head!I!thought!this!is! something!I!need!to!work!on!eventually.! !

He’s!such!an!interesting!person.”! !

The!third!film!being!screened!in!the!retrospective,!the!33>minute!Baghdad!Twist,!works!as!a!sort!of! bridging!point!between!the!two!feature!films.!Using!home!movies,!family!photographs!and!archival! images,!the!film!looks!at!Iraq’s!once!thriving!Jewish!community!through!Balass’s!own!fragmented! family!history.! !

“It’s!really!about!a!place!that!no!longer!exists,”!Balass!says.!“It’s!about!construction!of!identity! through!imagination!and!through!memory.!In!Nana,!George!and!Me!and!The!Length!of!the!Alphabet,!

I’m!focusing!a!lot!more!on!the!here!and!now!whereas!in!Baghdad!Twist!I’m!talking!about!something! much!more!elusive!that!is!more!like!a!dream.”! !

Balass!is!excited!to!see!all!three!films!again!with!audiences!at!the!Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!but! hopes!they!extend!beyond!the!festival’s!target!audience.!“Reflecting!on!the!evolution!of!things!with! an!audience!is!definitely!a!nice!gift.!The!best!experiences!of!a!filmmaker!are!always!getting!to!watch! the!films!with!an!audience!and!seeing!how!they!react.!In!this!case,!three!films!over!almost!20!years.!

I’m!also!really!about!bridge!building,!which!is!one!of!the!reasons!I!wanted!to!do!something!with!

Naïm!because!he’s!the!preeminent!bridge!builder.!And!so!what!I’m!hoping!is!that!there!will!be!a! diversity!of!audiences!at!these!screenings!and!beyond.”! ! !

OTHER!PICKS!TO!CATCH!AT!THE!TJFF! !

Lionel!Bart:!Reviewing!The!Situation!

The!Canadian!premiere!of!this!vivid!documentary!tells!the!story!of!Lionel!Bart,!the!composer!of!the! beloved!musical!Oliver!!The!film!uses!Bart’s!personal!archive!and!a!series!of!interviews!to!revisit!his! life,!including!the!fact!that!Bart!was!at!times!romantically!linked!to!the!likes!of!Judy!Garland!and!

Alma!Cogan!in!a!bid!to!hide!the!fact!that!he!was!gay.!He!didn’t!actually!come!out!until!a!few!years! before!his!death!in!1999.! !

Cupcakes!

Directed!by!Eytan!Fox,!Cupcakes!makes!its!Canadian!premiere.!Fox!has!gained!a!considerable! international!reputation!for!depicting!gay!life!in!Tel!Aviv!through!films!like!The!Bubble,!and!Cupcakes! more!or!less!continues!that!with!a!story!of!a!group!of!Tel!Aviv!friends—some!gay,!some!straight— who!end!up!on!a!Eurovision>like!reality!TV!song!contest.! !

In!Hiding!

Set!in!1944!World!War!II>era!Poland,!Jan!Kidawa>Blonski’s!film!depicts!Janina,!a!young!women!whose! life!is!drastically!altered!when!her!father!decides!to!offer!a!home!to!his!Jewish!friend’s!daughter,!

Ester.!The!relationship!between!the!two!women!develops!romantically,!leading!to—as!one!might! expect!for!the!time—catastrophic!effects!on!both!of!them.! !

Summer!Vacation!

Sharon!Maymon!and!Tal!Granit’s!film!takes!place!during!a!seemingly!perfect!family!vacation!that! begins!to!unravel!through!a!series!of!revelations!of!family!secrets,!including!that!the!film’s!sexy! leading!man!(Israeli!actor!Yiftach!Klein)!might!not!be!as!straight!as!his!wife!thinks.! !

La!Dune!

A!rare!portrayal!of!an!older!same>sex!couple!is!at!the!heart!of!La!Dune,!the!story!of!a!gay!former!

Israeli!police!investigator!who!comes!to!France!to!solve!the!mystery!of!another!man,!who!can’t!speak! and!whose!identity!is!unknown,!found!unconscious!on!a!beach!in!the!West!of!France.! !

Toronto!jewish!film!festival.!May!1>11.!tjff.com.!

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Hot$Docs$honours$documentarian$Adam$Curtis!

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Jason!Anderson!Special!to!the!Star,!Published!on!Thu!Apr!24!2014! http://www.thestar.com/life/2014/04/24/hot_docs_honours_documentarian_adam_cu rtis.html! !

Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival:!The!city’s!spring!film>fest!barrage!continues!with!the!22nd! edition!of!the!TJFF,!which!opens!May!1!with!the!international!premiere!of!24#Days.!

Director!Alexandre!Arcady’s!drama!is!based!on!the!tragic!story!of!Ilan!Halimi,!a!young!

French>Jewish!cellphone!salesman!of!Moroccan!descent!who!was!kidnapped!and! tortured!by!an!anti>Semitic!gang!in!2006.!Arcady!will!attend!the!screening!at!the!Varsity! at!8:30!p.m.!The!TJFF!continues!at!venues!all!over!town!to!May!11.! ! !

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Jewel!of!the!Jewish!Film!Festival!

By(Ryan(Kerr(–(04.29.2014( http://dailyxtra.com/toronto/artsNandNentertainment/filmNandNvideo/jewelNtheNjewishNfilmN festival( ( ( Joe( Balass( honoured( at( this(year’s(event( The( work( of( Montreal( director( Joe( Balass,( whose( contribution( to( the( Jewish( cultural( oeuvre( is( peppered( with( stories( of( displacement,( resilience( and( selfN acceptance,( has( been( chosen( by( the( Toronto( Jewish( Film( Festival( for( its(2014(festival(showcase.( ( Balass(has(three(films(screening(in(the(festival,(what(he(calls(his(Iraqi(Trilogy.(All(three(are( documentary( features( telling( stories( of( fractured( identity( and( the( struggle( to( acclimate( to( new( languages,( cultures( and( continents.( The( first( to( be( screened( is( the( historical( Baghdad( Twist.( In( addition( to( shedding( light( on( an( eradicated( population( of( Iraqi( Jews,( Balass( humanizes(his(birthplace,(which(is(often(associated(with(war.(“The(film(is(trying(to(imagine(a( place(that(no(longer(exists,”(he(says.(“The(basic(premise . . .(is(that(I(saw(an(old(Super(8(film( of(a(wedding(in(1965(Baghdad(—(an(Iraqi/Jewish(wedding(—(where(people(were(dancing(the( twist.(And(then,(a(couple(of(years(later,(people(were(being(imprisoned(and(hanged,(tortured.( And(things(deteriorated(so(rapidly(that(we(were(forced(to(leave.”( ( Add(a(dash(of(queer(to(Balass’s(already(rich(cultural(background(and(you(get(Nana,(George( and( Me,( which( includes( interviews( with( his( nonagenarian( grandmother( and( flamboyant( uncle,( George,( who( divulges( sexy( secrets( from( his( ostentatious( London( mansion( (George’s( monologue(about(foreskin(is(a(highlight).( ( The( final( film( in( the( trilogy( is( a( FrenchNlanguage( documentary( called( La( Longueur( de( l’Alphabet( (The( Length( of( the( Alphabet).( The( film( profiles( Canadian( writer( Naïm( Kattan,( whose(extensive(literary(history(is(interwoven(with(archival(footage(and(personal(interviews( that( detail( his( experience( moving( to( La( Belle( Province( early( in( his( career.( “For( me,( Naïm( represents(the(new(generation(of(Iraqis(—(that(transplanting(of(the(flower(that(was(cut(in( Iraq( —( and( watching( it( blossom,”( Balass( says.( “I( think( we’re( all( like( lotus( flowers( in( that( sense.(We(can(float(around(and(still(bloom.”(

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Horror!Hero!Dr.!Mikel!Koven!Brings!Terror!to!the!

Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!

By(Chris(Alewander(–(04.30.2014( http://www.fangoria.com/new/horrorNheroNdrNmikelNkovenNbringsNterrorNtoNtheNtorontoN jewishNfilmNfestival/( (

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Dr.( Mikel( Koven( is( a( fascinating( fellow.( Born( in( Toronto( and( based( in( the( UK,( Dr.( Koven(has(made(the(academic(study(of(horror(and(dark(fantasy(films(his(life’s(work,( penning( such( badass( books( as( 2010’s( BLAXPLOITATION( FILMS,( a( thorough( study( of( the(vital(exploitation(subgenre(and(2006’s(LA(DOLCE(MORTE,(reflection(and(analysis( of( the( giallo( film.( He( teaches,( lectures,( provides( research( for( such( hit( supernatural( programs(as(HBO’s(TRUE(BLOOD,(and(he(serves(as(the(President(of(the(International( Society(of(Contemporary(Legend.( (

Beginning( this( weekend,( Dr.( Koven( will( be( back( on( the( mean( streets( of( Toronto( to( play(a(pivotal(part(in(the(22nd(Annual(Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival,(running(May(1N11.( Koven( has( helped( curate( the( more( fantastical( entries( this( year( and( FANGORIA( approves(of(his(choices.(May(3rd(sees(Koven(and(director(Larry(Cohen(introducing(the( filmmaker’s(1976(metaphysical(thriller(GOD(TOLD(ME(TO((Cohen(will(be(appearing(via( Skype(for(a(Q&A)(and(on(May(10th,(the(good(Doc(will(be(on(hand(to(introduce(and( add( context( to( Roman( Polanski’s( immortal( 1967( horrorNcomedy( THE( FEARLESS( VAMPIRE(KILLERS.( ( Dr.( Koven( has( indeed( made( a( career( out( of( thoughtful( genre( film( discussion,( examining(cultural(tropes(in(the(process.(It(was(a(passion(started(very(early(on(while( killing(time(as(a(tot(watching(Canadian(TV(and(haunting(downtown(multiplexes.( ( “I( remember( watching( Elwy( Yost’s( ‘Saturday( Night( at( the( Movies’( when( I( was( 10,”( Koven(tells(FANGORIA.(“It(was,(I(think(a(FRANKENSTEIN(and(DRACULA(double(bill(and( that( night,( Elwy’s( guest( was( a( young( Jewish( horror( filmmaker( from( Toronto( who( brought(a(couple(of(minutes(of(his(latest(film(and(I(thought,(my(God,(this(is(my(idol!( And( that( was( my( introduction( to( David( Cronenberg.( And( he( brought( THE( BROOD,( which(scared(me(to(death(and(he(did(it(with(only(two(minutes(of(nonNcontextualized( filmmaking,(The(other(primal(memory(I(have(as(a(kid(watching(horror,(was(when(they( brought( in( the( ‘AA’( rating( to( Ontario( [the( now( defunct( AA,( or( “Adult( Accompaniment”,(rating(dictated(that(children(under(14(could(only(attend(the(film(if( accompanied( by( an( adult(–( Ed]( and( one( of( the( first( movies( they( released( was( a( reN release(of(HALLOWEEN,(downgraded(from(an(R(to(an( AA.( I( saw( it( at( the( Eaton( Center( theatre( and( I( remember( finding( myself( in( the( fetal( position( in( the( seat,(hyperventilating.(Strangers(were(asking(if(I(was( okay.(So(I’ve(been(chasing(that(ever(since.”( ( One( would( think,( being( a( good( Jewish( boy,( that( an( obsession( with( malevolent( dwarves( and( masked( serial( killers( would( go( firmly( against( the( grain( of( familial(expectations(and(indeed,(that(was(the(case.( ( “Oh,( they( thought( there( was( something( wrong( with( me( and( they( still( do!”( jokes( Koven.( “See,( I( went( to( New(York(to(study(the(classics.(Then(I(went(to(the(UK( to(do(my(Masters(and(I(was(working(with(a(respected(academic(–(who(shall(remain(

nameless—who( had( me( pegged( as( a( white,( middle( class( male( oppressor( and( I( was( arguing(with(her(and(I(said,(‘you(know(what,(fuck(you,(I’m(Jewish,(I(got(the(Holocaust,( what(do(you(have?”(and(she(went,(‘Oh(you(do(know(what(suffering(is(about!’(and(I’m( like,( come( on,( really?( The( only( thing( more( embarrassing( than( trotting( that( last( defense(out(was(that(it(worked!(So(this(badge(of(ethnic(identity,(I(felt(it(needed(to(be( understood.( So( that( has( been( my( mission,( to( understand( the( preNconceptions( we( have(of(Jews,(often(using(horror(as(a(hook.”( ( Prior( to( the( screening( of( GOD( TOLD( ME( TO,( at( 7:45( PM( at( The( Koffler( House( (569( Spadina(Cres)(Koven(will(be(giving(a(free(talk(about(just(that,(the(role(of(Jews(in(the( genre.( ( “My( talk( in( Toronto( will( be( in( two( different( parts,”( he( says.( “The( first( will( look( at( things(like,(well,(Detective(Kinderman(for(example,(in(the(EXORCIST;(a(Jew(who(exists( in( essentially( a( nonNJewish( world.( Then( there’s( AN( AMERICAN( WEREWOLF( IN( LONDON(and(the(Polanski(film(which(represent(the(Jew(as(the(outsider.(The(second( part( will( be( fun.( I’ll( look( at( Jewish( folklore( and( what( in( that( can( be( exploited( for( movies.( Things( like( The( Golem( and( The( Dybbuk.( I( mean,( in( the( last( couple( of( years( we’ve(had(two(very(strange(Dybbuk(films,(THE(POSSESSION(and(THE(UNBORN,(both( problematic(but(both(interesting(in(how(they(use(the(mythology.(The(UNBORN(was( better(rooted(in(the(legend,(but(THE(POSSESSION(was(a(better(film,(I(think.”( ( In( respect( to( The( Dybbuk( legend,( Koven( and( the( TJFF( will( also( be( screening( a( very( rare(Sidney(Lumet(directed(TV(film(called(THE(DYBBUK,(a(fascinating(and(rarely(seen( production.(“Lumet’s(THE(DYBBUK(is(not(a(roller(coaster(ride.(Rather,(it’s(very(slow,( philosophical.( Rather( than( a( horror( story,( it’s( discussion( about( love.( Can( you( love( someone(so(much(that(you(cannot(let(go(of(them(even(after(death?(It’s(an(interesting( film.”( ( Interesting(indeed,(as(is(the(entire(program,(and(though(the(screening(of(Polanski’s( signature(vampire(film(promises(the(superior(cinema,(it’s(the(leftNfield(choice(of(the( theological(sciNfi(Cohen(picture(that(really(stands(out.( ( “That(was(my(suggestion,”(notes(Koven.(“I(was(obviously(very(familiar(with(Cohen’s( Blaxploitation(pictures,(but(when(it(came(to(horror,(I(didn’t(think(the(TJFF(would(be( interested(in(Q(or(THE(STUFF(or(IT’S(ALIVE.(But(I(thought(GOD(TOLD(ME(TOO(would( generate(debate.(And(Robin(Wood(wrote(that(amazing(piece(on(it(back(in(the(1970s,( so(it(has(that(critical(background.”(

Toronto&Jewish&Film&Fest:&two&showbiz&tales&of& triumph&and&tragedy& Sophie'Tucker'stayed'at'the'top'for'six'decades;'Lionel'Bart'fell'from'the'heights'to' misery.' '

By:'Martin'Knelman'Entertainment,'Published'on'Tue'May'06'2014' http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/2014/05/06/toronto_jewish_film_fest_two_showbiz_tal es_of_triumph_and_tragedy.html' '

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Singer'Sophie'Tucker'is'the'subject'of'The'Outrageous'Sophie'Tucker,'which'had'its'world'premiere'Sunday'at'the' Toronto'Jewish'Film'Festival'and'gets'a'repeat'screening'May'6.'

' Lionel'Bart'and'Sophie'Tucker'lived'on'opposite'sides'of'the'Atlantic'Ocean,'but'they'had'several'things'in' common.'Both'came'from'struggling'Jewish'immigrant'families.'Both'achieved'storybook'fame'and'wealth'in' show'business'under'names'different'from'the'ones'they'were'given'at'birth.'And'both'are'the'subjects'of' entertaining'and'revealing'documentaries'at'the'Toronto'Jewish'Film'Festival.' ' Tucker'springs'miraculously'back'to'life'in'a'hugely'enjoyable'new'featureSlength'film'called'The'Outrageous' Sophie'Tucker,'which'had'its'world'premiere'Sunday'at'the'festival'and'has'a'repeat'screening'at'1'p.m.'

Tuesday'at'the'Royal'Ontario'Museum.'According'to'its'producers,'it'will'get'a'theatrical'release'later'this'year,' which'I'predict'will'prompt'an'outburst'of'Sophiemania.' ' Bart'is'the'subject'of'a'oneShour'madeSforSBBC'bio'called'Lionel'Bart:'Reviewing'the'Situation,'the'title'of'which' alludes'to'one'of'the'hit'songs'he'wrote'for'the'irresistible'1960'musical'Oliver!'Paired'with'another'showbiz' bio,'about'actress'Claire'Bloom,'Reviewing'the'Situation'will'have'its'second'and'final'festival'screening'at'3' p.m.'Sunday'at'Famous'Players'Canada'Square'Cinema.' ' Despite'the'things'they'have'in'common,'and'the'fact'that'she'was'a'performer'and'he'was'a'writer,'there’s' one'overwhelming'difference'between'these'two'Jewish'showbiz'icons'of'days'gone'by.' ' Tucker'—'who'was'born'Sonya'Kalish'while'her'parents'were'en'route'from'Ukraine'to'the'U.S.'—'had'her'first' job'serving'blintzes'at'her'parents’'restaurant'in'Connecticut'and'sometimes'sang'to'earn'tips.'After'reinventing' herself'for'the'stage,'she'kept'an'iron'grip'on'fame'and'money.' ' Through'changing'times'and'revolving'companions,'the'Last'of'the'Red'Hot'Mamas'(as'she'was'known)' remained'every'inch'the'star'for'six'decades,'spreading'her'ample'self'around'in'vaudeville,'nightclubs,'records,' radio,'TV'and'movies.' ' Hers'is'an'upbeat'story'almost'all'the'way.'And'half'a'century'after'her'death,'she'may'not'be'as'famous'as'her' pal'Fanny'Brice,'but'that’s'because'Brice'was'immortalized'in'Funny'Girl,'starring'Barbra'Streisand.'Tucker,' sometimes'recreated'by'Bette'Midler'onstage,'is'still'remembered'for'her'husky,'risqué'banter'and'her' signature'songs'from'the'1920s,'“Some'of'These'Days”'and'“My'Yiddishe'Momme.”' ' On'the'flip'side,'Bart’s'story'is'a'painful'mix'of'carefree'high'living'and'tragic'downfall.'He'was'born'Lionel' Begleiter,'son'of'a'tailor'in'London’s'East'End.'His'talent'became'clear'early'on,'and'the'fact'that'he'never' learned'to'read'or'write'music'didn’t'stop'him'from'achieving'spectacular'success'at'a'young'age.' ' First'he'broke'through'writing'popSrock'songs'and'collaborating'with'Cliff'Richard'and'Tommy'Steele.'But'his' true'destiny'was'clearly'in'the'musical'theatre.'And'he'hit'the'jackpot'in'1960'with'Oliver!'—'by'far'the'most' successful'British'musical'ever'staged'up'to'that'time.'

Bart'wrote'the'book,'based'on'the'classic'Charles'Dickens'novel'Oliver'Twist,'as'well'as'the'music'and'lyrics.'

Among'the'hit'songs'in'the'show'were'“You’ve'Got'to'Pick'a'Pocket'or'Two,”'“Consider'Yourself,”'“It’s'a'Fine' Life”'and'“As'Long'as'He'Needs'Me.”' ' The'show'was'not'only'a'huge'success'in'the'West'End'but'also'a'triumph'on'Broadway'and'on'the'road.'The' 1968'movie,'starring'Ron'Moody'as'Fagin,'won'six'Oscars,'including'Best'Picture.'In'Stratford’s'2006'production' Colm'Feore'played'Fagin.' ' Alas,'Bart’s'life'postSOliver!'was'downhill'all'the'way.'An'exuberant'showman,'Bart'became'a'cartoon'of'selfS destructive'behaviour:'drinking'to'excess,'spending'money'wildly,'living'high'and'trying'to'please'boyfriends' with'lavish'gifts.'The'craziest'thing'he'ever'did'was'to'give'away'his'rights'to'future'royalties'from'Oliver!' ' (However,'producer'Cameron'Mackintosh'paid'royalties'to'Bart'when'he'revived'Oliver!'in'1994,'even'though' Bart'was'not'legally'entitled'to'a'penny.)' ' Bart’s'greatest'folly'was'his'confidence'that'he'could'squander'his'wealth'because'someday'he'would'have' another'megahit'like'Oliver!' ' That'never'happened.'Instead'he'wound'up'destitute,'a'pathetic'alcoholic'who'declared'bankruptcy'in'1972' and'spent'the'last'two'decades'of'his'life'depending'on'the'kindness'of'others'before'his'early'death'at'age'68' in'1999.' ' In'other'words,'the'talented'man'who'made'history'with'a'Dickens'musical'ended'his'life'in'state'of'Dickensian' misery.'

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Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!2014!

05.02.2014(( http://www.chch.com/torontoNjewishNfilmNfestivalN2/( ( There( are( countless( film( festivals( out( there,( but( none( are( quite( as( unique( as( the( Toronto( Jewish( Film( Festival( (and( if( you’ve( never( seen( their( hilarious( television( commercials,( you( really(should).(This(year’s(festival(runs(until(May(11(and(features(116(films(from(23(countries( that( examines( Jewish( identity( around( the( world.( We’ve( picked( out( a( few( that( piqued( our( interest( below,( but( for( the( full( slate( of( films( and( showtimes( head( on( over( to( the( festival’s( website,(TJFF.com.( ( The(Pin( (

( ( “The(first(and(only(Yiddish(feature(ever(produced(in(Canada,(The(Pin(is(a(haunting(love(story( about( two( young( adults( hiding( out( in( a( barn( in( Lithuania( during( the( Second( World( War.( Filmmaker( Naomi( Jaye( layers( this( simple( story( with( rich( atmospheric( camera( work,( an( eye( for(sensual(detail,(and(moving(performances(by(the(two(leads,(who(were(taught(to(speak(an( impeccableNsounding(Yiddish.(“With(limited(resources(and(the(power(of(storytelling,([Jaye]( has( created( a( small( film( that( feels( mainstream( and( epic”( (The( New( York( Times).( With( this( special(presentation,(TJFF(honours(the(uniqueness(of(this(film(and(its(production.”( ( You(can(see(our(interview(with(The(Pin(director(Naomi(Jaye(and(star(Grisha(Pasternak(here.(

( Before(the(Revolution( (

( ( “A( fascinating( portrait( of( the( thousands( of( Israelis( who( lived( a( wealthy( lifestyle( in( Iran,( courtesy(of(the(Shah,(during(the(60’s(and(70’s.(As(the(despised(ruling(power(crumbled,(they( found( themselves( in( the( middle( of( the( Islamist( revolution.( Using( rare( archival( footage— including( 8mm( home( movies—as( well( as( interviews( with( diplomats,( Mossad( agents,( businessmen( and( their( families,( director( Dan( Shadur—whose( family( had( been( part( of( the( very( same( Israeli( community—( reveals( a( new( perspective( on( the( revolution( that( changed( their(world.”( ( The(German(Doctor( (

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Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!

By(Paul(Ennis(–(05.03.2014( http://www.thewholenote.com/index.php/newsroom/blog/musicNandNtheNmovies/24889N torontoNjewishNfilmNfestival( ( The( Toronto( Jewish( Film( Festival( (TJFF)( invariably( includes( movies( in( which( music( is( the( major( force( and( this( year’s( 22nd( edition( (May( 1( to( 11)( is( no( exception.( From( a( thorough( examination(of(Sophie(Tucker,(“the(last(of(the(red(hot(mamas,”(to(more(conventional(bios(of( Marvin(Hamlisch(and(Lionel(Bart,(from(a(brief(but(focused(look(at(Barbra(Streisand’s(roots(in( Brooklyn( to( a( fascinating( examination( of( the( legendary( jazz( writer( and( tireless( First( Amendment(advocate,(Nat(Hentoff,(and(a(restored(copy(of(the(1938(YiddishNlanguage(film,( Mamele,(the(TJFF(has(again(unearthed(evidence(of(the(unmistakable(ties(between(Jews(and( music.( (

( ( There’s(a(treasure(trove(of(jazz(lore(in(The(Pleasures(of(Being(out(of(Step:(Notes(on(the(Life( of( Nat( Hentoff.( Clips( of( Ellington,( Coltrane,( Mingus,( Artie( Shaw,( Abbey( Lincoln,( Bob( Dylan,( Coleman(Hawkins,(Sonny(Rollins(and(Count(Basie(among(others,(zero(in(on(one(of(Hentoff’s( two( major( passions( while( establishing( the( context( in( which( he( came( of( age( as( a( writer( of( liner(notes(and(editor(of(Downbeat.(Yet(none(can(compare(with(Billie(Holiday(singing(“Fine( and( Mellow”( (and( being( sublimely( answered( by( Lester( Young’s( saxophone)( from( the( 1957( The(Sound(of(Jazz(live(TV(show(on(which(Hentoff(was(a(music(consultant.(But(it’s(also(the( protection(of(the(right(to(free(expression(that(keeps(the(88NyearNold(Hentoff(so(vibrant.(It’s(a( way(of(life(that(has(cried(out(for(him(almost(as(long(as(the(cantorial(melismatic(singing(and( improvisatory( nigguns( (“the( Yiddish( blues”).( His( interest( in( Lenny( Bruce( and( Malcolm( X( united(both.(Following(its(screening(May(11(at(TJFF,(the(film(opens(May(16(for(a(limited(run( at(the(Bloor(Hot(Docs(cinema.( (

Sophie(Tucker(appeared(in(three(Royal( Command( Performances( and( knew( seven( of( the( eleven( Presidents( who( served(during(her(lifetime((1887N1966).( As( The( Outrageous( Sophie( Tucker( pointedly(illustrates,(she(was(a(mentor( to(Judy(Garland,(Frank(Sinatra(and(Jerry( Lewis,( a( friend( of( Al( Capone( and( J.( Edgar( Hoover.( She( discovered( vaudeville( by( accident( then( ran( away( from( home( in( Connecticut( (where( her( family(ran(a(kosher(restaurant)(to(New( York( City,( leaving( her( infant( son( in( the( care(of(her(14NyearNold(sister.(She(sang( in(between(oneNreel(movies(and(went(from(a(burlesque(show(to(the(Ziegfeld(Follies.(Tony( Bennett( called( her( the( most( underrated( jazz( singer( who( ever( lived.( (“She( knew( how( to( improvise( naturally.”)( ( According( to( Michael( Feinstein( her( syncopated( phrasing( predated( Ethel(Waters.(She(made(the(transition(to(movies(and(television(while(maintaining(her(stage( act(to(the(end(of(her(life.(She(was(a(force(of(nature,(savvy(and(generous.(It’s(all(up(on(the( screen(May(4.( ( Music(flows(through(Marvin(Hamlisch:( What(He(Did(for(Love,(an(affectionate( portrait(of(the(prolific(composer(of(the( monumental( Broadway( hit( A( Chorus( Line,( as( well( as( countless( movie( soundtracks( from( The( Way( We( Were( to(The(Informant.(It(poured(out(of(this( BrooklynNborn( prodigy;( his( fingers( on( the(piano(were(an(instant(extension(of( his( brain’s( musical( thinking.( A( surprisingly(engaging(film((May(7).( ( ( ( The(TJFF(has(resurrected(I(Remember( Barbra,(a(short(from(1981.(This(mildly( entertaining(melange(of(Brooklyn( accents,(high(school(reminiscences(and( Flatbush(humour(roots(the(driven,( accentNless(Streisand(squarely(in(the( nowNfashionable(New(York(borough( (May(5(and(11).

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Grid!picks:!May!1P7!

05.01.2014( http://www.thegridto.com/culture/arts/gridNpicksNmayN1N7/( ( No.(23—FILM:(Watch(one(of(these(fine(chosen(flicks.( (

( ( Many( of( the( movies( at( this( year’s( Toronto( Jewish( Film( Festival( will( elicit( the( kind( of( big( emotions(that(can(only(be(expressed(in(Yiddish.(Here(are(five(picks(that’ll(make(you(bust(a( gut(with(naches,(or(leave(you(all(choked(up(and(verklempt.( (

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Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!2014! http://www.thegridto.com/?event=torontoNjewishNfilmNfestivalN2014( (

The( Toronto( Jewish( Film( Festival( is( the( largest( Jewish( film( festival( in( the( world,( showcasing( the( best( in( international( features,( documentaries( and( shorts( concerning( themes( of( Jewish( culture( and( identity.( The( Toronto( Jewish( Film( Festival( will( welcome( its( 22nd( season( from( May( 1( through( May( 11,( 2014,( when( it( will( present(over(90(films(representing(more(than(15(countries(Box(office(info.(Festival(dates(–(May(1(N11(Early(Bird( Flexible( passes( –( available( online( only( until( Friday,( April( 11( Full( Festival( Film( Schedule( available( –online( at( tjff.com( as( of( Monday( ,( April( 14( TJFF( Ticket( Pricing:( $13.00( –( Single( Tickets( $8.00( N( Matinee( Screenings( $9( N( Seniors/( Students( $20.00( N( Opening( Night( Main( Number( to( Call( is( Festival( Box( Office:( 416N324N9121( Advance( Box( Offices:( ORDER( TICKETS( ONLINE( FROM( TJFF.COM( beginning( April( 16( In( Person( –( Toronto( Jewish( Film( Festival(Box(Office((basement(level)*(–(April(16(–(April(30(19(Madison(Ave.(Sunday(–(Friday(12pm(–(6pm(*no( wheelchair(access(–(please(call(416N324N9121(for(assistance(by(phone( (

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Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!preview!

By(Jason(Anderson(–(05.01.2014(

http://www.thegridto.com/culture/film/torontoNjewishNfilmNfestival/( (

Many(of(the(movies(at(this(year’s(Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival(will(elicit(the(kind(of(big( emotions(that(can(only(be(expressed(in(Yiddish.(Here(are(five(picks(that’ll(make(you(bust(a( gut(with(naches,(or(leave(you(all(choked(up(and(verklempt.( SET(UP,(PUNCH.( This(whipNsmart(short(stars(Elijah(Wood(as(a(highNstrung(standNup(comic(whose(set(takes(an( unexpected(turn(when(he(brings(his(girlfriend((Arrested(Development’s(Alia(Shawkat)(up(on( stage.( (

( THE(SARNOS:(A(LIFE(IN(DIRTY(MOVIES( One(of(the(most(prodigious(directors(of(’60s(sexploitation(cinema,(Joseph(Sarno(somehow( managed(to(invest(his(smut(with(artful(touches(and(genuine(human(emotions.(Shot(before( his(death(in(2010,(this(affectionate(doc(sheds(light(on(his(underNheralded(efforts.( ( ( (

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((((((((( ( THE(GERMAN(DOCTOR( (

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The( latest( by( Argentine( director( Lucia( Puenzo( is( based( on( true( events( involving( Nazis( hiding( out( in( 1960s( Patagonia.( In( Puenzo’s( unsettling( rendering,( an( adolescent( girl( develops( an( intense( bond( with( a( kindly( old( German(who(may(be(Josef(Mengele,(demon(doctor(of(Auschwitz.(

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((((((((( ( ( 24(JOURS( ( The( TJFF’s( openingNnight( selection( is( a( grim( and( gripping( account( of( a( true( crime( that( shocked( France.( In( 2006,( a( young( cellphone( salesman( of( JewishNMoroccan( descent( named( Ilan( Halimi( was( kidnapped( and( tortured( by( an( antiNSemitic( gang( in( a( Parisian( suburb.( Alexandre(Arcady’s(film(examines(the(impact.(

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Welcoming!spring!and!the!arts!in!Toronto!

By(Rose(Kleiner(–(04.04.2014( http://www.cjnews.com/travel/welcomingNspringNandNartsNtoronto( ( The(Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival(runs(until(May(11.(Including(both(recent(and(classic(works,( it(will(showcase(feature(length(films,(documentaries,(animated(movies(and(shorts.

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TJFF!Announces!Highlights!from!2014!Festival!

By(Ilan(Mester(–(04.11.2014( http://www.shalomlife.com/culture/22834/tjffNannouncesNhighlightsNfromN2014Nfestival/( ( (

With(the(Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival((TJFF)(less(than(a( month( away,( organizers( have( announced( a( slew( of( movies( hitting( the( big( screen( as( part( of( this( year’s( 10N day( fest.( From( highNprofile( flicks( starring( the( likes( of( Woody( Allen( and( supermodel( Bar( Refaeli( to( documentaries( about( local( and( international( figures,( TJFF’s(roster(is(quite(eclectic.( ( Among(the(list(of(talkedNabout(films(is(The(Pin,(a(World( War(II(romance(that’s(considered(the(first(Yiddish(movie( to( come( out( of( Canada.( Another( buzzNworthy( flick( is( German(Doctor,(Argentina’s(official(Academy(Awards(submission(for(2014.(Other(notable(films(include(Marvin,( Seth(and(Stanley(featuring(Alex(Karpovsky((HBO’s(Girls)(and(Fading(Gigolo,(which(stars(an(allNstar(cast(rounded( out(by(Woody(Allen,(Modern(Family’s(Sofia(Vergara(and(John(Turturro.( TJFF’s(documentary(selection(includes(the(world(premieres(of(The(Outrageous(Sophie(Tucker(and(A(New(Life( on( the( Land,( which( delves( into( the( storied( history( of( Canadian( Jewish( farmers.( Other( documentaries( include( Lionel(Bart:(Reviewing(the(Situation(and(Comedy(Warriors:(Healing(Through(Humour((featuring(appearances(by( Zach(Galifianakis(and(Lewis(Black).( The(festival(will(also(be(honouring(Jewish(IraqiNborn(documentarian(Joe(Balass.(In(addition(to(his(latest(project,( The(Length(of(the(Alphabet((about(Montreal(author(Naïm(Kattan),(the(retrospective(is(slated(to(show(some(of( Balass’s(earlier(awardNwinning(films,(including(Nana,(George(&(Me(and(Baghdad(Twist.( As( per( usual,( TJFF( will( be( boasting( a( wide( selection( of( Israeli( films.( This( year’s( roster( features( Hunting( Elephants,(a(comedy(starring(XNMen’s(Patrick(Stewart(about(a(12NyearNold(boy(who(teams(up(with(residents(of( his(grandfather’s(seniors(home(to(rob(a(bank.(Other(talkedNabout(Israeli(movies(include(Eytan(Fox’s(Cupcakes( and(the(espionage(thriller(Kidon,(featuring(Bar(Refaeli(and(veteran(actor(Sasson(Gabai((The(Band’s(Visit).( The(annual(festival(is(set(to(spotlight(JewishNthemed(horror(with(a(range(of(projects(dating(back(to(the(1960s.( They(include(Roman(Polanski’s(The(Fearless(Vampire(Killers,(God(Told(Me(To((directed(by(Larry(Cohen),(the(TV( movie(Dybbuk(and(the(XNfiles(episode(titled(“Kaddish.”( The( festival( kicks( off( May( 1( with( the( French( drama( 24( Days.( For( tickets( and( more( information( about( the( festival,(visit(TJFF.com.(

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What!makes!a!film!Jewish?!

By(Regina(Brett(–(04.17.2014(( http://www.cjnews.com/sites/default/files/files/eCJN/2014/04N17N14%20TOR.pdf( ( On(the(eve(of(The(Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival,(opening(May(1,(we(asked(five(experts(this( allNimportant(question.( ( ALLEN(BRAUDE( TJFF(programmer( ( Most(of(the(films(I(preview(for(the(Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival((TJFF)(have(obvious(Jewish( content.(Occasionally(a(film(will(come(along(in(which(no(character(or(documentary(subject( ever(identifies(as(Jewish,(yet(I(find(the(film(to(be(very(Jewish.(If(asked(why,(I’d(say(that(such( films(have(a(Jewish(“sensibility.”(Nu,(what’s(a(Jewish(sensibility?(Drawing(from(the(examples( of(such(films(in(this(year’s(festival(I’d(say(they(are(films(about(characters(that(seem(to(not( quite( fit( in( and( feature( humour( that( is( selfNdeprecating( –( they( are( films( that( bring( the( characters’(neuroses(to(the(forefront,(and(put(more(emphasis(on(talk(than(on(action.(Does( this(sound(stereotypical?(Perhaps(it(is,(and(I(would(add(that(it(is(influenced(by(my(experience( both( as( a( minority( and( as( someone( who( connects( culturally( to( being( Jewish( rather( than( through( religion.( Is( sensibility( exclusive( to( the( Diaspora( experience?( The( Israeli( film( A( Strange( Course( of( Events( suggests( that( might( not( be( the( case.( In( this( subtle( and( slyly( humorous,(film,(40Nsomething(Shaul(doesn’t(seem(to(fit(in(anywhere,(and(isn’thappy(about( it.(He(blames(his(problems(on(the(father(he(hasn’t(seen(in(five(years(and(decides(to(confront( him,( only( to( find( his( father( a( changed( man.( To( me,( the( film( clearly( shares( the( Jewish( sensibility( I’ve( described.( It( turns( out,( however,( that( director( Raphaël( Nadjari( grew( up( in( France.(Whether(or(not(this(Jewish(sensibility(is(only(found(in(films(from(the(Diaspora,(my( feeling(is(that(enough(people(recognize(it(to(allow(films(without(overt(Jewish(content(to(still( be(very(Jewish.(

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( Although(Margaret(was(not(by(a(Jewish(filmmaker,(the(film(about(a(young(Jewish(girl,(played( by(Anna(Paquin,(whose(moral(courage(is(tested,(is(very(much(a(Jewish(film.( ( KEVIN(COURRIER( EditorNinNchief(of(Critics(at(Large( ( Perhaps(the(easiest(way(to(answer(what(constitutes(a(Jewish(film(is(to(say(it(should( take(the(viewer(inside(the(world(and(values(of(Judaism.(It(should(also(express(some(aspect(of( the( sensibility( of( being( Jewish.( For( me,( as( a( nonNJew,( Eytan( Fox’s( Walk( on( Water( was( like( acquiring(a(passport(into(Israeli(culture.(But(you(don’t(have(to(be(Jewish(to(make(a(Jewish( film.(Kenneth(Lonergan(proved(that(recently(with(Margaret,(a(movie(about(a(young(Jewish( girl(whose(moral(courage(is(tested(when(she(has(to(face(up(to(her(role(in(a(fatal( accident.(However,(being(Jewish(doesn’t(mean(you’re(always(making(a(Jewish(film.((William( Wyler( was( certainly( Jewish.( But( does( that( make( Wuthering( Heights( a( Jewish( film?)( On( the( other(hand,(the(Coen(Brothers(are(Jewish(and(A(Serious(Man(is(soaked(in(Judaism,(but(their( tone(is(so(churlish(and(judgmental(toward(its(characters(that(it(seems(to(betray(the( need(to(even(raise(questions(so(germane(to(Judaism.(The(Big(Lebowski,(on(the(other(hand,( has( only( one( Jewish( character( (and( he( converted),( but( the( Coens( turn( the( detective( novel( into(the(perfect(Jewish(parable(about(the(unknowability(of(truth.(There’s(no(question(that( Steven(Spielberg’s(Schindler’s(List(is(a(Jewish(film,(but(how(come(nobody(thinks(of(Jaws(as( the(Jewish(Moby(Dick?( ( PHYLLIS(ANGEL(GREENBERG( TJFF(board(member( ( Is(there(an(empirical(definition(of(a“Jewish”(film?(Certainly(it(is(not(enough(to(have(a(Jewish( writer(and/or(director/(producer/actor,(or(even(a(character,(for(if(that(were(the(case,(then( almost( every( Hollywood( film( would( fall( into( the( category.( So( what( makes( a( film( Jewish?( A( Jewish(perspective?(Jewish(subject(matter?(A(Jewish(setting?(Yes,(but(sometimes(there(are( intangibles(that(lead(us(to(label(a(film(“Jewish”(or(of(particular(interest(to(a(Jewish(audience.( In(a(“Jewish”(film,(the(“JewishNness”(should(be(selfNconscious(and(not(by(chance.(Also,(the( film(must(be(of(specific(Jewish(interest.(Holocaust(films,(whether(or(not(they(are(about(Jews,( would( likely( always( qualify.( Documentaries( are( more( easily( categorized( as( Jewish( because( the(subject(matter(is(clear:(anything(to(do(with(Judaism(–(for(example,(the(history( of(Jews(in(Italy,(the(first(female(ordained(rabbi,(the(influence(of(Jewish(merchants(in(Leeds,( the(life(of(Marc(Chagall,(comedians(in(the(Catskills,(antiNSemitism(–(and(the(list(can(and(does( go(on(and(on.(If(the(topic(of(the(film(is(Jewish,(the(filmmakers(need(not(be(Jewish(for(the( film(to(fit(the(bill.( (A( documentary( submitted( last( year( is( an( interesting( and( disturbing( analysis( of( miscegenation(laws(in(Virginia.(Sadly,(the(only(Jewish(element(in(the(film(is(that(one(of(the( lawyers’(last(name(is(“Cohen.”(Not(enough!(A(peripheral(Jewish(character(does(not(make(a( film(“Jewish.”)( ( ( ( (

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Jewish!film!fest!promises!a!little!bit!for!everyone(( By(Jordan(Adler(–(04.25.2014( http://www.cjnews.com/arts/jewishNfilmNfestNpromisesNlittleNbitNeveryone( ( (

TJFF,(the(Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival,(is(only(one(letter( away(from(the(acronym(of(the(city’s(international(film( festival.(The(proximity(is(fitting,(though,(since(TJFF(is(now( more(of(an(international(festival(than(ever(before.( ( The(festival,(which(runs(from(May(1(through(May(11,( features(116(diverse(titles(from(23(countries,(as(well(as(a( large(number(of(Canadian(films,(shorts(and( documentaries.( ( “We’re(hoping(that(people(will(enjoy(the(diversity,”(says(festival(programmer(Jérémie(Abessira.(“We( have(a(little(bit(of(everything(at(the(festival.”( ( One(very(highNprofile(foreign(title(is(Transit,(the(Philippines’(Oscar(submission(for(the(foreign( language(category.(The(film(tells(the(story(of(five(Filipino(families(who(live(as(migrants(in(Israel.( Transit’s(director,(Hannah(Espia,(will(be(present(during(the(festival.( ( Also(showing(on(the(world(cinema(front(is(the(short(film(program(From(Russia(with(Falafel,(running( May(5(and(7,(which(features(four(films(from(Russian(Israelis.( ( “We(want(to(make(sure(there’s(not(too(many(films(related(to(a(certain(theme,”(says(TJFF(program( manager(Stuart(Hands.(He(explains(that(too(many(films(about(the(Holocaust(or(political(strife(in(Israel( would(not(be(an(accurate(indicator(of(what(comprises(Jewish(cinema(around(the(world.( ( The(festival(is(also(putting(an(emphasis(on(Canadian(films(this(year.(“We’re(trying(to(do(a(yearly( series(of(films(where(we(screen(Canadian(Jewish(films(that(have(been(sitting(in(archives(for(ages,”( Hands(says.( ( Among(the(obscure(Canadian(films(to(be(screened(are(The(Wordsmith,(directed(by(Claude(Jutra( (Mon(Oncle(Antoine)(for(CBC(from(a(Mordecai(Richler(script.(The(film(is(about(an(idealistic(writer( living(on(St.(Urbain(Street((in(Montreal.( ( One(of(the(festival’s(major(features(in(2014(is(a(retrospective(on(IraqiNJewish(filmmaker(Joe(Balass.( Balass(just(finished(The(Length(of(the(Alphabet,(an(hourNlong(portrait(of(Naïm(Kattan,(an(IraqiNJewish( and(French(Canadian(author.( ( “It’s(a(look(at(Jewish(identity([and](Montreal(and(Quebec(politics(in(a(way(I’ve(never(seen(before,”( Hands(says(of(the(director’s(newest(film.(“Most(of(the(Jewish(films(we(get([from(Quebec](are(EnglishN speaking(Jewish(films.(It’s(really(a(different(point(of(view(in(terms(of(representing(Montreal.”( (

The(TJFF(will(premiere(that(film,(as(well(as(screen(two(of(Balass’s(other(films(about(IraqiNJewish(life,( Nana,(George(and(Me(and(Baghdad(Twist,(on(May(9.(Balass(will(be(present(at(the(screenings(that( day.( ( Other(buzzworthy(Canadian(titles(include(The(Pin,(the(first(Yiddish(film(to(be(produced(in(Canada.(It(is( a(young(adult(love(story(set(in(Lithuania(during(World(War(II.(( ( A(pair(of(documentaries(at(the(festival(explores(the(lives(of(influential(Jewish(artists(from(Europe( whose(names(are(obscure(to(North(American(audiences.( ( Natan(is(an(Irish(documentary(about(Bernard(Natan,(who(helped(boost(Jewish(cinema(in(France( during(the(1920s(and(1930s(as(the(head(of(the(studio(Pathé.( ( “It’s(about(his(dramatic(life(story(as(a(Jew(in(cinema(in(a(France(with(a(lot(of(antiNSemitism,”(Abessira( says.(“We(always(hear(about(the(Jews(of(Hollywood,(yet(we’ve(never(really(heard(about(any( indication(of(Jews(in(French(cinema.”( ( Lionel(Bart:(Reviewing(the(Situation(tells(the(story(of(the(titular(Jewish(songwriter(and(composer( behind(musicals(like(Oliver!(Bart(was(influenced(by(Yiddish(theatre(and(synagogue(hymns,(as(much(as( by(Broadway(show(tunes.( ( “We’re(starting(to(see(films(dealing(with(Jews(involved(in(popular(culture(in(other(countries,”(Hands( says.( ( The(TJFF(is(also(unveiling(a(new(festival(prize,(the(Micki(Moore(Award.(It(goes(to(the(best(narrative( film(from(a(female(director,(selected(by(a(jury(of(industry(peers.(2014’s(winner(is(For(a(Woman,(a( French(melodrama(from(Diane(Kurys.( ( The(festival(will(open(and(close(with(films(from(two(beloved(directors(whose(stories(could(not(be( more(different.( ( 24(Days,(directed(by(Alexandre(Arcady,(is(a(trueNcrime(thriller(about(the(kidnapping(of(Ilan(Halimi,(a( Jewish(Moroccan(living(in(Paris,(and(his(family’s(attempts(to(get(him(back.(It(explores(antiNSemitism( in(France,(which(remains(a(hotNbutton(issue.(Arcady(will(be(present(at(the(screening,(which(is(also( the(film’s(world(premiere.( ( Closing(the(22nd(annual(festival(is(a(different(beast,(the(uproarious(comedy(Fading(Gigolo(from( director(John(Turturro.(Turturro(stars(in(the(film(alongside(Woody(Allen,(Modern(Family’s(Sofia( Vergara(and(Sharon(Stone.(( ( In(Fading(Gigolo,(which(also(screened(at(2013’s(Toronto(International(Film(Festival,(Allen(and( Turturro(play(lowNincome(men(who(decide(to(begin(a(business(as(a(pimp(and(gigolo(to(make(some( extra(money.( ( “Any(time(we(can(get(a(film(with(Woody(Allen(and(John(Turturro,(I(think(it’s(a(great(tone(to(finish( with,”(Hands(says.( ( Other(anticipated(titles(include(the(indie(comedy(Marvin,(Seth(and(Stanley,(starring(Alex(Karpovsky( (Girls),(and(Kidon,(an(Israeli(caper(thriller(that(bears(similarities(to(the(original(Ocean’s(11.(n(

(

most(of(his(childhood(days(listening(to(the(radio.(At(17,(he(wowed(the(manager(of(a(blues( bar( with( his( singing( and( began( performing( every( day.( (He( changed( his( name( so( that( his( mother(wouldn’t(recognize(it(on(the(marquees).( ( This(was(quite(a(start(for(a(fat(Jewish(boy(on(crutches.(But(it(was(these(handicaps(that(would( also(let(him(down.(No(record(company(was(willing(to(sign(him(despite(his(obvious(talent.( ( Instead,( he( turned( to( song( writing,( becoming( encouraged( when( his( song( Young( Blood( became(a(hit(in(1957(for(The(Coasters(and(he(received(a(sizable(royalty(cheque.(Because(he( was(already(in(his(30s,(there(was(a(danger(that(he(was(out(of(touch(with(the(vibrant(teenage( market( of( the( 1950s,( and( he( teamed( up( with( the( younger( Mort( Shuman,( who( added( contemporary(stylings(to(Doc’s(blues(sensibilities.( ( It(was(the(start(of(a(highly(lucrative(partnership.(Under(contract(to(the(top(music(publisher,( Hill(&(Range,(they(started(to(churn(out(hits,(starting(with(A(Teenager(in(Love(for(Dion(and( the(Belmonts.( ( They(were(introduced(to(Elvis’s(management(and(wrote(several(hits(for(him(including(Viva( Las( Vegas,( which( has( since( been( recorded( by( many( other( artists,( among( them( Bruce( Springsteen,(Shawn(Colvin,(The(Dead(Kennedys(and(ZZ(Top.( ( He(married(the(aspiring(young(actress(Willie(Burke,(and(it(was(at(their(wedding(that(he(got( the(idea(for(his(signature(song(Save(the(Last(Dance(for(Me.(Unable(to(dance(with(his(wife( because( of( his( disability,( he( let( her( dance( with( other( men,( but( reminded( her,( as( the( song( goes,(who(will(be(taking(her(home(tonight(“and(in(whose(arms(you’re(gonna(be.”( ( The( song( was( a( huge( hit( for( The( Drifters( and( has( been( recorded( by( other( artists( including( Dolly(Parton(and(recently(Michael(Bublé.( ( The( midN’60s( saw( the( rise( of( singer/songwriters( such( as( The( Beatles( and( Bob( Dylan,( and( songwriters( were( no( longer( in( demand.( This,( and( his( marital( woes,( started( a( downward( spiral(for(Doc(Pomus.(The(hit(he(wrote(for(Andy(Williams(Can’t(Get(Used(to(Losing(You(was( inspired(by(his(marriage(problems.( ( He( turned( to( gambling( to( make( a( living,( but( around( 10( years( later,( Elvis’s( death( ironically( brought(him(lots(of(royalties(and(he(was(able(to(leave(gambling(and(devote(his(attention(to( writing(again,(teaming(up(with(the(eccentric(blues(man(Doctor(John(to(write(songs(for(B.B.( King.( ( A.K.A.( Doc( Pomus( packs( a( lot( into( 90( minutes.( Even( if( you’ve( never( heard( of( Doc( Pomus( before,(you’ll(still(find(it(extremely(moving(and(entertaining.(It’s(a(fitting(end(to(this(year’s( film(festival.(It(screens(at(the(Bloor(Cinema(May(13(at(7:30(p.m.(

( (

(

(

Filmmaker! Naomi! Jaye! to! debut! first! YiddishP language!feature!ever!filmed!in!Canada!

By(Justin(Skinner(–(04.26.2014( http://www.insidetoronto.com/newsNstory/4484971NfilmmakerNnaomiNjayeNtoNdebutNfirstN yiddishNlanguageNfeatureNeverNfilmedNinNcanada/( ( ( (

Writing( and( directing( a( feature( film(is(a(challenge(at( the( best( of( times,( but( midtown( Toronto( filmmaker( Naomi( Jaye( took( on( a( particularly( difficult( task,( helming( a( film( in( which( the( dialogue( is( completely( in( Yiddish( –(a(language( she( doesn’t( even( speak.( ( The( film,( dubbed( The(Pin,(is(a(love(story(set(in(World(War(IINera(Lithuania.(It(follows(the(story(of(two( startNcrossed(lovers(who(meet(as(young(adults(when(they(hide(out(together(in(a(barn.( Much(later(in(life,(the(man,(a(shomer((or(guardian),(is(asked(to(watch(over(the(body( of(an(elderly(woman(who(has(passed(on(and(is(shocked(to(discover(it’s(his(longNlost( love.( ( For(Jaye,(the(decision(to(film(The(Pin(entirely(in(Yiddish(–(making(it(the(first(and(only( YiddishNlanguage( feature( ever( filmed( in( Canada( –( was( difficult,( but( it( was( a( logical( choice.( ( “I(originally(wasn’t(going(to(make(it(in(Yiddish,(but(it(was(never(going(to(be(an(EnglishN language(film,”(she(said.(“It(was(going(to(be(in(Lithuanian(or(maybe(in(Russian(if(the( film(was(going(to(be(set(there.”( (

She(finally(settled(on(Yiddish(for(the(sake(of(authenticity,(though(she(was(not(the(only( one(for(whom(the(film(served(as(an(immersion(into(the(language.(Neither(of(her(lead( actors,(Milda(Gecaite(and(Grisha(Pasternak,(spoke(the(language.( ( “I(tried(to(find(Yiddish(actors,(but(I(couldn’t(find(two(fluentNspeaking(kids(who(were( also(actors(and(who(would(appear(in(a(film(with(some(nudity,”(she(said.( ( That(resulted(in(an(unusual(casting(process.(The(actors(originally(auditioned(in(English( and(then(did(their(callbacks(in(Yiddish,(learning(the(language(phonetically.(Once(they( were(cast,(Gecaite(and(Pasternak(underwent(months(of(intensive(Yiddish(lessons(and( Jaye(had(a(dialogue(coach(on(set(at(all(times(to(ensure(the(pronunciation(was(correct.( ( “It(was(pretty(intense(and(people(thought(I(was(crazy,(but(I(wanted(to(make(sure(it( was(authentic,”(she(said.( ( The(writerNdirector(came(up(with(the(concept(for(the(film(while(riding(a(streetcar.(She( pictured(an(old(man(sitting(in(a(room(with(a(dead(body(and(dovetailed(that(idea(with( a(story(from(her(own(family.( ( “My( grandmother( had( a( very( intense( fear( of( being( buried( alive,( so( she( made( my( grandfather(promise(if(he(found(her(dead,(he(would(prick(her(with(a(pin(to(make(sure( she(wasn’t(just(sleeping,”(Jaye(said.( ( While(the(film(deals(with(heavy(subject(matter,(Jaye(does(not(see(it(as(a(tragic(love( story.( ( “For(me,(it’s(not(tragic(because(the(man’s(given(a(chance(at(redemption,”(she(said.( ( A( graduate( of( the( Canadian( Film( Centre,( Jaye( has( directed( a( number( of( short( films( that(have(made(the(festival(circuit.( ( She( grew( up( in( the( Yonge( and( Eglinton( area,( a( neighbourhood( she( once( again( calls( home(after(living(for(a(decade(near(College(and(Ossington.( ( Though(The(Pin(is(set(to(make(its(Toronto(premiere(at(the(upcoming(Toronto(Jewish( Film(Festival,(Jaye(is(already(getting(ready(for(her(next(feature.(She(has(optioned(the( rights( to( the( script( for( Martha( Baillie’s( The( Incident( Report( and( will( head( to( Poland( next( week( as( part( of( the( Torino( AdaptLab,( an( intensive( program( for( filmmakers( adapting(other(works(for(the(silver(screen.( ( The(Pin(will(screen(at(the(Bloor(Cinema(at(6(p.m.(on(Monday,(May(11(as(part(of(the( Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival.( ( The(festival(runs(from(May(1(through(11.(For(more(information,(visit(www.tjff.com(

(

Filmmaker! Naomi! Jaye! to! debut! first! YiddishP language!feature!ever!filmed!in!Canada!

By(Justin(Skinner(–(04.26.2014( http://www.ourwindsor.ca/newsNstory/4484971NfilmmakerNnaomiNjayeNtoNdebutNfirstN yiddishNlanguageNfeatureNeverNfilmedNinNcanada/( ( (

!

Writing( and( directing( a( feature( film(is(a(challenge(at( the( best( of( times,( but( midtown( Toronto( filmmaker( Naomi( Jaye( took( on( a( particularly( difficult( task,( helming( a( film( in( which( the( dialogue( is( completely( in( Yiddish( –(a(language( she( doesn’t( even( speak.( ( The(film,(dubbed(The(Pin,(is(a(love(story(set(in(World(War(IINera(Lithuania.(It(follows( the(story(of(two(startNcrossed(lovers(who(meet(as(young(adults(when(they(hide(out( together( in( a( barn.( Much( later( in( life,( the( man,( a( shomer( (or( guardian),( is( asked( to( watch( over( the( body( of( an( elderly( woman( who( has( passed( on( and( is( shocked( to( discover(it’s(his(longNlost(love.( ( For(Jaye,(the(decision(to(film(The(Pin(entirely(in(Yiddish(–(making(it(the(first(and(only( YiddishNlanguage( feature( ever( filmed( in( Canada( –( was( difficult,( but( it( was( a( logical( choice.( ( “I(originally(wasn’t(going(to(make(it(in(Yiddish,(but(it(was(never(going(to(be(an(EnglishN language(film,”(she(said.(“It(was(going(to(be(in(Lithuanian(or(maybe(in(Russian(if(the( film(was(going(to(be(set(there.”( (

She(finally(settled(on(Yiddish(for(the(sake(of(authenticity,(though(she(was(not(the(only( one(for(whom(the(film(served(as(an(immersion(into(the(language.(Neither(of(her(lead( actors,(Milda(Gecaite(and(Grisha(Pasternak,(spoke(the(language.( ( “I(tried(to(find(Yiddish(actors,(but(I(couldn’t(find(two(fluentNspeaking(kids(who(were( also(actors(and(who(would(appear(in(a(film(with(some(nudity,”(she(said.( ( That(resulted(in(an(unusual(casting(process.(The(actors(originally(auditioned(in(English( and(then(did(their(callbacks(in(Yiddish,(learning(the(language(phonetically.(Once(they( were(cast,(Gecaite(and(Pasternak(underwent(months(of(intensive(Yiddish(lessons(and( Jaye(had(a(dialogue(coach(on(set(at(all(times(to(ensure(the(pronunciation(was(correct.( ( “It(was(pretty(intense(and(people(thought(I(was(crazy,(but(I(wanted(to(make(sure(it( was(authentic,”(she(said.( ( The(writerNdirector(came(up(with(the(concept(for(the(film(while(riding(a(streetcar.(She( pictured(an(old(man(sitting(in(a(room(with(a(dead(body(and(dovetailed(that(idea(with( a(story(from(her(own(family.( ( “My( grandmother( had( a( very( intense( fear( of( being( buried( alive,( so( she( made( my( grandfather(promise(if(he(found(her(dead,(he(would(prick(her(with(a(pin(to(make(sure( she(wasn’t(just(sleeping,”(Jaye(said.( ( While(the(film(deals(with(heavy(subject(matter,(Jaye(does(not(see(it(as(a(tragic(love( story.( ( “For(me,(it’s(not(tragic(because(the(man’s(given(a(chance(at(redemption,”(she(said.( ( A( graduate( of( the( Canadian( Film( Centre,( Jaye( has( directed( a( number( of( short( films( that(have(made(the(festival(circuit.( ( She( grew( up( in( the( Yonge( and( Eglinton( area,( a( neighbourhood( she( once( again( calls( home(after(living(for(a(decade(near(College(and(Ossington.( ( Though(The(Pin(is(set(to(make(its(Toronto(premiere(at(the(upcoming(Toronto(Jewish( Film(Festival,(Jaye(is(already(getting(ready(for(her(next(feature.(She(has(optioned(the( rights( to( the( script( for( Martha( Baillie’s( The( Incident( Report( and( will( head( to( Poland( next( week( as( part( of( the( Torino( AdaptLab,( an( intensive( program( for( filmmakers( adapting(other(works(for(the(silver(screen.( ( The(Pin(will(screen(at(the(Bloor(Cinema(at(6(p.m.(on(Monday,(May(11(as(part(of(the( Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival.( ( The(festival(runs(from(May(1(through(11.(For(more(information,(visit(www.tjff.com(

((

DDB!CANADA!CAMPAIGN!SHOWS!TJFF!ONLY! TAKES!BEST!FILMS! By(Alicia(Androich(–(04.21.2014( http://www.marketingmag.ca/brands/ddbNcanadaNcampaignNshowsNtjffNonlyNtakesNbestN filmsN108028( ( Ever(heard(of(that(movie(The(Fasting(and(the(Furious?(Didn’t(think(so,(but(the(play(on(the( Fast(and(the(Furious(series(is(part(of(a(broader(creative(effort(behind(DDB(Canada(and(Tribal( Worldwide‘s(new(advertising(campaign(for(the(upcoming(Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival((TJFF).( The(integrated(campaign,(which(launched(last(week(in([…]( ( Ever(heard(of(that(movie(The(Fasting(and(the(Furious?(Didn’t(think(so,(but(the(play(on(the( Fast(and(the(Furious(series(is(part(of(a(broader(creative(effort(behind(DDB(Canada(and(Tribal( Worldwide‘s(new(advertising(campaign(for(the(upcoming(Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival((TJFF).( ( The(integrated(campaign,(which(launched(last(week(in(the(Greater(Toronto(Area,(features(a( series(of(silly(movies(that(wouldn’t(be(up(to(the(high(standards(the(the(festival(has(for(the( films(it(selects.( (

( “To(demonstrate(the(quality(of(films(screened([at(the(festival],(the(campaign’s(creative( shows(absurd(titles(of(the(rejected(films(that(didn’t(make(the(cut,”(said(DDB(Canada(Toronto( creative(director(David(Ross,(in(a(release.( (

(

TJFF( received( more( than( 500( submissions( this( year( and( hundreds( of( hours( were( spent( reviewing(them(to(build(a(lineup(that(shares(fascinating(stories(that(reflect(the(rich(diversity( of(the(Jewish(experience,(said(TJFF(artistic(director(Helen(Zuckerman.(( ( (The(campaign’s(tagline,(“It(has( to( be( good.( Real( good,”( enforces(the(idea(that(only(the( best( films( submitted( are( approved(to(be(featured.( ( This( is( the( 22nd( year( of( the( festival,( which( offers( an( assortment( of( global( feature( films,( documentaries( and( short( films( that( explore( ideas( around( Jewish( culture.( From( May( 1( to( 11,( TJFF( will( be( playing(more(than(116(movies( from( 23( countries( in( select( Toronto(theatres.( ( Part( of( the( objective( of( this( year’s( campaign( –( which( includes(TV,(print,(OOH,(radio,( digital( and( inNrestaurant( advertising( –( is( to( attract( a( younger( Jewish( and( nonN Jewish( demographic( to( the( festival( to( help( expand( its( reach( and( boost( ticket( sales.( The( festival( has( traditionally( had(an(older(Jewish(audience.( ( Each( of( the( campaign’s( executions( point( to( the( festival’s( website,( where( film( fans( can( buy( tickets(and(find(out(more(about(TJFF.( ( The(campaign(runs(for(four(weeks,(with(creative(appearing(on(Rogers(Media(properties(and( elsewhere.(TJFF(negotiated(the(donated(media(buy(through(its(sponsors(and(media(partners.( ( This(campaign(marks(a(sequel(of(sorts(for(DDB(Canada(and(TJFF(in(that(they(also(partnered( on(a(campaign(for(last(year’s(festival.(The(Cassies(and(CMA(awardNwinning(“Film.(It’s(What( Jews(Do(Best”(campaign(helped(grow(TJFF’s(box(office(sales(by(14%(over(the(previous(year.( ( DDB( Canada( also( created( an( online( tool( for( TJFF( last( year( called( “JNDAR”( that( helps( users( identify(how(many(Jewish(actors,(directors,(writers(and(producers(were(involved(in(creating( various(popular(Hollywood(movies.(( (

(

Gripping! thriller! ’24! Days’! launches! Toronto’s!

Jewish!Film!Festival!

By(Lynn(Fenske(N((05.01.2014( http://www.examiner.com/article/grippingNthrillerN24NdaysNlaunchesNtorontoNsNjewishNfilmN festival( ( ( ( The( 22nd( annual( Toronto( Jewish( Film( Festival( (TJFF)( opens( Thursday( on( a( strong( note( with( the( screening( of( “24( Days”( a( horrific( true( story( about( Ilan( Halimi( a( 23NyearNold( Parisian( kidnapped( and(tortured(in(2006(for(being(Jewish.( ( The( evidence( of( the( case( is( truly( disturbing.(A(multiracial(band(of(violent,( young( thugs( mistakenly( believe( that( abducting( a( Jew( will( guarantee( a( bountiful(ransom.( ( The( film( is( a( taut,( emotional( ride( through( a( treacherous( narrative.( Terror( and( desperation( grip(Halimi’s(family(as(police(hold(a(tough(line(on(negotiating(with(his(brutal(captors(led(by(a( crazed(bully.(Their(torture(of(Halimi(is(cruel(and(violent(though(not(explicitly(shown(in(the( movie.( ( Based( on( Ruth( Halimi’s( account( of( her( son’s( ordeal,( the( film( is( adapted( and( directed( by( acclaimed(French(actor/writer/producer/director(Alexandre(Arcady.(He(remains(true(to(the( facts( and( delivers( a( narrative( that( unfolds( in( chronological( order( telling( the( story( from( all( relevant(viewpoints(–(the(family,(the(police,(the(kidnappers,(and(Halimi.( ( Actors(Zabou(Breitman(and(Pascal(Elbe(give(mesmerizing(performances(as(Halimi’s(parents,( igniting(the(haunting(feeling(that(such(an(act(of(random(violence(and(terrorism(can(happen( to(anyone.( ( Arcady( conveys( a( cinematic( message( that( is( compelling( and( politically( astute.( Once( publicized,( the( true( life( ordeal( mobilized( a( national( movement( in( France( against( antiN Semitism(and(related(hate(crimes.( ( Arcady(will(be(in(attendance(to(introduce(the(film(and(participate(in(a(postNscreening(Q&A.( ( A(second(TJFF(screening(of(“24(Days”(is(scheduled(for(May(3.( (

(

Today! in! Toronto:! SheDot,! Chicago! Underground! Duo,!

Jewish!Film!Fest,!Drag!Roulette,!OCAD,!Angel!Haze!

By(Aubrey(Jax(–(05.01.2014( http://www.blogto.com/radar/2014/05/today_in_toronto_shedot_chicago_underground_d uo_jewish_film_fest_drag_roulette_ocad_angel_haze/( (

( ( Today(in(Toronto(there(will(be(much(discussion(about(videos(and(crack(but(also(lots(of(things( to(do.(61(female(comedians(and(comedy(troupes(will(be(splitting(your(sides(with(frying(pans( of( laughter( at( Comedy( Bar( for( the( first( ever( SheDot( Festival,( which( runs( until( May( 4.( Wavelength( Music( is( presenting( experimental/jazz( with( Chicago( Underground( Duo( (Northern(Spy(Records)(and(Not(the(Wind,(Not(the(Flag(at(the(Garrison.(Then,(what(is(Drag( Roulette?(Watch(performers(spin(the(glitter(wheel(of(death(to(determine(if(they(will(lip(sync( their(own(prepared(songs(or(someone(else's.(For(more(events,(click(on(over(to(our(events( section.( Music:(Chicago(Underground(Duo((The(Garrison)( Comedy:(SheDot(Festival((Comedy(Bar)( Film:(Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival(2014((19(Madison(Ave.)( Art:(Rockem(Sockem(the(Great(Canadian(Hockey(Art(Show((AWOL)( Music:(5$(HOLLER(Hiphop(JAM(ft.(Medley,(Babylon(Warchild,(DNSisive((Studio(Bar)( Queer:(Drag(Roulette:(Vol(1((The(Steady)( Art:(OCAD(University's(99th(Annual(Graduate(Exhibition((OCAD)( Music:(Angel(Haze((The(Hoxton)(

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Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!To!Screen!

Horror/Fantasy!

By(Zed(Word(–(04.22.2014( http://horrorinthehammer.blogspot.ca/2014/04/torontoNjewishNfilmNfestivalNtoNscreen.html( ( ( This( year( at( the( Toronto( Jewish( Film( Festival,( expect( to( see( vampires,( demons,( golems( and( a( number( of( other( paranormal(specters(drawn(from(Jewish(folklore(as(part( of(the(TJFF's(2014(Horror/Fantasy(Series.( ( With( a( series( of( screenings( and( talks( by( scholar( and( author(Dr.(Mikel(Koven,(this(year's(Toronto(Jewish(Film( Festival( has( pieced( together( a( programme( of( Jewish( filmmakers( who( have( attempted( to( represent( the( diverse(representations(of(the(metaphysical(and(spiritual( horrors( of( Judaism( and( Jewish( folklore.( Screenings( will( include:( ( ( ( ( (

The!Dybbuk,!directed!by!Sidney!Lumet!(USA)!P!May!02! (

Acclaimed( filmmaker( Sidney( lumet’s( 1960( television( adaptation( of( Sholom( Ansky’s( supernatural( tale( of( possession.( This( rarelyNseen( production( stars( Theodore( Bikel,( Carol( Lawrence(and((a(very(young)(Vincent(Gardenia.(

The! Fearless! Vampire! Killers,! directed! by! Roman! Polanski! (USA)! P! May!10! !

(

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Some( critics( hail( roman( Polanski’s( 1967( comedy( as( brilliant( while( others( decry( it( as( vulgar( and( antiNsemitic.( Decide( for( yourself,( as( Professor( Abronsius( and( his( dimNwitted( assistant( confront(the(evil(Count(Von(Krolock(and(his(Jewish(minion(in(a(fairytaleNlike(eastern(europe.( (

God!Told!Me!To,!directed!by!Larry!Cohen!(USA)!P!May!03! ! (

( (

(

A(series(of(bizarre(and(seemingly(random(murders(leaves(a(NYPD(detective(baffled,(until(his( investigation( confronts( a( charismatic( figure( who( may( be( the( messiah.( From( Larry( Cohen( (Maniac(Cop,(The(Stuff,(Street(Trash,(Q(the(Winged(Serpent,(It's(Alive)(an(underappreciated( horror(movie(by(the(master(of(1970s(American(exploitation(cinema.(

( ( (

!

Goldberg!and!Eisenberg,!directed!by!Oren!Carmi!(Israel)!P!May!10! !

!

!

A(hit(at(the(Slamdance(film(festival,(this("intelligent(edgeNofNtheNseat(psychological(thriller”( (Film(Threat)(has(been(compared(to(the(work(of(the(Coen(Brothers(and(Quentin(Tarantino.( The( routine( of( a( meek( computer( programmer( is( suddenly( disrupted( by( a( mysterious( and( violent( bully.( This( impressive( feature( debut( by( director( oren( Carmi( is( tense,( dark( and( enjoyably(perverse.(

!

The!XPFiles:!Kaddish,!directed!by!Kim!Manners!(USA)!P!May!10! (

(

(

In( this( episode( from( the( fourth( season( of( the( popular( series,( FBI( agents( Mulder( (David( Duchovny)( and( Scully( (Gillian( Anderson)( investigate( the( brutal( murder( of( a( young( Hassidic( man( and( find( themselves( face( to( face( with( Jewish( folklore( in( the( guise( of( Crown( Heights’s( very(own(golem.(While(The(XNFiles’(writers(took(tremendous(liberty(with(the(Prague(legends,( the(episode(nicely(illustrates(how(supernatural(tales(are(able(to(comment(on(the(dangers(of( our(very(real(world.(

( ! ! !

(

Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival(2014:(Cupcakes( By(Jennifer(Reynolds(–(04.29.2014( http://prettycleverfilms.com/movieNreviews/modernNtimes/torontoNjewishNfilmNfestivalN 2014Ncupcakes/#.U9ATcF6mDSM( (

(

(

In(Eytan(Fox’s(Cupcakes,(a(group(of(Israeli(neighbors(inadvertently(find(themselves(representing(their( country( in( the( popular( (and( popularly( derided)( UniverSong( contest.( It’s( a( fictionalized( version( of( Eurovision,(and(if(you’re(unfamiliar(with(that(spectacle(of(absurdity,(I(suggest(reading(up(on(it.(The( culture(surrounding(it(is(almost(as(fascinating(as(the(song(contest(itself.( ( Cupcakes( handles( the( spectacle( and,( yes,( even( politics( around( UniverSong( with( irreverence:( six( neighbors(blow(off(realNworld(responsibilities(to(get(together(every(year(and(watch(a(silly(songNandN dance(competition,(complete(with(snacks(and(drinks.(After(the(competition((in(which(Israel(finishes( poorly,(as(it’s(implied(they(always(do),(the(group(ends(up(improvising(a(song(to(cheer(up(one(of(their( own(whose(husband(has(just(left.(Later,(that(song(is(submitted(to(the(UniverSong(competition(and( they’re(chosen(to(represent(Israel(the(next(year.( ( Not(a(lot(of(time(is(spent(on(that(plot(point,(but(that’s(the(point:(it’s(an(unrealistic(fantasy,(like(the( competition(itself.(This(is(after(all(a(musical(comedy,(although(it’s(one(with(a(whole(lot(of(charm.(The( characters(are(simple(and(almost(formulaic:(they’re(all(even(assigned(a(basic(color(palette(by(which( to(identify(them.(They’re(all(fullyNformed(though,(with(lives(and(back(stories(and(conflict.(This(isn’t(a( movie(that(spends(its(time(examining(the(deep(complexities(of(the(human(condition,(but(it(is(a(movie( about(six(friends(taking(a(chance(on(something(absurd(and(having(the(time(of(their(lives(doing(it.(It’s( kitschy,(but(it’s(cute(and(it(doesn’t(take(itself(too(seriously,(just(like(the(UniverSong(contest.(Plus(it’s(a( whole(lot(of(fun.(

(

(

Toronto! Jewish! Film! Festival! 2014:! God! Told! Me! To!(1976)!

By(John(Munshour(–(04.29.2014( http://prettycleverfilms.com/movieNreviews/modernNtimes/torontoNjewishNfilmNfestivalN 2014NgodNtoldN1976/#.U9AU9V6mDSM( (

Innocent( people( are( dying( on( the( streets( of( New( York,( and( what’s( making( matters( worse( is( that( seemingly( innocent( people( are( doing( the( killing.( People( are( turning( on( each( other( without( warning,( suddenly( killing( their( families( or( shooting( random( people( on( the( street,( but( what( bothers( Detective( Peter( Nicholas( (Tony( Lo( Bianco)( is( their( motives.( He( doesn’t( have( to( find( the( killers;( they( tend( to( sit( down(calmly(and(explain(their(acts(with(the(simple(phrase(that(serves(as(the(film’s(title:(God(Told(Me( To( (1976).( It’s( enough( to( disturb( anyone,( but( it( deeply( shakes( the( devoutly( Catholic( detective( and( calls(into(question(what(he(truly(knows(about(his(faith(and(himself.( ( Director( Larry( Cohen( (It’s( Alive,( Maniac( Cop,( and( many,( many( more)( uses( moments( that( reference( Hitchcock( and( images( that( anticipate( Cronenberg,( but( God( Told( Me( To‘s( closest( relation( is( David( Fincher’s( similarly( themed( Seven.( Both( movies( have( a( similarly( stylized( grit( and( aura( of( almost( oppressive( darkness( about( them.( However,( while( Seven( is( most( occupied( with( the( killer( and( his( increasingly(brutal(crimes,(God(Told(Me(To(instead(invests(in(developing(Det.(Nicholas.(It’s(a(choice( that(elevates(God(Told(Me(To(above(the(seemingly(endless(parade(of(overNstylized,(dark(to(the(point( of(murkiness,(serial(killer(procedurals(that(have(followed(it.(When(the(case(begins(to(affect(Nicholas( psychologically,( it( feels( like( an( actual( extension( of( what( we( know( about( his( beliefs( and( mindset( rather(than(simply(something(that(is(supposed(to(happen(in(movies(like(this.( ( The(pleasure(of(the(film,(however,(goes(beyond(simply(seeing(certain(tropes(before(they’d(become( such(ingrained(cliches(that(they(neither(have(emotional(impact(nor(attempt(to(earn(it.(Cohen(makes( enough( odd( choices( that( it( remains( clear( that( however( familiar( many( of( the( film’s( gestures( have( become,(it(operates(on(the(periphery(of(genre(rather(than(resting(comfortably(inside.(If(that(or(the( strong(performances(that(Cohen(gets(from(Lo(Bianco,(Deborah(Raffin,(and(Sandy(Dennis((as(Nichols( girlfriend( and( wife,( respectively)( aren’t( quite( enough( to( pull( you( in,( God( Told( Me( To( also( features( Andy(Kaufman((in(his(first(role)(firing(a(gun(into(a(crowd,(a(gesture(that(seems(oddly(appropriate(to( his(comic(persona.( ( Even(if(you’re(not(a(fan(of(the(films(it(has(influenced,(God(Told(Me(To(is(smart,(strange,and(highly( worth(watching.( (

(

(

Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival:!Mamele!(1938)!

By(Jessica(Finch(–(05.01.2014( http://prettycleverfilms.com/movieNreviews/talkies/torontoNjewishNfilmNfestivalNmameleN 1938/#.U9AWo16mDSM( (

((((((((((((((( ( ( Mamele(is(the(story(of(Havche(and(her(family(living(in(Lodz,(Poland(just(prior(to(World(War( II.(It’s(a(Cinderella(story,(with(Havche(or(‘Mamele’(playing(the(role(of(daughter,(mother(and( caregiver( to( her( large( family.( The( word( mamele( roughly( translates( as( ‘little( mother’( in( Yiddish,( and( Havche,( played( by( Molly( Picon,( takes( on( this( role( following( her( mother’s( passing.( Her( sisters( are( selfish( and( unkind( (a( la( Cinderella’s( stepNsisters),( but( her( father( is( much(worse(as(he(would(rather(play(dominoes(all(day(than(support(his(family.(The(men(in( this(film(are(portrayed(in(a(negative(light,(aside(from(Havche’s(little(brothers,(and(her(suitor( Mr.(Schlesinger.(It’s(a(sign(of(the(times,(but(most(of(the(men(are(unemployed(and(some(are( thieves(and(gangsters.( ( Mamele(is(a(musical,(but(the(singing(doesn’t(overpower(the(picture(—(however(all(the(songs( are(in(Yiddish(and(many(without(subtitles,(so(they(do(drag(on(for(anyone(unfamiliar(with(the( language.(Mamele(does(touch(on(a(few(religious(themes,(like(the(celebration(of(Sukkot,(and( children(going(to(Hebrew(school,(but(for(the(most(part(it’s(a(simple(story(about(family(and( the(pursuit(of(happiness.(In(many(ways(it’s(a(coming(of(age(story,(as(Havche(realizes(her(own( potential(lies(outside(her(crazy(family.(As(its(set(in(1930s(Europe,(the(film(may(seem(sexist(by( today’s( standards( as( the( women( all( seek( marriage( to( wealthy( suitors,( but( it( works( in( the( film’s(context.(The(film(is(entirely(in(Yiddish,(with(English(subtitles,(and(while(it(feels(long(in( some(parts,(it’s(worth(the(wait(for(the(happy(ending.(

!

Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!2014!–!Surveying!the!

TJFF’s!!

By(Marc(Glassman(–(05.02.2014( (http://www.classical963fm.com/blog/artsNreview/movieNreviews/torontoNjewishNfilmN festivalN2014NsurveyingNtjffsNdocs/( ( ( The( spring( film( festival( season( is( still( upon( us( as( April( showers( become,( well,( May( showers.( Intersecting( with( Hot( Docs( this( weekend( and( continuing( for( another( week( is( the( everNpopular( Toronto( Jewish( Film( Festival( (TJFF).( Like( all( fine( festivals,( the( TJFF( offers( a( plethora( of( cinematic( choices(ranging(from(classic(Yiddish(features((The( Dybbuk)( to( tough( Holocaust( fare( (Reporting( on( the( Times:( The( New( York( Times( and( the( Holocaust);(from(new(Israeli(movies((Cupcakes)(to( Canadian(Jewish(TV(dramas(and(docs((Tviggy);(and( from(the(latest(international(festival(winners((The( German(Doctor)(to(carefully(chosen(archival(films( (The( Unvanquished).( From( May( 1( through( the( 11th,(116(films(from(23(countries(will(be(screened( at( venues( ranging( from( the( Hot( Docs( Bloor( Cinema( to( Cineplex( Cinemas( Empress( Walk.( To( delve(into(the(complete(programme,(please(check( their(website:(www.tjff.com( ( With( such( a( wide( range( of( films( to( view,( it( seems( appropriate( to( concentrate( on( one( cinematic( form—documentaries—and( explore( what( the( TJFF( has( chosen( to( programme( in( that(area.( ife( Sentences( is( a( contemporary( Israeli( feature,( which( won( the( best( documentary( prize( at( the(2013(Jerusalem(Film(Festival.(It’s(already(being(touted(as(a(main(contender(for(the(Israeli( selection(for(next(year’s(Academy(Awards.(And(it’s(partially(set(in(Montreal!( ( Directed(by(Nurit(Kedar(and(Yaron(Shani,(Life(Sentences(explores(the(complex(identity(that(is( Israel( through( the( story( of( a( son( of( Palestinian( man( and( a( Jewish( woman,( who( married,( against(objections(from(both(families,(in(the(1960s.(After(the(Six(Day(War(in(1967,(Fawzi(al( Namir( reacted( to( the( humiliating( defeat( suffered( by( the( Arab( countries( by( becoming( a( terrorist( in( Israel.( Captured( after( over( 20( successful—and( often( fatal—attacks,( Fawzi( was( sentenced( to( a( multiple( lifetime( prison( sentence.( Faced( with( extreme( hostility,( Fawzi’s( Jewish( wife( eventually( took( their( two( children,( a( boy( and( a( girl,( to( Montreal,( where( they( were(raised(as(Orthodox(Jews.(

( Momi,( the( son( and( main( character( in( the( film( became( Shlomo( in( Montreal.( The( family( covered(up(their(past(until,(unexpectedly,(Fawzi(was(released(and(sent(to(Tunisia(in(a(deal( set( up( by( the( PLO.( There,( he( reestablished( his( relationship( with( his( kids,( especially( his( daughter,( until( she( turned( her( back( on( him( and( became( a( Hasidic( Jew( and( emigrated( to( Israel.( He( then( turned( his( attention( to( Shlomo,( who( became( intrigued( with( Arabs,( in( particular( one( young( woman,( whom( he( fell( in( love( with( and( eventually( married.( At( that( point,(Momi/Shlomo(became(Namir,(a(name(that(he(uses(today.( ( This( complex( and( curious( story,( with( its( twists( and( turns,( seems( to( embody( the( many( dilemmas( of( the( Middle( East.( Momi/Shlomo/Namir’s( tale( illustrates( the( possibilities( of( finding(love(in(both(cultures(despite(each(religion(opposing(such(unions.(And(who(is(he?(At( one(point,(he(observes(that(Jews(follow(a(matrilineal(line(to(establish(religious(identity(while( Muslims(look(to(the(patriarch(for(proof(of(lineage.(So—is(he(both(or(neither?(Amidst(all(the( brutal(fighting(that(is(ongoing(in(Palestine/Israel,(he(denounces(religion(and(killing(and(asks( that(everyone(believe(in(“empathy.”(If(only(that(was(possible(and(that(solutions(could(be(so( simple.( ( (

( ( ( ( (

(

( Another( complex( personality,( but( one( with( fewer( grave( consequences,( is( presented( in( I( Remember( Barbra.( Kevin( Burns’s( film( is( a( funny( and( rather( sweet( look( back( at( the( adolescence( of( Barbra( Streisand,( the( ultimate( example( of( a( Brooklyn( girl( making( it( big( in( showbiz.( Fellow( students( at( Erasmus( High( recall( a( quiet( girl,( who( made( few( friends( and( rarely(showed(off(her(amazing(voice.(Burns(canvases(the(area,(talking(to(Barbra’s(high(school( principal,(the(local(cop,(and(the(proprietors(of(the(best(local(cheap(eateries.(Most(embrace( her( success( as( one( for( their( neighbourhood( and,( in( a( way,( for( themselves.( We( don’t( learn( much(about(Barbra(but(we(do(get(a(loving(profile(of(an(unpretentious(Brooklyn(way(before( hipsters(and(“Girls”(utterly(changed(the(borough.(( (

!

(

Crossing( the( acclaimed( Brooklyn( Bridge,( one( can( view( David( L.( Lewis’s( profile( of( the( feisty( Manhattan( iconoclast( Nat( Hentoff.( The( Pleasures( of( Being( Out( of( Step( shuffles( back( and( forth( between( Hentoff’s( exemplary( career( as( a( preeminent( jazz( critic,( broadcaster( and( producer(and(his(more(problematic(forays(into(politics,(particularly(his(antiNabortion(stance,( which( has( placed( this( lifeNlong( radical( into( the( hardNright( conservative( camp( on( a( major( issue.( ( Lewis( tries( to( keep( things( moving( sprightly( by( cutting( between( Hentoff’s( longNwinded( if( admirable( defense( of( the( US( First( Amendment( (freedom( of( speech,( etc.)( and( choice( selections( of( music( by( Lester( Young,( Charles( Mingus,( Count( Basie,( Billie( Holiday( and( other( jazz(notables.(This(is(an(uneven(but(intriguing(look(at(a(fine(American(journalist(and(thinker.(

!

( ( From(Hollywood(to(Nuremberg(is(a(unique(Holocaust(film,(which(presents(archival(footage( of( the( Second( World( War,( including( concentration( camps,( shot( by( legendary( Hollywood( figures(John(Ford,(George(Stevens,(Gregg(Toland(and(Samuel(Fuller.( ( Viewers( of( the( film( will( be( able( to( see( outtakes( judged( to( be( too( grim( (by( the( US( high( command)( from( December( 7th,( the( film( coN directed(by(Toland(and(Ford,( which( won( the( 1943( Oscar( for( best( short( subject( in( the( documentary( genre.( They’ll( also( see( footage( of( Samuel( Fuller’s(infantry(unit,(The(Big( Red( One,( whose( feats( inspired(his(1980(feature(film( of(the(same(name.( ( ( ( (

Most( impressively,( George( Steven’s( intense( camerawork( of( Dachau,( the( most( notorious( of( the(Nazi(death(camps,(is(on(display(in(much(of(the(final(section(of(the(film.(Those(images(still( retain( the( power( to( shock( despite( the( fact( that( they’re( nearly( 60NyearsNold.( While( From( Hollywood( to( Nuremberg( is( certainly( an( important( film,( it( is( marred( by( overly( didactic( narration(explaining(the(meaning(of(images,(which(are(inherently(disturbing( (

( ( The(Length(of(the(Alphabet(is(the(final(film(in(a(remarkable(trilogy(by(IraqiNJewishNCanadian( director( Joe( Balass,( all( of( which( are( being( screened( at( TJFF.( Here,( Balass( profiles( Naim( Kattan,(the(brilliant(IraqiNJewishNCanadian(novelist(and(essayist,(who(is(hailed(in(Quebec(as( an(important(writer(and(thinker.(Balass(assembles(a(group(of(Quebec(intellectuals(and(artists( including(Jacques(Godbout(and(Fernand(Ouellet(to(praise(Kattan(and(position(him(as(the(key( figure(in(representing(Jewish(culture(in(Quebec.(Kattan’s(influence(at(the(Canada(Council(for( the(Arts(is(also(explored(but(it’s(the(man,(himself,(who(makes(the(movie(special.(Even(in(his( 80s,(Kattan(is(charming(and(articulate—an(immensely(admirable(cultural(figure.( (

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Fast%Five:%Top%picks%for%the%2014%Toronto%Jewish% Film%Festival% By!Andrew!Parker-!05.05.2014! http://dorkshelf.com/2014/05/05/fast-five-top-picks-for-the-2014-toronto-jewish-film-festival/! ! !

It!seems!like!only!yesterday!there!was!a!major!festival! happening!in!the!city!of!Toronto.!Come!to!think!of!it,! that’s!because!there!wasn’t!one,!but!two!major! festivals!going!on!in!Toronto!last!week.!In!addition!to! the!Hot!Docs!juggernaut!that!took!up!almost!every! waking!moment!of!our!lives!(and!potentially!our! sanity,!albeit!while!learning!a!heck!of!a!lot!in!the! process),!we!didn’t!have!time!to!mention!that!the!

Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!kicked!off!this!past!

Thursday.! !

Now! in! its! 22nd! year! in! bringing! the! best! in! Jewish! cinema!to!the!city!from!all!over!the!world,!this!year’s! festival! runs! all! through! this! week! to! next! Sunday!

(May! 11th)! running! through! 116! films! from! 23! different! countries.! It’s! a! comprehensive! effort! that! the! festival! doesn’t! regulate! to! just! this! time! of! year,! often! bringing! films! to! the! city! that! will! get! major! theatrical! releases! in! the! near! future! and! often! sponsoring! special! community! events! outside! of! the! proper!early!spring!festivities.! !

We! might! be! a! little! late! to! the! game! this! year,! but! that! doesn’t! mean! there! aren’t! plenty! of! awesome!things!yet!to!come!at!this!year’s!festival!!For!a!full!list!of!films,!showtimes,!locations,! and! ticketing! information,! head! to! the! festival! website,! but! for! now,! here! are! five! can’t! miss! events!that!have!yet!to!arrive.! !

Goldberg%and%Eisenberg%

!

!

Screens:!Saturday,!May!10th,!11:30pm,!ROM!Theatre!

Ostensibly!part!of!the!festival’s!sidebar!focus!on!horror,!this!Israeli!crime!thriller!made!a!huge! splash! at! Slamdance! earlier! this! year! with! its! low-fi! blending! of! Quentin! Tarantino,! John!

McNaughton,! Abel! Ferrara,! and! the! Coens.! The! tale! of! a! nerdy! computer! programmer! being! terrorized! by! a! crazy! psychopath! is! unpredictable,! appropriately! unnerving,! and! occasionally! sleazy! in! good! measure.! It’s! certainly! an! interesting! genre! effort! unlike! anything! else! around,! and!it!certainly!marks!the!arrival!of!debuting!director!Oren!Carmi!as!someone!to!keep!an!eye! on.! !

The%Pin%

!

!

Screens:!Sunday,!May!11th,!6:00pm,!Bloor!Hot!Docs!Cinema!

A!powerful!and!emotionally!draining!look!at!young!Jews!on!the!run!during!World!War!II,!Naomi!

Jaye’s!The!Pin!has!become!not!only!buzzworthy!around!the!world!where!it!has!been!garnering! raves,! but! also! here! at! home! for! being! the! only! Canadian! produced! Yiddish! film.! Filled! with! gorgeous! cinematography! and! excellent! performances,! this! patient! and! nuanced! character! study!exemplifies!the!festival’s!cultural!and!artistic!aims!perfectly.! !

!

Natan%

!

Screens:!Thursday,!May!8th,!8:00pm,!Canada!Square!2!and!Saturday,!May!10th,!9:15pm,!Koffler!

House!(U!of!T)!

Film! buffs! and! historians! should! get! a! kick! and! get! appropriately! enraged! at! the! Irish! documentary! import! Natan,! which! tells! the! story! of! long! forgotten! cinematic! icon! Bernard!

Natan.! Although! he! was! dragged! through! the! mud! because! of! his! Eastern! European! Jewish! heritage!and!he!was!later!defamed!and!slandered!as!a!pornographer,!Natan!still!founded!one!of! the! most! culturally! influential! companies! that’s! still! around! today:! French! powerhouse! studio,!

Pathé.!David!Cairns!and!Paul!Duane!look!at!Natan’s!life!and!times!and!do!a!fine!job!reclaiming!a! bit!of!respect!for!one!of!cinema’s!most!overlooked!figureheads.! !

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Birthplace%

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Screens:! Tuesday,! May! 6th,! 7:30pm,! Canada! Square! and! Thursday,! May! 8th,! 1:00pm,! Koffler!

House!(U!of!T)!

Returning!to!the!festival!it!once!played!over!20!years!ago,!Pawel!Lozinski’s!look!at!heritage!and! the!personal!tracing!of!his!own!family!tree!is!one!of!the!most!underrated!documentaries!of!the!

1990s.!A!sometimes!painful!but!constantly!poignant!look!at!a!Polish!village!where!time!has! seemingly!stopped!over!the!past!century,!it’s!a!rare!film!in!both!tone!and!availability!and!a! screening!that!quite!likely!won’t!ever!be!replicated!again!(especially!with!Lozinski!in! attendance).! !

Kaddish/Zeitgeist%

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Screens:!Saturday,!May!10th,!4:00pm,!Koffler!House!

An! intriguing! and! offbeat! double! bill! that! also! resides! in! the! festival’s! horror! themed! section,! this! pairing! consists! of! an! episode! of! one! of! television’s! most! influential! shows! and! an! early! short! from! someone! quickly! becoming! one! of! the! hottest! and! most! buzzed! about! directing! talents! in! the! world.! Kaddish! was! the! fifteenth! episode! of! the! fourth! season! of! The! X-Files,! meaning!it!aired!just!as!the!sci-fi!phenomenon!was!starting!to!hit!its!stride!creatively!during!its! break!into!the!pop!culture!mainstream.!One!of!the!more!unsung!episodes!of!the!series,!Kaddish! finds!Mulder!(David!Duchovny)!and!Scully!(Gillian!Anderson)!looking!into!a!Brooklyn!murder!that! seems!to!be!the!work!of!the!golem.!It’s!a!great!example!of!how!the!series!at!the!height!of!its! popularity!was!able!to!blend!tangible!fears!(loss!of!self!and!identity),!classic!mythology,!and!old! school!spookiness!into!an!intoxicating!blend!that!kept!fans!continually!coming!back!for!more.! !

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TJFF!2014:!COMEDY!WARRIORS:!HEALING! THROUGH!HUMOR! By(Mark(D’Amico(–(05.12.2014( http://www.weraddicted.com/tjffN2014NcomedyNwarriorsNhealingNthroughNhumor/( (

( The(22nd(Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival(came(to(a(close(on(Sunday((May(11)(after(a(successful( 11Nday( run,( featuring( a( wide( variety( of( films( that( provide( a( diverse( look( at( Jewish( identity( within( the( global( perspective.( One( film( which( was( extremely( wellNreceived( at( its( Thursday( night(screening(was(the(documentary(Comedy(Warriors:(Healing(Through(Humor(by(director( John( Wager.( The( film( follows( five( courageous( US( veterans( who( were( severely( wounded( in( the(Iraq(and(Afghanistan(wars,(and(chronicles(their(journeys(as(they(enter(into(the(world(of( standNup(comedy(as(a(part(of(the(Comedy(Warriors(program.(They(are(then(teamed(up(with( professional(comedians(and(comedy(writers(in(order(to(develop(and(refine(their(acts(before( being(given(an(opportunity(to(perform(at(a(famous(comedy(club(in(LA.( ( Comedy(Warriors(is(an(inspiring(story(of(brave(individuals(rising(above(the(darkness(in(their( own(lives(in(order(to(share(the(healing(power(of(laughter(with(the(world.((As(several(of(the( celebrity(coaches(point(out(in(this(film,(the(seeds(of(tragedy(can(work(to(produce(some(truly( inspired(comedy(–(a(notion(that(is(fully(embraced(by(these(five(aspiring(comedians,(each(of( whom(describes(their(reliance(on(humor(as(a(means(of(coping(with(the(trauma(of(their(postN war(lives,(as(well(as(their(eventual(decision(to(take(it(a(step(further(and(share(that(gift(with( others.( For( some( of( them,( comedy( is( a( way( to( inspire( people( and( honor( the( memory( of(

fellow(soldiers(who(never(made(it(home,(while(others(simply(love(the(feeling(they(get(when( a(joke(ignites(in(front(of(a(packed(crowd.((Regardless(of(their(motivations(to(step(onto(the( stage,(each(of(these(five(Comedy(Warriors(earns(their(title(by(delivering(big(laughs(in(their( final( performances,( showcasing( their( natural( talents( as( well( as( their( very( real( potential( for( future(success(in(the(industry.( ( This( doc( also( features( an( impressive( roster( of( professional( ANList( comedians( and( comedy( writers( who( helped( bring( the( program( to( life,( including( Lewis( Black,( Zach( Galifianakis,( B.J.( Novak( and( Bob( Saget,( among( others.( Their( advice( and( creative( criticism( offers( revealing( truths(about(what(it(takes(to(succeed(in(the(world(of(standNup,(such(as(the(development(of(a( refined(stage(presence(that(plays(to(one’s(strengths,(without(feeling(forced(or(fabricated.(All( of(the(coaches(were(genuinely(impressed(with(the(five(war(veterans,(who(were(able(to(jump( right(in(and(hold(their(own(despite(minimal(experience(–(which(is(especially(surprising(when( you( consider( the( lengthy( development( process( that( most( comedians( go( through( when( starting( out.( And( the( fact( that( two( of( the( five( stars( have( gone( on( to( work( as( professional( standNup( comedians( since( shooting( the( film( is( a( testament( not( only( to( the( success( of( this( great(program,(but(also(to(the(power(of(humor(to(help(mend(even(the(deepest(of(wounds.( ( Comedian( Joe( Kashnow( and( Producer( Ray( Reo( were( also( in( attendance( at( Thursday’s( screening,(providing(a(brief(intro(as(well(as(a(fantastic(Q&A(following(the(film.( ( Comedy(Warriors(will(screen(for(a(second(time(at(9:30pm(on(Saturday,(May(10th(at(Famous( Players(Canada(Square(Cinemas.( ( Comedians(Joe(Kashnow(and(Bobby(Henline(will(also(be(performing(their(standNup(routines( this(Sunday,(May(11th(at(the(Yuk(Yuk’s(comedy(club(in(Toronto.( (

(

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!

TJFF!2014!REVIEW:!THE!OUTRAGEOUS!SOPHIE! TUCKER! By(Ada(Wong(–(05.03.2014(( http://thetfs.ca/2014/05/03/tjffN2014NreviewNoutrageousNsophieNtucker/#.U9ElEV6mDSM( ( ( Known(as(the(“Last(of(the(Red( Hot( Mamas”,( Sophie( Tucker,( and( her( smoky( voice,( worked( through( vaudeville,( the( first( talking( motion( pictures,( and( eventually( television.( She( inspired( stars( like( Better( Midler,( and( Judy( Garland,( and( may( be( one( of( the( most( important( names( in( jazz( and( blues,(that(you’ve(never(heard( of.(Born(in(an(Orthodox(Jewish( family,(Sophie(wasn’t(what(you(would(expect(for(a(star.(She(wasn’t(exactly(beautiful,(but(her( voice,(attitude,(and(humour,(were(enough(to(pack(the(house.(The(Outrageous(Sophie(Tucker( looks(at(Sophie’s(early(years,(when(she(was(finally(able(to(become(a(star.( ( Many(careers(were(forced(to(come(to(an(end(with(the(advancement(of(new(technology.(Not( every( entertainer( could( transition( from( vaudeville( to( motion( pictures,( especially( as( sound( was(introduced,(but(Sophie(Tucker(managed(to(increase(her(fans(through(the(years.(Through( archival( footage,( including( many( interviews( with( Tucker,( fans( are( treated( to( her( amazing( voice,(as(well(as(an(insight(into(Tucker’s(impressive(business(savvy.( ( In( our( world( of( social( media,( it’s( unthinkable( that( a( celebrity( isn’t( in( the( public( eye( at( all( times.( Although( it( would( be( decades( before( a( star( could( tweet( their( every( movement,( Tucker( was( constantly( promoting( herself.( The( stories( of( her( selling( books,( advertising( her( own(shows(on(the(street,(and(making(sure(that(she(remained(in(contact(with(every(person( she(met,(is(stunning.(Her(talent(is(immeasurable,(but(it’s(her(knack(for(marketing(herself(that( truly(stands(out.( ( Is(The(Outrageous(Sophie(Tucker(essential(festival(viewing?( ( A( must( see( for( anybody( looking( for( the( secret( to( getting( ahead( in( life.( The( music( is( outstanding,(but(it’s(the(way(that(Tucker(lived(her(life(that(is(the(most(fascinating(aspect.(A( shrewd(business(person,(a(caring(individual,(and(a(talent(that(continues(to(inspire.( (

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TJFF!2014!REVIEW:!THE!STURGEON!QUEENS! By(Ada(Wong(–(05.04.2014( http://thetfs.ca/2014/05/04/tjffN2014NreviewNsturgeonNqueens/#.U9Eiz16mDSM( ( (

At(179(East(Houston(Street(St(is( Russ(&(Daughters,(a(family(run( business(for(four(generations( specializing(in(smoked(fish,(caviar,( and(other(food(items.(The(modest( store(front,(complete(with(light(up( neon(sign,(is(in(the(neighborhood(of( New(York(known(as(the(Lower(East( Side.(This(was(a(very(densely( populated(area(in(the(early(1900s,( filled(with(new(immigrants(from( Europe(including(the(largest(Jewish( community(in(the(world.( J.( Russ( National( Appetizing( Store(was( founded( by( Joel( Russ( in( 1914,(graduating(from(street(hawking(with(a(pushcart(since(his(arrival(to(New(York(in(1907.(The(business(was( officially(renamed(to(Russ(&(Daughters(in(1933(when(Joel(made(his(three(daughters(full(partners,(making(theirs( the( first( business( to( have( “&( Daughters”( (as( opposed( to( the( more( popular( “&( Sons”)( in( its( title.( This( small( feministic(triumph(was(a(delightful(inclusion(in(the(documentary,(a(wonderful(point(to(highlight(by(filmmaker( Julie(Cohen.( The( business( has( established( a( reputation( for( quality( goods( and( expert( seafood( handlers,( attracting( clientele( that( includes( Hollywood( actresses,( celebrity( chefs,( and( even( a( US( Supreme( Court( judge.( Big( names( such( as( Maggie(Gyllenhaal(and(Chef(Mario(Batali(sit(down(for(interviews,(giving(their(testimonials(and(discussing(their( favourite( foods( from( Russ( &( Daughters.( Interviews( are( set( up( to( include( closeNup( shots( of( these( delectable( items(in(the(foreground(of(the(interview,(so(be(prepared(to(leave(the(theatre(with(cravings.( Other( interviews( include( 100( year( old( Hattie( and( 92( year( old( Anne( (aka( The( Sturgeon( Queens),( daughters( of( Joel(Russ,(talking(about(their(father(and(mother,(and(reminiscing(about(their(experiences(working(in(the(store.( These( delightful( women( joke,( jape,( and( even( sing( for( the( camera.( Other( generations( of( Russ’( are( also( represented( including( Mark( Russ( Federman( (3rd(generation),( and( current( managers( Joshua( Russ( Tupper( and( Niki(Russ(Federman((4th(generation)(who(are(modernizing(the(business(and(garnering(a(foodie(following(with(a( social(media(presence,(food(pairing(events,(and(a(restaurant(on(nearby(Orchard(St.(to(open(this(year.( The( Sturgeon( Queens( is( quirky( and( funny,( filled( with( Jewish( idiosyncrasies( but( also( an( endearing( tale( of( an( immigrant(success(story(of(how(one(man’s(humble(business(has(transformed(into(a(New(York(City(institution.( Is(The!Sturgeon!Queens(essential(festival(viewing?( If(you’re(a(foodie(and(a(film(buff,(you’re(going(to(love(this.(Even(if(you’re(not,(The(Sturgeon(Queens(will(still(be( an(engaging(portrait(of(a(family(and(their(devotion(to(the(store(bares(their(name,(and(how(they’ve(maintained( its(legacy(over(100(years.! (

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TJFF!2014!REVIEW:!THE!PIN! By(William(Brownridge(–(05.09.2014( http://thetfs.ca/2014/05/10/tjffN2014NreviewNpin/#.U9EYzl6mDSM( (

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( An( elderly( Shomer( watches( over( the( bodies( of( the( dead,( guarding( their( souls( before( burial,( but( ( is( faced(with(his(own(past(when(he(watches(over(a(recently(deceased(elderly(woman.(A(mark(on(her( hand(reminds(the(man(of(a(time(during(World(War(II,(when(he(was(hiding(in(a(barn.(Inside,(the(man( meets( a( young( woman,( also( hiding.( Initially( distrustful( of( each( other,( the( two( start( to( reveal( more( about( themselves,( which( leads( to( them( form( a( strong( bond.( Constantly( in( fear( of( being( captured,( they(slowly(begin(to(fall(in(love,(but(their(happiness(is(challenged(when(a(stranger(discovers(them.( ( This( incredibly( moving( story( may( be( a( bit( predictable,( but( that( doesn’t( make( it( any( less( powerful.( Beginning(at(the(end(of(the(story,(the(film(reverses(in(time(to(follow(Jacob((Grisha(Pasternak)(as(he( runs(through(a(forest,(blood(dripping(from(an(injured(arm,(before(he(eventually(collapses(in(a(barn.( Hiding(inside(is(Leah((Milda(Gecaite),(a(young(woman(who(has(been(in(the(barn(for(quite(some(time.( ( Both( Pasternak( and( Gecaite,( are( outstanding( in( their( roles.( Their( initial( reactions( to( each( other,( showing( concern( that( the( other( may( be( looking( for( them,( and( not( hiding( out( themselves,( is( something(that(is(carried(through(much(of(the(film.(This(makes(their(growing(relationship(that(much( sweeter,( as( they( slowly( learn( to( trust( each( other.( They’re( also( forced( to( convey( much( of( their( emotions(nonNverbally,(especially(as(they’re(hiding,(and(we’re(treated(to(some(beautiful(moments.( ( Is(The(Pin(essential(festival(viewing?( ( A(moving(love(story(that(will(fill(audiences(with(intense(emotion,(and(a(film(that(everyone(should(be( sure(to(watch.( ( (

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TJFF!2014!REVIEW:!Goldberd!&!Eiseinberg!

By(Mark(Hanson(–(05.09.2014( http://thetfs.ca/2014/05/09/tjffNreviewNgoldbergNeisenberg/( (

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Goldberg(is(a(mildNmannered(computer(programmer(in(Tel(Aviv.(He(spends(most(of(his(free(time(frequenting( the( park( with( his( dog( and( unsuccessfully( trying( to( pick( up( women.( Then( one( night,( he( meets( Eisenberg,( an( oafish(thug(who(claims(to(know(him(from(the(past.(Despite(denying(this(claim,(Eisenberg(doesn’t(go(away(and( begins(to(stalk(Goldberg.( ( The(relationship(between(stalker(and(stalked(can(make(for(tense(cinema(and(the(best(types(of(these(films((see( Chuck( &( Buck( or( Enduring( Love)( exploit( the( inherent( social( awkwardness( for( maximum( creepiness.( I( assume( this(is(what(Goldberg(&(Eisenberg(is(attempting(to(do,(but(first(time(writerNdirector(Oren(Carmi(is(way(too(in( love(with(his(own(stylistic(choices(to(ever(let(his(story(unfold(naturally(and(breathe.(You(get(TarantinoNesque( pop(culture(references(over(here,(some(Nicolas(Winding(Refn(techno(sequences(over(there,(a(few(Requiem(for( a(Dream(bodyNmount(rig(closeNups,(and(a(general(sense(of(Coen(brothers(black(humour(throughout.(Goldberg( &( Eisenberg( has( picked( up( a( good( deal( of( buzz( at( festivals( like( Slamdance( and( Fantastic( Fest( –( seemingly( because(it’s(so(obviously(attempting(to(be(a(“cool”(movie(–(but(Carmi(isn’t(repurposing(his(influences(so(much( as(ripping(them(off(without(much(concern(for(how(they(add(to(the(movie.(Goldberg(has(a(Breaking(Bad(poster( on(his(bedroom(wall(because…(it’s(a(cool(show?( ( Once(we(get(to(the(ending,(which(is(clearly(intended(to(be(shocking,(yet(Xerox(copied(from(two(other(distinct( films,( it’s( unclear( what( the( point( of( the( film( is( anymore.( There’s( also( a( hint( of( homophobia( in( the( film’s( conclusion(that(leaves(a(sour(aftertaste,(although(maybe(that’s(not(entirely(intended.(But(in(Carmi’s(muddled( vision,(it’s(hard(to(read(anything(clearly.( ( Is(Goldberg(&(Eisenberg(essential(festival(viewing?( ( Despite( some( misgivings,( Goldberg( &( Eisenberg( could( become( somewhat( of( a( cult( item,( particularly( on( the( heels( of( last( year’s( breakout( Israeli( thriller( Big( Bad( Wolves.( So( if( you( want( to( be( in( the( know,( this( is( a( good( opportunity(to(catch(it.(Can’t(guarantee(you’ll(be(impressed(though.( ( (

(

TJFF! 2014! REVIEW:! LET’S! ASSUME! FOR! A! MOMENT!THAT!GOD!EXISTS! By(Laura(Holtebrick(–(05.14.2014( http://thetfs.ca/2014/05/05/tjffN2014NreviewNletsNassumeNmomentNgodNexists/( (

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( In(Let’s(Assume(for(a(Moment(That(God(Exists,(director(Ram(Loevy(lets(the(camera(roll(on(the(residents(of(his( neighbourhood,( Ramat( Gan.( We( meet( several( key( figures( of( the( neighbourhood,( such( as( Meir,( the( grocery( store(owner(and(Eli,(the(Iraqi(barber.( ( Though( Let’s( Assume( for( a( Moment( That( God( Exists( lacks( an( overarching( narrative,( it( is( nonetheless( an( interesting( little( piece( of( documentary( filmmaking.( If( you( are( looking( for( grand( lessons( about( life( and( the( human(spirit,(you(will(most(likely(not(find(them(here.(But(by(shining(his(light(on(this(particular(neighbourhood( and(group(of(people,(Loevy(reminds(us(of(the(universality(of(community.(We(may(not(know(these(exact(people( and(we(may(not(come(to(understand(the(exact(minutiae(of(Ramat(Gan,(but(we(do(understand(the(profound( significance(seemingly(day(to(day(actions,(interactions(and(encounters(may(have,(even(if(to(the(outside(world,( they( may( appear( insignificant( and( mundane.( Let’s( Assume( for( a( Moment( That( God( Exists( is( a( surprisingly( exciting(portrait(of(a(community(that(is(both(different(from(ours(and(yet,(in(many(ways,(mirrors(ours(exactly.( ( Is(Let's(Assume(for(a(Moment(that(God(Exists(essential(festival(viewing?( ( Though(not(necessarily(essential(viewing,(Let’s(Assume(for(a(Moment(That(God(Exists(is(certainly(worth(seeing( for(those(interested(in(universal(human(stories(and(interesting(insights(into(foreign(cultures.( ( Let's(Assume(for(a(Moment(that(God(Exists(screening(times(

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TJFF!Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!2014!Trailer!

04.18.2014( http://www.thetorontoegotist.com/news/local/2014/april/18/tjffNtorontoNjewishNfilmN festivalN2014Ntrailer( (

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To( showcase( Jews’( great( reputation( in( cinema,( DDB( Canada( &( Tribal( Worldwide( are( launching(a(new(campaign(featuring(ridiculous(Jewish(films(that(have(been(rejected(by(the( Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival,(highlighting(the(fact(that(only(the(best(of(Jewish(Film(make(it(in( to(the(Festival.( (

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Reel!Talk:!Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!

By(Joel(Levy(–(05.01.2014( http://www.torontoisawesome.com/theNarts/film/reelNtalkNtorontoNjewishNfilmNfestival/( (

( ( The(22nd(annual(Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival(begins(tonight(and(continues(until(May(11th.( ( The( festival( highlights( the( works( of( Jewish( filmmakers( from( 23( countries,( including( Argentina,(France,(China,(Germany,(Ireland,(Poland,(Philippines,(Sweden,(the(U.K.,(U.S.(and( Venezuela.( ( Genres( of( the( films( include( comedy,( classic( horror,( Drama,( “lost”( treasures,( geopolitical( issues(and(intensely(personal(storytelling.( ( Here(are(some(of(the(films(that(will(be(playing.( ( (( Features( ( The( Pin( –( a( haunting( love( story( set( in( WWII( Lithuania( that( is( the( firstNever( Yiddish( film( produced(in(Canada.( ( The(German(Doctor(–(A(family’s(relationship(with(a(kindly(doctor(with(a(Nazi(past.( (

Hunting(Elephants(starring(Patrick(Stewart(–(A(12NyearNold(misfit(plans(a(bank(robbery(with( the(residents(of(his(grandfather’s(seniors(home.( ( FrenchNIsraeli( espionage( thriller( –( Kidon( –( featuring( a( terrific( ensemble( cast( that( includes( Tomer(Sisley(and(Bar(Refaeli.( Documentaries( ( A(New(Life(On(the(Land(N(About(the(rich,(overlooked(history(of(Canadian(Jewish(farmers.( ( Natan(N(The(littleNknown(story(of(Bernard(Natan,(an(alleged(pornographer(who(became(the( head(of(Europe’s(most(powerful(studio(Pathé(NNatan(in(the(20s(and(30s.( ( Warriors:( Healing( Through( Humour( ( N( American( war( vets( who( channel( their( feelings( into( standNup(comedy,(and(are(mentored(by(celebrated(comedians,(such(as(Zach(Galifianakis(and( Lewis(Black.( ( The(Sarnos:(A(Life(In(Dirty(Movies(–(The(adult(filmmaker(known(as(“the(Ingmar(Bergman(of( 42nd(Street”.( ( (( ( Horror( ( Roman( Polanski’s( The( Fearless( Vampire( Killers( N( featuring( Polanski’s( illNfated( wife( Sharon( Tate.( ( The(GolemNthemed(XNFiles(episode,(Kaddish.( ( There(will(also(be(a(free(talk(by(author(and(professor(Mikel(Koven,(who(will(explore(Jewish( representation(in(horror(movies.( ( Ticket(Info( ( Festival(dates(–(May(1(N11( Early(Bird(Flexible(passes(–(available(online(only(until(Friday,(April(11( Full(Festival(Film(Schedule(available(–online(at(tjff.com(as(of(Monday(,(April(14( TJFF(Ticket(Pricing:( $13.00(–(Single(Tickets( $8.00(–(Matinee(Screenings( $9(–(Seniors/(Students( $8.00(–(Horror/(Fantasy(Series(Films( $20.00(–(Opening(Night( ( ( ( ( (

Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!

(

By(Sheldon(Kirshner(–(04.16.2014( http://sheldonkirshner.com/?p=3881( ( The(Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival,(the(finest(cultural(event(in(the(city’s(Jewish(calendar,(gets( under(way(on(May(1(and(runs(until(May(11.(As(usual,(there(are(films(for(every(conceivable( taste.( A(sampler:( Bernard(Natan(was(one(of(the(founders(of((the(modern(film(industry(in(France.(A(Rumanian( Jew(whose(original(name(was(Natan(Tannenzapf,(he(was(at(the(peak(of(his(powers(from(the( 1920s(to(the(midN1930s.(Today,(he’s(a(virtually(forgotten(figure.(Natan,(a(riveting(and(chilling( documentary(directed(by(David(Cairns(and(Paul(Duane,(brings(him(back(to(life(on(celluloid.( (

( ( Bernard(Natan(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( Born(in(1886,(he(arrived(in(France(in(1905.(A(chemist,(he(aspired(to(work(in(film,(an(ambition( he( succeeded( in( achieving.( In( 1910,( after( having( formed( the( Rapid( Film( company,( he( was( charged( with( distributing( pornographic( films( and( threatened( with( deportation.( Bouncing(

back,(he(went(to(work(for(Pathe(as(a(technician.( In( a( burst( of( patriotism( following( the( outbreak( of( World( War( I,( he( enlisted( in( the( French( army.(After(the(war,(he(returned(to(film,(making(his(mark(as(a(technical(innovator.(Natan,( compared(by(some(to(Hollywood’s(Cecil(B.(DeMille,(bought(Pathe’s(exhibition(unit.(He(made( newsreels( and( scores( of( feature( films,( including( Les( Miserables( and( Wooden( Crosses,( a( movie(on(the(carnage(of(World(War(I.( PatheNNatan,(as(it(was(called,(went(bankrupt(in(1935,(and(Natan’s(enemies(pounced.(Leftists( excoriated(him(as(a(capitalist.(Rightists(attacked(him(as(a(foreigner,(Jew(and(pornographer.( Arrested(in(1938,(he(was(accused(of(fraud(in(connection(with(PatheNNatan’s(bankruptcy(and( sentenced(to(four(years(in(prison.( In( 1942,( when( France( was( under( the( sway( of( the( fascist( Vichy( regime,( Natan( was( denaturalized.(Having(lost(his(French(citizenship,(he(became(stateless.( Packed(off(to(the(Drancy(transit(camp,(he(was(deported(to(AuschwitzNBirkenau(on(Sept.(24,( 1942,( where( he( was( murdered( in( the( following( year.( More( than( 70( years( after( his( death,( Natan(is(a(nonNentity,(unknown(even(to(film(students.( Natan,(tinged(by(tragedy(and(controversy,(is(a(spellbinding(documentary.( ***( Sheldon(Leonard((1907N1997)(was(an(actor,(script(writer,(director(and(producer,(the(brains( behind( some( of( the( most( successful( sitcoms( on( American( television( —( The( Dick( Van( Dyke( Show,(The(Danny(Thomas(Show(and(The(Andy(Griffith(Show.( ( ( (

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Sheldon(Leonard(

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Allan( Holzman’s( biopic,( Sheldon( Leonard’s( Wonderful( Life,( documents( his( career( through( interviews( with( Leonard( and( collaborators( and( actors( such( as( Carl( Reiner( and( Mary( Tyler( Moore.( In( much( of( the( film,( Leonard( discusses( the( origins( of( the( TV( shows( that( catapulted( him( to( fame.(It’s(mildly(interesting,(but(hardly(the(stuff(of(a(firstNrate(documentary.( ***( Naim( Kattan( lives( in( the( Republic( of( Letters,( as( The( Length( of( the( Alphabet( suggests.( A( journalist,(novelist(and(cultural(administrator,(Kattan( was(born(in(Baghdad.(After(spending( seven(years(in(Paris,(he(settled(in(Montreal(in(1954,(knowing(not(a(single(person.(Within(a( few( years,( he( had( amassed( a( circle( of( friends( and( established( a( reputation( as( a( serious( literary(critic.( Joe(Balass’(generally(illuminating(film(traces(his(beginnings(in(Baghdad(—(a(city(divided(into( ethnic(and(religious(quarters(—(and(his(interest(in(becoming(a(writer(in(Arabic.(He(left(Iraq,( bound(for(Paris,(in(1947,(just(before(the(curtain(fell(on(Iraq’s(venerable(Jewish(community,(a( chapter(The(Length(of(the(Alphabet(completely(neglects,(to(its(detriment.( ( (

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( (( (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Naim(Kattan( ( Kattan,(who(regarded(French(as(the(language(of(liberation,(thrived(in(Paris,(where(he(shed( his(provincialism(and(learned(to(love(women.(In(the(movie,(he(returns(to(his(old(haunts(in( the(City(of(Light.( Intent( on( renewing( himself,( he( immigrated( to( Canada.( He( experienced( hardship( and( loneliness( in( Montreal,( and( was( shocked( to( learn( that( French( was( inextricably( associated( with( Roman( Catholicism.( His(luck( turned( when( the( Canadian( Jewish( Congress( hired( him( to(

produce( a( FrenchNlanguage( bulletin( aimed( at( a( French( Canadian( readership,( (the( first( nonN Catholic(French(publication(in(Quebec.( Championing( dialogue( with( the( French( Canadian( community,( Kattan( proved( adept( at( building( bridges( to( the( Quebecois.( He( claims( that( French( Canadian( nationalism( was( not( infused(with(the(antisemitism(that(had(marred(it(in(the(past.( Regrettably,(Balass(spends(too(little(time(on(Kattan’s((book(about(growing(up(Jewish(in(Iraq,( Farewell,(Babylon.(But(he(focuses(on(his(work(at(the(Canada(Council(for(the(Arts,(where(he( promoted(Quebecois(literature.( ***( From( Hollywood( to( Nuremberg,( directed( by( Christian( Delage,( largely( unfolds( during( World( War(II,(when(the(U.S.(government(enlisted(the(assistance(of(Hollywood(movie(directors(to( churn(out(propaganda(films(to(lift(morale(in(the(United(States.( It(profiles(three(directors,(John(Ford,(George(Stevens(and(Samuel(Fuller,(a(young(American( soldier(who(would(find(his(calling(as(a(filmmaker.( Ford(made(Battle(of(Midway,(a(stirring(documentary(about(a(pivotal(Pacific(battle(pitting(the( United( States( against( Japan,( while( Stevens( shot( raw( footage( of( two( liberated( Nazi( concentration( camps,( Nordhausen( and( Dachau,( where( thousands( died( of( maltreatment,( disease(and(starvation.( ( (

Inmates(in(Dachau(right(after(the(war(

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Ford(used(graphic(images(of(corpses(and(survivors(in(Dachau(to(make(a(powerful(film,(Nazi( Concentration(Camps,(which(was(screened(at(the(1946(Nuremberg(war(crimes(trial.( Fuller(witnessed(scenes(of(carnage(in(Falkenau,(a(Nazi(camp(in(Czechoslovakia,(and(they(left( him(numb.(After(the(war,(he(became(a(movie(director(in(Los(Angeles.( From(Hollywood(to(Nuremberg(is(episodic(and(disjointed.(There(is(a(vivid(story(here,(but(the( script(is(weak(and(anemic.( ( ***( Transit,( an( Israeli( feature( film( by( Hannah( Espia,( exposes( the( plight( of( Filipino( migrant( workers(in(Israel(and(the(gulf(between(them(and(their(IsraeliNborn(children.( It(concentrates(on(four(Filipinos(—(Janet,(whose(HebrewNspeaking(daughter,(Yael,(considers( herself( an( Israeli( rather( than( a( Filipina,( and( Moises,( whose( fiveNyearNold( son,( Joshua,( is( threatened(by(deportation.(

( Filipinos(in(Israel( Transit(is(set(in(the(southern(part(of(Tel(Aviv,(where(the(majority(of(migrant(workers(have( settled.( It’s( a( gritty( area,( far( from( the( city’s( affluent( and( sophisticated( northern( neighborhoods.( The(film(highlights(the(gap(between(Filipino(workers(and(their(IsraeliNborn(and(bred(children( and(delineates(the(fear(of(deportation(that(haunts(guest(workers(in(Israel.( ( ***( (

Ester( Amrami’s( Anywhere( Else,( set( in( Germany( and( Israel,( turns( on( Noa( (Neta( Riskin),( a( temperamental( 33NyearNold( Israeli( linguist( who’s( caught( between( two( countries( and( two( worlds,(Israel(and(Germany.( Noa,(a(post(graduate(student(in(Berlin(compiling(a(dictionary(of(odd(words,(is(disappointed( to(learn(that(her(MA(thesis(does(not(pass(muster.(As(she(reels(from(this(news,(her(German( boyfriend.( a( musician( named( Jorg( (Golo( Euler),( informs( her( he( is( going( to( Stuttgart( for( an( audition.(With(nothing(better(to(do,(she(boards(a(flight(to(Israel.( Israel(is(the(antithesis(of(Germany(—(warm(and(sunny(and(bright.(Beyond(the(fine(weather,( Israel( represents( family( warmth.( Her( parents( and( grandmother,( a( Holocaust( survivor,( are( glad( to( see( her( again.( Noa( feels( good( to( be( back( in( Israel,( yet( she( also( feels( disconnected( from(the(country.( Jorg(surprises(Noa(by(showing(up(in(Israel.(Rachel((Hana(Laslo),(Noa’s(mother,(invites(Jorg(to( stay( with( them,( even( though( she( is( displeased( that( her( daughter’s( boyfriend( is( a( German.( Noa(extends(her(trip(to(Israel(after(her(beloved(grandmother(is(hospitalized.(A(viewer(may( suspect(she(has(ulterior(motives(for(postponing(her(return(to(Germany.( (

Anywhere(Else(is(set(in(Germany(and(Israel(

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The( film( is( discerning( about( the( fraught( nature( of( GermanNJewish( relations.( This( theme( surfaces(at(an(awkward(dinner(table(conversation(and(at(ceremonies(marking(Independence( Day( celebrations( and( Holocaust( Remembrance( Day.( Further( tensions( emerge( as( Noa( quarrels(with(Rachel(and(her(married(sister.(Things(come(to(a(head(when(Jorg(tells(Noa(that( their(relationship(isn’t(working.( Anywhere( Else( coaxes(fine( performances( from( its( cast( and( makes( telling( points( about( the( importance(of(family(and(country(and(the(fragility(of(human(relations.( (

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Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!(2)!

By(Sheldon(Kirshner(–(04.19.2014( http://sheldonkirshner.com/?p=3961( ( This( year’s( edition( of( the( Toronto( Jewish( Film( Festival,( a( major( event( in( the( city’s( cultural( agenda,(runs(from(May(1N11(and(lives(up(to(expectations,(judging(by(the(roster(and(quality( of(the(movies.( A(sampler:( If( you’ve( ever( visited( the( Lower( East( Side( in( New( York( City,( you( may( have( come( upon( a( modestNlooking( but( iconic( store( on( Houston( Street,( Russ( &( Daughters( Appetizers,( which( serves(up(a(tantalizing(array(of(smoked(fish,(caviar,(fish(salads,(cream(cheese(and(chopped( liver,(among(other(treats.( (

A(culinary(landmark(on(the(Lower(East(Side(

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Julie( Cohen’s( nostalgic( documentary,( The( Sturgeon( Queens,( pays( homage( to( this( beloved( culinary(institution,(which(celebrates(its(100th(birthday(this(year.( The( film( summons( up( its( sweet,( smoky,( acrid( and( briny( aromas( and( unfolds( through( the( medium( of( interviews.( The( founder’s( daughters,( Ann( and( Hattie,( who( are( both( retired,( reminisce(about(their(parents,(Joe(and(Bella(Russ,(who(arrived(in(America(from(Galicia(in(the( first(decade(of(the(20th(century.(Loyal(customers,(including(U.S.(Supreme(Court(judge(Ruth(

Ginsberg,(famous(journalist(Morley(Safer(and(celebrity(chef(Mario(Batali,(rave(about(the(lox,( salmon(and(herring.(The(current(owners(discuss(their(dedication(to(the(shop(and(their(plans( for(the(future.( The( man( who( made( it( all( possible,( Joe( Russ,( sold( schmaltz( herring( from( a( pushcart( on( the( Lower( East( Side( after( his( arrival( in( New( York( City.( In( 1914,( he( and( his( wife( opened( Russ( Appetizers,( and( they( ran( it( on( the( principle( of( high( volume( and( low( prices,( a( formula( that( worked(terrifically( When( their( daughters( got( married,( they( gave( them( shares( in( the( shop,( invited( their( husbands(to(join(them(there(and(renamed(the(store.(The(current(manager,(Herman(Vargas,( a(Catholic(immigrant(from(the(Dominican(Republic,(was(hired(in(1979.(He,(too,(has(brought( family(members(into(the(business.(Vargas,(we’re(told,(endeared(himself(to(the(mainly(Jewish( clientele(by(learning(a(few(choice(Yiddish(phrases.( Russ(&(Daughters(Appetizers(experienced(turbulence(in(the(1970s(and(1980s,(when(urban( decay(blighted(the(neighborhood.(But(these(days,(million(dollar(condos(are(springing(up(all( over( the( Lower( East( Side,( and( all( is( well( with( the( world,( as( far( as( the( shop’s( owners( are( concerned.( ***( It(was(a(chance(encounter(between(an(ancient(people(and(a(newNborn(city.( When(Jews(arrived(in(San(Francisco(during(the(California(Gold(Rush(in(the(late(1840s,(it(was( a(sleepy(and(primitive(town,(hardly(the(jewel(of(the(Pacific(coast(it(would(become(one(day.( The(instrumental(role(that(Jews(played(in(San(Francisco’s(development(is(the(subject(of(Marc( Shaffer’s(enlightening(documentary,(American(Jerusalem.( Shaffer(uses(old(photographs(and(interviews(with(historians(to(tell(this(story.( Young(German(Jews(fleeing(economic(hardship(and(antisemitic(restrictions(were(among(San( Francisco’s( pioneers.( They( included( men( like( Levi( Strauss,( the( founder( of( a( blue( jeans( empire,( Adolph( Sutro,( a( real( estate( developer( and( the( city’s( first( Jewish( mayor,( and( Isaiah( Hellman,(a(banker.( (

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( ( ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Adolph(Sutro,(San(Francisco’s(first(Jewish(mayor(

In(San(Francisco,(the(gateway(to(the(gold(mines,(Jews(generally(earned(a(living(as(peddlers( and( merchants.( Few( bothered( becoming( miners,( who( lived( in( difficult( conditions( in( roughN andNtumble( camps.( In( time,( Jews( became( part( of( San( Francisco’s( power( structure,( encountering(little(or(no(prejudice.( With( acceptance( came( assimilation.( In( a( town( where( Reform( Judaism( was( the( norm,( Jews( celebrated(Christmas(and(Easter(rather(than(Chanukah(and(Passover.(Shaffer(doesn’t(tell(us( how( far( this( assimilation( went.( One( wonders( how( many( of( the( original( Jewish( families( remained(true(to(the(faith(in(the(intervening(decades?( By( the( 1870s,( San( Francisco( was( home( to( 16,000( Jews.( Only( New( York( City( had( a( bigger( Jewish(population.( Shaffer( is( not( loath( to( poke( into( dark( corners.( Jews,( like( white( Christians,( displayed( racist( attitudes( toward( Chinese( immigrants.( And( toward( the( end( of( the( 19th( century,( they( discouraged( YiddishNspeaking( Jews( from( eastern( Europe( from( settling( in( San( Francisco,( fearing(that(the(newcomers(would(embarrass(them(and(undermine(their(status.( To( its( credit,( American( Jerusalem( explores( all( aspects( of( the( Jewish( experience( in( San( Francisco.( ***( Yotam( Feldman,( in( The( Lab,( explores( Israel’s( multiNbillion( dollar( arms( industry,( which( employs(150,000(workers,(and(is(the(fourth(largest(in(the(world.( Feldman,(a(journalist,(calls(it(a(pillar(of(the(Israeli(economy,(a(claim(that(Israel’s(former(prime( minister,(Ehud(Barak,(substantiates.(Israel(is(a(“superpower”(in(arms(exports,(he(observes.( In(2012,(Israel(exported($7(billion(worth(of(weapons,(munitions(and(expertise.( Israeli( arms( are( in( demand( because( they’ve( been( battle( tested( for( years,( not( only( in( the( West(Bank(and(the(Gaza(Strip(but(in(Lebanon(and(Syria(as(well.( Feldman( interviews( Israeli( arms( dealers( like( Amos( Golan,( a( former( army( officer( and( the( inventor(of(the(cornerNshot(machine(gun,(and(Leo(Gleser,(who(appears(to(work(exclusively(in( Latin(America.( Shimon(Naveh,(a(retired(lieutenantNcolonel(who(works(as(a(security(consultant(today,(is(also( interviewed.( He( holds( forth( on( Israeli( military( strategy( in( urban( warfare,( paying( special( attention( to( Israel’s( 2009( invasion( of( Gaza( (Operation( Cast( Lead)( and( Israel’s( 2002( reoccupation(of(the(West(Bank((Operation(Defensive(Shield).( (

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Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!(3)!

By(Sheldon(Kirshner(–(04.19.2014( http://sheldonkirshner.com/?p=4018( ( This( year’s( edition( of( the( Toronto( Jewish( Film( Festival( runs( from( May( 1N11( and( features( a( wide( assortment( of( featureNlength( movies,( shorts( and( documentaries( from( around( the( world.( A(sampler:( Lucia(Puenzo’s(Argentinian(feature(film,(The(German(Doctor,(focuses(on(Josef(Mengele,(the( Nazi( war( criminal( who( found( a( haven( in( South( America( after( the( war.( Like( some( Nazis,( Mengele( settled( in( Argentina,( which( turned( a( blind( eye( to( war( criminals( and( had( a( fairly( large(German(population.( The(movie(starts(in(Patagonia(—(a(wild(region(of(mountains(and(forests(—(in(1960.(A(man( with( a( German( accent( who( calls( himself( Helmut( Gregor( (Alex( Brendemuhl)( asks( a( couple( with( children( for( directions( to( Bariloche,( a( resort( town( in( the( foothills( of( the( Andes.( He( follows(them(through(driving(rain(until(they(reach(an(inn.(The(following(day,(they(resume(the( journey,(only(to(part(ways(a(little(later.( (

( A(German(doctor(conceals(his(real(identity(

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Showing(up(in(Bariloche,(Gregor(runs(into(the(couple(again.(Eva((Natalia(Oreiro)(is(an(ethnic( German,(and(her(husband,(Enzo((Diego(Peretti),(is(a(doll(maker(of(Italian(origin.(They(hope(to( reopen(their(hotel(soon.(In(the(meantime,(they(agree(to(rent(Gregor(a(room.( Ethnic( Germans( in( Bariloche( look( up( to( and( respect( Gregor,( an( imposing,( noNnonsense( person.( They( know( he’s( hiding( behind( a( false( identity( and( is( really( Mengele.( After( a( newspaper(reports(that(Israeli(agents(have(launched(a(manhunt(for(Mengele,(the(suspicions( of(a(local(photographer(are(aroused.(She(suspects(that(Gregor(is(Mengele.( As( tensions( build,( Gregor( offers( growth( hormone( treatment( to( Eva’s( daughter,( Lilith( (Florencia(Bado),(who’s(too(short(for(her(age.(Eva(keeps(the(news(from(Enzo,(who(opposes( the( treatment.( To( mollify( Enzo,( Gregor( devises( a( profitable( method( of( mass( producing( porcelain(dolls(he(can(sell.( After(Israeli(agents(capture(Adolf(Eichmann(in(Buenos(Aires,(Gregor’s(allies(scramble(to(find( a(safe(haven(for(him(somewhere(else(in(South(America.( The(German(Doctor(brims(with(suspense(and(fear.( ***( Ilan(Duran(Cohen’s(The(Jewish(Cardinal(is(a(workmanlike(biopic(about(JeanNMarie(Lustiger,( the(first(known(Jew(to(become(a(prince(of(the(Roman(Catholic(church.(This(engaging(French( film(covers(the(most(formative(years(of(his(life,(from(his(appointment(as(bishop(of(Orleans,( where(he(was(baptized(in(the(early(1940s,(to(his(ascension(as(a(cardinal.( Born( in( Paris( in( 1926,( Lustiger( was( the( son( of( Polish( Jews( who( immigrated( to( France( after( World( War( I.( During( the( Nazi( occupation( of( France,( he( was( hidden( by( a( Catholic( family( whose( piety( rubbed( off( on( him.( His( father,( Charles,( survived,( but( his( mother,( Gisele,( was( murdered(in(Auschwitz.( The( film( starts( in( 1979( as( a( priest( on( a( moped( heads( down( a( city( street( in( France.( It’s( Lustiger,(played(with(aplomb(by(Laurent(Lucas.(He(dreams(of(working(in(Jerusalem,(but(his( superior( has( other( plans( for( him.( He( informs( him( he’s( been( given( a( promotion.( He’s( now( bishop(of(Orleans,(a(job(he(gladly(accepts.(Lustiger’s(father(is(less(than(thrilled,(calling(his(son( a(“shameful(Jew.”(Nonetheless,(he(invites(his(father(to(his(consecration.( (

((((((((((((((((((((((((( (((((((((((((((((((((((((JeanNMarie(Lustiger(—(the(first(Jewish(cardinal(

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As( portrayed( in( the( film,( Lustiger( is( torn( between( Judaism( and( Christianity.( He’s( not( ashamed(of(his(Jewishness,(but(he(considers(it(a(private(matter,(as(he(tells(a(reporter(delving( into(his(life( The( scene( shifts( to( the( Vatican,( where( the( new( PolishNborn( pope,( John( Paul( II( (Aurelien( Recoing),(greets(Lustiger(warmly.(In(reply(to(Lustiger’s(pointed(question,(the(pope(insists(he( did( not( appoint( him( bishop( because( of( his( status( as( a( convert.( It’s( clear( from( their( cordial( exchanges(and(body(language(that(John(Paul(II(likes(and(admires(Lustiger(and(that(they’re(on( the(same(wave(length.( As( the( film( races( ahead,( Lustiger( is( appointed( archbishop( of( Paris,( a( position( that( enables( him(to(meet(leading(members(of(the(Jewish(community.(The(outgoing(chief(rabbi(of(France( urges(him(to(stop(proclaiming(he’s(both(Jewish(and(Catholic,(but(he(refuses.(The(incoming( chief(rabbi,(however,(looks(beyond(this(issue(and(establishes(a(rapport(with(Lustiger.( Portrayed(as(a(man(with(a(volcanic(temper,(Lustiger(reaches(the(apex(of(his(career(in(1983,( when(the(pope(names(him(both(a(cardinal(and(his(personal(advisor.(Visiting(Auschwitz,(he’s( outraged(to(discover(that(the(Jewish(pavilion(is(closed(and(that(knowledge(of(the(Holocaust( in( Poland( is( skin( deep.(Flashbacks( of( Lustiger’s( boyhood( appear( and( reappear,( but( they’re( fragmentary.( Auschwitz( figures( prominently( in( the( film( yet( again( when( Lustiger( throws( himself( into( the( controversy(over(the(presence(of(a(Carmelite(convent(there.(This(incident(engenders(tension( between(Lustiger(and(the(pope.( The( Jewish( Cardinal(treats( all( these( issues( with( the( seriousness( they( deserve,( but( never( ignores(the(human(drama(behind(them.( ***( The(Holocaust(is(a(theme(that(has(crept(into(Polish(films(with(increasing(frequency(since(the( end( of( communism( in( Poland.( In( Hiding,( set( in( the( city( of( Radom( in( 1944( and( 1945( and( directed(by(Jan(KidawaNBlonski,(is(one(of(the(latest(in(this(genre.( Janka((Magdalena(Boczarska),(a(cellist,(is(surprised(to(find(a(guest(in(her(father’s(house.(Her( name(is(Ester((Julia(Pogrebinska),(she’s(Jewish(and(she’s(hiding(in(their(basement.(Ester(is(his( friend’s( daughter,( and( she’ll( be( staying( with( them( for( a( while.( Decency( requires( that( they( extend( a( helping( hand( to( Ester,( a( darkNhaired( dancer.( Janka,( fearing( that( Ester( will( expose( them(to(punishment(by(the(Nazis,(protests.( (

(A(claustrophobic(and(erotic(Polish(film( After(Janka’s(father(is(arrested(by(the(Germans,(the(two(women(gravitate(toward(each(other( sexually,(even(as(Janka(carries(on(an(affair(with(a(Polish(lover.(When(an(intruder(bursts(into( the(house,(threatening(to(blackmail(Janka,(she(and(Ester(resort(to(harsh(measures.( Their(bond(is(so(close(and(intimate(that(when(the(war(ends,(Janka(conspires(to(keep(Ester(in( the(dark(about(its(outcome.(Janka(wants(Ester(completely(to(herself.( The(film(is(claustrophobic,(erotic(and(somber.( ***( Like( In( Hiding,( The( Pin(takes( place( in( NaziNoccupied( Europe( and,( uniquely,( unfolds( almost( entirely(in(Yiddish.( By(chance,(two(young(Jews(in(Lithuania(who’ve(lost(their(families(in(German(massacres(meet( in( a( barn( in( the( countryside.( They( remain( nameless( throughout(Naomi( Jayne’s( bleak( and( bitter(film.(She((Milda(Gecaite)(offers(him((Grisha(Pasternak)(a(fresh(apple(after(he(fails(to( find(food(in(the(forest.(He(offers(to(take(her(to(the(border,(where(freedom(may(beckon.( They(talk,(kiss(and(make(love(in(the(hay.(Their(loveNmaking(is(robotic,(bereft(of(passion.( The(film(dips(into(the(surreal(as(it(flashes(back(to(a(funeral(home,(where(a(guard(watches( over(a(freshlyNarrived(corpse.(The(connection(between(now(and(then(seems(palpable.( (

A(movie(that(unfolds(mostly(in(Yiddish( A(German(soldier(with(a(swastika(armband(searches(the(barn,(but(doesn’t(find(the(pair.(After( he(leaves,(they(swear(allegiance(to(each(other.(It’s(virtually(the(only(tender(moment(in(The( Pin.( They(fornicate(again,(but(this(time(there(is(passion(and(partial(nudity.(Trouble(looms(yet( again(when(another(intruder,(a(boy(with(a(gun,(appears.(Later,(they(wait(for(a(freight(train( that(may(take(them(to(safety.( The(Pin(is(atmospheric,(full(of(long,(soulful(silences,(the(howl(of(the(wind,(the(patter(of(rain( and(the(growl(of(thunder.( ***( Pawel(Lozinski’s(documentary,(Birthplace,(is(wrenching(and(sometimes(even(hard(to( watch.(Dredging(up(the(profound(pain(and(betrayal(of(the(Holocaust,(it(unfolds(in(Poland(as( a(former(Polish(Jew,(now(an(American(citizen,(returns(to(the(village(where(a(double(tragedy( occurred.( The(protagonist,(Henryk(Grynberg,(is(a(writer(and(poet(who(left(Poland(in(1967,(just(before( the(Polish(government(launched(an(antisemitic(campaign(under(the(guise(of(antiNZionism( that(resulted(in(the(emigration(of(much(of(Poland’s(Jewish(population.( On( a( grey( winter( day,( he( arrives( in( Radoszyna,( hoping( to( ferret( out( information( about( his( family.(Grynberg,(born(in(Warsaw(in(1936,(was(a(boy(when(he(and(his(younger(brother(and(

parents(reached(the(village.(Presumably,(his(father(and(mother(believed(they(might(survive( in(Radoszyna,(a(speck(on(the(map(far(from(the(prying(eyes(of(the(Germans.( (

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Henryk(Grynberg( The(film(divulges(its(story(in(dribs(and(drabs,(building(suspense(as(it(proceeds.( Grynberg( introduces( himself( to( a( farmer,( and( he( remembers( when( Jews( traded( with( local( peasants.(Next,(he(talks(to(two(Poles(about(his(mother(and(a(preNwar(wedding(during(which( a(delicious(cake(was(served.( A( fourth( villager,( a( roughNhewn( person( who( makes( a( sharp( distinction( between( Poles( and( Jews,( claims( he( gave( his( mother( food.( Still( another( Pole( shows( Grynberg( a( dugout( in( the( earth(where(Jews(hid.( All(the(Poles(he(encounters(remember(his(family(as(if(they(had(met(yesterday,(yet(they(seem( emotionally(distant.( A(jarring(note(is(struck(when(a(farmer(accuses(local(Poles(of(having(murdered(Jews.(These( Poles,(he(says,(were(worse(than(the(Germans.(It’s(at(this(point(that(the(film(reaches(its(inner( core.(

Grynberg,(a(serious(man(who(never(smiles,(asks(his(Polish(interlocutors(whether(they(know( what( happened( to( his( brother,( who( was( 18( months( old( at( the( time.( After( a( few( conversations,(he(finally(learns(the(bitter(truth,(but(remains(remarkably(stoic.( The( film( grows( still( more( intense( as( Grynberg( asks( villagers( what( became( of( his( father,( Abram.(They(give(him(incomplete(answers,(whetting(his(curiosity.(They(say(they(were(afraid( of(their(neighbors.(They(claim(they(helped(Jews(and(condemn(the(“bastards”(who(betrayed( them.(They(say(that(Poles(jeopardized(their(lives(to(assist(Jews.( These( comments( lead( Grynberg( closer( and( closer( to( the( nub( of( the( horrific( events( that( unfolded(in(Radoszyna(during(these(terrible(times.(

Box!office!info.!

Full(festival(film(schedule(available(—(online(at(tjff.com.(( TJFF(Ticket(Pricing:( $13.00(–(Single(Tickets( $8.00(–(Matinee(Screenings( $9(–(Seniors/(Students( $8.00(–(Horror/(Fantasy(Series(Films( $20.00(–(Opening(Night( Main(Number(to(Call(is(Festival(Box(Office:(416N324N9121(

Advance!Box!Offices:!

ORDER(TICKETS(ONLINE(FROM(TJFF.COM.( In( Person( –(Toronto( Jewish( Film( Festival( Box( Office( (basement( level)( —( April( 17( –(( April( 30,(19(Madison(Ave.,(Sunday(–(Friday(12(p.m.(–(6p.m.((No(wheelchair(access(—(please(call( 416N324N9121(for(assistance(by(phone.( (

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Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!(4)!

By(Sheldon(Kirshner(–(04.25.2014( ( This(year’s(edition(of(the(Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival(runs(from(May(1N11(and(has(a(roster(of( eclectic(movies(from(different(countries.( A(sampler:( Yoav(Halevy,(in(Bureau(06,(profiles(the(Israeli(organization(that(gathered(the(evidence(and( the(witnesses(in(preparation(for(the(trial(of(Nazi(war(criminal(Adolf(Eichmann,(who( supervized(the(deportation(of(some(400,000(Hungarian(Jews(to(Auschwitz.( Fourteen(investigators(focused(on(different(facets(of(Eichmann’s(crimes,(and(the(work( consumed(them.(“We(were(totally(immersed,”(recalls(one(of(them.( Meanwhile,(Eichmann(was(interrogated(by(a(member(of(the(team,(Avner(Less,(who(was(born( in(Berlin(and(immigrated(to(Palestine(in(1938.(Less(was(disappointed(by(Eichmann,( considering(him(remarkably(bland(and(ordinary.(Instead(of(feeling(hatred(toward(Eichmann,( he(pitied(him.(Nonetheless,(Less(was(convinced(he(was(a(“sworn(Nazi.”( (

Adolf(Eichmann(during(his(trial(in(Israel( (

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Respecting(Less(as(an(equal,(he(unburdened(himself(of(incriminating(information.(Recalling( an( important( conversation( with( SS( chieftain( Heinrich( Himmler,( Eichmann( said( he( was( told( that(Hitler(had(ordered(the(extermination(of(European(Jewry.(Eichmann(admitted(he(did(not( expect(such(a(“violent(solution”(to(the(Jewish(problem.( As( this( informative( film( moves( forward,( we( learn( that( some( potential( witnesses( were( disqualified( because( their( testimony( could( not( be( corroborated,( that( the( investigators( suffered(from(psychological(stress(and(that(many(Israelis(were(ignorant(about(the(Holocaust.( ***( Cultural(dissonance(is(at(the(core(of(Ali(Adwan’s(drama,(Arabani.( Yusuf( (Eyad( Sheety),( an( Israeli( Druze,( returns( to( his( ancestral( village( in( the( Galilee( after( a( long(absence(and(a(divorce(from(his(Jewish(wife.(He’s(accompanied(by(his(his(two(teenNaged( children,( Smadar( (Daniella( Niddam)( and( Eli( (Tom( Kelrich),( who( are( Israeli( culturally,( linguistically(and(sartorially.(In(a(traditional(and(isolated(village(like(this,(they(are(like(fish(out( of( water.( Nonetheless,( Yusuf( has( come( back( with( the( intention( of( staying.( It’s( hard( to( understand( why( he( thinks( his( children( will( be( able( to( adapt( themselves( to( such( an( alien( milieu.( Yusuf’s(mother,(a(widow,(greets(him(with(a(slap(across(the(face,(in(an(unmistakable(sign(that( his( presence( is( not( appreciated.( Nor( is( she( happy( that( Smadar( wears( tight( shorts( and( Eli( dislikes(“Arab”(food.(In(short,(she(looks(askance(at(her(son’s(children.( The(reception(Yusuf(receives(outside(his(mother’s(house(is(just(as(hostile.(Yusuf’s(old(flame( rebuffs(him(and(village(elders(shun(him.(His(mother(is(ostracized(by(the(temple,(derogatory( graffiti(is(spray(painted(on(her(wall(and(a(rock(is(thrown(through(her(window.( (

Cultural dissonance in Israel

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In(an(attempt(to(calm(tensions,(Sami((Mahmoud(Abu(Jazi),(Yusuf’s(brother,(invites(the(village( elders( for( a( talk.( Informing( him( that( his( children( have( behaved( improperly( (Eli( was( seen( smoking( and( wrapped( in( the( folds( of( an( Israeli( flag,( while( Smadar( offended( villagers( by( dressing(indecently),(they(urge(him(to(leave.(The(following(day,(the(village(sheikh(tells(Yusuf(

he(“ruined”(his(life(by(marrying(a(Jewish(woman.( Adwan’s( film,( strong( yet( subtle,( is( an( object( lesson( in( ethnocentrism.( The( Druze( are( manifestly(loyal(to(the(Jewish(state,(but(Jews(and(Druze(live(in(completely(different(worlds( and(hew(to(different(social(codes.(Arabani(hammers(home(that(point(forcefully.( ***( Sachne,( or( Gan( Hashlosha,( is( an( Israeli(natural( wonder( to( behold,( an( idyllic( beauty( spot( in( the( Galilee( lying( sedately( in( the( shadow( of( Mount( Gilboa.( Consisting( of( pools( and( rolling( lawns(shaded(by(stately(palm(trees,(it’s(one(of(Israel’s(most(popular(nature(reserves(and(the( subject(of(an(aptly(titled(documentary,(Garden(of(Eden.( The( film( showcases( Sachne( in( summer,( autumn,( winter( and( spring.( Summer( is( the( high( season,( but( people( keeping( coming( all( the( year( round.( Last( year,( Sache( attracted( 400,000( visitors.( The( weather( changes( with( the( seasons,( but( the( water( temperature( of( the( pools( remains(the(same,(a(toasty(28(degrees,(since(they’re(fed(by(warm(springs.( (

Sachne(—(an(Israeli(beauty(spot(

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The(implicit(message(of(Garden(of(Eden(is(that(water(soothes(the(soul.(And(there(are(souls( to(be(soothed,(judging(by(the(Israelis,(Jews(and(Arabs,(who(frequent(the(park.( We(meet(a(man(whose(still(bears(the(emotional(scars(of(his(marriage(breakup.(We(meet(an( Israeli(Arab(who(finds(life(in(Israel(exhausting(and(wants(to(immigrate(to(Canada.(We(meet( another(Israeli(Arab(who(passed(up(the(opportunity(to(marry(a(fine(Russian(woman(and(now( regrets(his(decision.(We(meet(a(German(Jew(who(fled(Nazi(Germany.(We(meet(a(halfNJewish(

Ukrainian(immigrant(who(enrolled(in(the(Israeli(army.(We(meet(a(veteran(of(the(Yom(Kippur( War(who(lost(a(brother(and(a(cousin(in(that(conflict.( We(also(meet(two(very(distinctive(groups(—(Christian(pilgrims(from(Brazil(whose(members( pray(for(peace(and(Israel’s(wellNbeing(and(Orthodox(men(and(women(who(loosen(up(as(they( enjoy(the(amenities.(( In(passing,(the(camera(pans(on,(among(others,(sun(bathers,(swimmers(and(a(newlyNmarried( couple(posing(for(theatrical(photographs.( A(delicate(issue(is(raised(when(the(park(ranger(debunks(the(myth(that(85(percent(of(Sachne’s( visitors(are(Arabs,(a(reason(some(Israelis(avoid(Sachne.(In(fact,(15(percent(of(its(visitors(are( Arabs.(The(issue,(sadly,(underscores(the(nature(of(JewishNArab(relations(in(Israel(today.( ***( Ayelet( Dekel’s( intriguing( movie,( The( Israeli( Code,( is( s( snapshot( of( cultural( values( and( attitudes(in(contemporary(Israel.( Israelis,( their( patriotism( notwithstanding,( realize( that( Jews( in( the( Diaspora( are( safer.( After( all,(wars(and(terrorism(impinge(on(the(lives(of(Israelis,(and(bomb(shelters(dot(the(urban(and( rural(landscape.( Dekel,( in( broad( brush( strokes,( paints( a( portrait( of( Israelis.( They( tend( to( be( (pushy( when( boarding( buses.( They( leave( trash( in( public( places.( They( hate( being( taken( for( suckers.( They( love(their(flag,(the(Magen(David.(They(use(cell(phones(obsessively.(They(share(woes(and(joys( with(strangers.(They(are(very(opinionated.(They(follow(current(events(religiously.( (

The(Israeli(Code(explores(cultural(attitudes(in(modern(Israel(

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These(are(generalizations,(of(course,(but(Dekel’s(observations(are(nonetheless(acute.( ***( Jeffery( Bonna’s( Oro( Macht( Frei( focuses( on( the( darkest( period( to( which( the(Jewish( community( in( Rome,( the(oldest( continuing( one( in( the( Diaspora,( was( subjected.( This( era( stretched( from( 1938,( when( the( first( antisemitic( laws( in( Italy( were( enacted,( to( 1943,( when( Germany( terrorized( and( rounded( up( Jews( in( a( prelude( to( their( deportation( to( Nazi( extermination(camps(in(Poland.( Roman(Jews(were(ghettoized(for(more(than(400(years,(reduced(to(lending(money(and(selling( old( clothes.( But( after( Italy’s( unification( in( the( 19th( century,( the( ghetto( was( abolished( and( Jews(were(integrated(into(the(fabric(of(Italian(society.(By(the(dawn(of(the(20th(century,(they( identified(themselves(as(Italians(with(a(different(religion.( Imagine,(then,(how(shocked(they(must(have(been(when(Benito(Mussolini,(the(fascist(leader,( relegated(them(to(secondNclass(citizenship(with(the(passage(of(racial(laws(in(1938(and(1939.( “We(never(expected(something(like(that,”(says(a(woman(who(lived(through(this(horrendous( epoch.( According( to( historian( Alexander( Stille,( an( expert( in( Italian( history,( the( racial( laws( were( passed(to(“harmonize”(Italy’s(relations(with(Nazi(Germany.( Jews(rejoiced(when(Mussolini(was(deposed(in(1943,(only(to(fall(into(the(depths(of(despair( when( Germany( invaded( Italy( to( reinstate( him.( Within( days,( Jews( in( northern( Italy( were( deported( to( Poland.( The( terror( reached( Rome( in( midNOctober,( when( SS( thugs( raided( the( headquarters(of(the(Jewish(community(and(demanded(a(ransom(of(50(kilos(of(gold.(It(was( paid,(but(Nazi(thuggery(prompted(Jewish(leaders(to(go(into(hiding,(leaving(ordinary(Jewish( citizens(totally(exposed.(In(house(to(house(raids,(the(Nazis(arrested(more(than(1,000(Jews.( Still(more(went(into(hiding(in(monasteries(and(convents.( (

Pope(Pius(XII(

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Pope( Pius( XII( requested( a( halt( to( the( arrests,( but( did( not( speak( out( in( protest,( fearing( he( would(do(more(harm(than(good(and(imperil(Catholics(in(Germany.( Roman(Jews(celebrated(when(the(U.S.(army(liberated(Rome(on(June(4,(1944.(Jews(in(NaziN occupied(Italy,(however,(had(to(endure(many(more(months(of(hardship(and(discrimination.( When(the(war(ended,(20(percent(of(Italian(Jews(had(been(murdered.( Jews(who(witnessed(these(cataclysmic(events(recall(them(in(vivid(stories(that(speak(volumes.( Oro(Macht(Frei(brings(it(all(back.( ***( Pepe(Danquart’s(Run(Boy(Run(is(based(on(the(realNlife(adventures(of(Srulik(Fridman,(a(Jewish( boy(who(survived(the(Holocaust(in(Poland(by(living(on(his(wits.(Fridman,(smuggled(out(of(the( Warsaw(ghetto(in(1942,(got(by(with(a(little(help(from(decent(Poles,(but(mostly,(he(relied(on( his(cunning(and(strength(of(spirit(to(survive.( As(this(evocative(film(opens,(Fridman,(convincingly(portrayed(by(the(twins(Andrzej(and(Kamil( Tkacz,( steals( a( farmer’s( jacket( in( the( dead( of( winter.( The( farmer( beats( him,( but( Srulik( escapes(into(the(dense(forest,(shivering(in(the(cold(as(he(stops(to(rest.(This(is(obviously(a(boy( who(can(fend(for(himself.( (

A(Jewish(boy(in(NaziNoccupied(Poland(survives(by(his(wits(

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Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!P!2014!Integrated!

Campaign!

By(David(Horovitch(–(04.17.2014( http://davidhorovitch.com/work_tjff2.htm( ( Just( like( last( year,( The( Toronto( Jewish( Film( Festival( needed( to( increase( ticket( sales( by( targeting(a(nonNJewish(audience.(So(how(do(you(get(people(interested,(when(they(think(the( Festival( only( features( shlocky( Jewish( films?( By( tackling( this( false( perception( head( on( and( reinforcing(that(TJFF(is(all(about(quality(Jewish(film.(Bulding(on(the(momentum(of(last(year's( campaign,( we( wanted( to( hammer( home( the( fact( that( the( TJFF( is( very( picky( about( which( movies(it(allows(into(the(festival.( (

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Thankfully,!They!Didn’t!Make!the!Cut! 04.21.2014( http://www.appliedartsmag.com/blog/?p=16181( (

Dude,!where’s!my!yarmulke?!

( In( an( effort( to( show( that( the( selections( at( the( Toronto( Jewish( Film( Festival( (TJFF)( are( only( of( the( highest( calibre,( DDB( Canada( Toronto( recently( rolled(out(a(campaign(to(show(all(the( (fictional)( films( that( had( been( “rejected”( from( the( festival’s( programming( —( think( the( aforementioned( take( on( the( 2000( teen( classic( and( The( Fasting( and( the( Furious:(TelNAviv(Drift.( ( This( is( the( second( year( in( a( row( that( TJFF(has(tasked(the(Toronto(ad(agency( with(its(promotional(materials,(aiming( to( attract( bigger( audiences( that( include( the( nonNJewish( demographic.( DDB( is( looking( for( another( repeat( performance( —( its( campaign( for( TJFF( last(year(increased(box(office(sales(by( 14(per(cent.(The(purpose(of(this(year’s( campaign(is(to(show(that(just(because( a( film( fits( the( criteria( of( “Jewish”( doesn’t( mean( it’s( worthy( enough( to( make(it(into(the(festival(—(the(tagline( is(“It(has(to(be(good.(Real(good.”( ( TJFF(screens(feature(films,(shorts(and(documentaries,(all(related(to(the(Jewish(culture(and( psyche.(This(year’s(offering(includes(116(movies(from(23(countries.( ( Watch(for(the(campaign(in(print,(on(TV(and(radio,(and(in(OOH(and(digital(ads.( ( ( ( (

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CUPCAKES:!DOUZE!POINTES!FOR!A!LOVE!LETTER! TO!EUROVISION! By(Kevin(Bourassa(&(Joe(Varnell(–(04.22.2014( http://www.eurovisioncanada.com/news/2014/4/22/cupcakesNdouzeNpointesNforNaNloveN letterNtoNeurovision.html( ( (

The( Eurovision( Song( Contest( does( not( generally( garner( indifference:( you( either( love( it( or( you( loathe( it.( We( leave( the( loathers( (haters( are( gonna(hate)(and(say(to(the(lovers(that(Cupcakes( is( as( warm( and( wonderful( a( love( letter( to( Eurovision(as(you're(going(to(find.( (( Eytan( Fox's( direction( of( Cupcakes( has( the( knowing,( caring,( teasing( touch( that( Muriel's( Wedding( brought( to( Abba.( The( title( of( the( film,( the( saturated( colour,( the( fantasy( segments,( the( musical( soundtrack,(and(the(characters(in(the(film(all(signal(to(the(viewer(that(we(are( experiencing(a(delightful(homage,(just(as(John(Waters(did(with(the(60's(dance( show(craze(and(his(home(town(of(Baltimore(in(Hairspray.( (( This( is( a( big( departure( for( Fox:( his( previous( films( have( looked( at( sexual( and( political(identity.(Cupcakes(doesn't(completely(abandon(this(past.(In(addition(to( the(winks(at(Eurovision,(Fox(bakes(a(few(funny(delights(for(Israel(too.( ( ( ( Cupcakes(centers(around(a(group(of(friends(in(Tel(Aviv( who(gather(yearly(to(watch(the("UniverSong"(contest.( When( one( of( their( number( hits( some( hard( times( on( the( night( of( the( contest,( they( create( an( impromptu( song,(on(the(spot,(to(lift(spirits.( (( You( guessed( it:( before( you( can( say( "Dana( International",(A(Song(for(Anat((written(by(Babydaddy( from(Scissor(Sisters)(has(become(the(official(entry(for( Israel(in(the(next(year's(contest.( (( Along(the(way,(our(group(of(6(friends((the(official(limit(

for( performers( onstage)( come( to( terms( with( accepting( their( lives( and( loves,( smiling(through(it(all.(The(plot(is(very(predictable(and(works(towards(inevitable( resolutions,(but(we're(having(such(a(good(time(that(we(go(along(for(the(ride,( joyfully(anticipating(each(curve(and(bump(in(the(road.( ( The(structure(of(a(Swedish(schlager(tune(is(equally(predictable,(but(that(doesn't( mean( we( don't( look( forward( to( the( key( change( all( the( same.( The( predictable( becomes(gratifying(when(it(takes(you(where(you(want(to(go!(( (( Cupcakes( is( a( charming( little( film( for( those( with( no( knowledge( of( Eurovision,( but(aficionados(of(the(contest(will(get(a(whole(lot(more(out(of(it(because(of(the( director's(spotNon,(accurate(sendNups(of(all(of(the(Eurovision(clichĂŠs.(From(the( dance( moves,( to( the( production( teams,( to( the( national( spokespersons( announcing( points,(the(parodies(are(hilarious( in( their( accuracy,( but( they( always( have( a( gentle,( light( and( loving(touch:(they(are(covered(in( sweet( and( colourful( icing( sugar.( We(get(to(laugh(with(Eurovision,( not(at(it.( ( Visually,(the(film(leans(heavily(on(the(primary(colour(palette(and(vibrancy(is(the( order(of(the(day.(It(works(well(with(the(tone(of(the(movie(and(provides(us(with( a(cozy(reassurance(that(we're(not(going(anywhere(too(dark(or(too(deep.((It(also( sets(up(some(of(the(nicer(visual(elements(of(the(film.(The(device(of(having(our( group(see(Paris(through(the(rainbow(of(their(individually(colored(sunglasses(is(a( simple(and(effective(way(of(making(a(point.( (( The( soundtrack( is( a( mix( of( Eurovision( hits,( and( songs( that( would( have( been( Eurovision( hits.( Can( anyone( really( doubt( that( Eurovision( and( the( Captain( &( Tennille(were(made(for(each(other?(You'll(find(yourself(unashamedly(humming( along( and( tapping( your( toes.( Like( seeing( a( performance( of( the( Abba( musical,( Mamma(Mia!,(abandon(cares(all(ye(who(enter(here.(Or(as(one(of(our(characters( remarks:("Abba!(Fuck!(Sorry!"( (( Cupcakes( is( a( feelNgoodNride( that( let's( us( take( a( break( from( the( world.( It( reminds( us( all( that( the( simple( guilty( pleasures( in( life( are( the( most( rewarding( and(indulging(them(keeps(us(being(who(we(really(are.(

5!Movies!in!4!Days!

(

05.06.2014( http://momwhoruns.com/5NmoviesNinN4Ndays/( ( ( Fact:(I(haven’t(been(eating(in(too(many(restaurants(these(days(as(I’ve(morphed(into(a(film( junkie!!(Thanks(to(the(Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival,(I’ve(seen(5(movies(in(4(days!(Here’s(what( I’ve(seen.(SHTISEL:((This(is(an(award(winning(Israeli(TV(series(that(follows(four(generations(of( an(Ultra(Orthodox(family(and(their(tight(knit(community(in(Jerusalem.(I(liked(episodes(1N3(so( much(that(I(returned(to(watch(episodes(4N6(a(few(days(later.(( ( (

( ( ( This(TV(series(will(be(showing(again(this(weekend.(Friday(May(9th(Episodes(1N4(will(be( playing(at(1:00(pm(at(Empress(Walk(Theatres(Friday(May(11th(Episodes(3N6(will(be(playing(at( 1(pm(at(Empress(Walk(Theatres.(Trust(me.(You(will(be(drawn(into(this(series!!(RUSSIAN( DISCO:(This(is(the(Canadian(Premiere(for(this(film(.(What’s(it(about?(Basically(it’s(a(story( about(three(friends(who(move(from(Russia(to(Berlin.(I(was(entertained(and(enjoyed(the( dynamics(of(these(three(friends.(This(film(will(be(playing(again(on:(Wednesday(May(7th(at( 845(pm(at(the(Bloor(Cinema(24(DAYS:(This(powerful(film(is(based(on(a(true(story(about(the( kidnapping(of(Ilan(Halimi(in(a(Paris(suburb.(It(was(an(intense(movie(that(has(left(an(impact(on( me…even(days(later.(IN(HIDING:(A(thriller(that(is(set(during(the(Nazi(occupation(of(Poland.( The(acting(was(superb(and(the(story(line(definitely(captured(my(attention.((

(

(

New!documentary!shows!comedy’s!ability!to! heal!

By(Mark(Breslin(–(05.08.2014( http://www.postcity.com/EatNShopNDo/Do/MayN2014/NewNdocumentaryNshowsNcomedysN abilityNtoNheal/( (

Comedy(Warriors,(screening(this(month(at(the( Toronto(Jewish(Film(Festival,(is(a(documentary( unlike(any(I’ve(ever(seen.(It(follows(five(aspiring( standNup(comics(from(the(U.S.(who(have(been( severely(wounded(in(battle(in(Iraq(and( Afghanistan.( ( When( I( say( severely( wounded,( I’m( talking( about( amputations( and( full( facial( burn( traumas.(These(are(the(kinds(of(disfigurements( that( would( stop( lesser( men( and( women( from( going(to(the(supermarket,(let(alone(performing( jokes( about( themselves( in( front( of( complete( strangers(in(nightclubs.( ( Comics( such( as( Bob( Saget,( Zach( Galifianakis,( Lewis( Black,( B.( J.( Novak( and( others( were( assigned( a( “wounded( warrior”(to(coach,(either(by(Skype(or(in(person.(You(can(watch(the(process(as(the(fledgling(comics(shed(their( fear,( find( their( comic( voice( and( perform( comedy( material( dealing( with( their( horrific( pain( and( by( so( doing( transcend(it.( ( And(then(you(can(watch(Saget,(Black(and(the(others(make(the(jokes(even(better(by(lending(their(experience( and(talent.( ( The(five(comicsNinNtraining(all(have(their(own(tragic(story.( ( Rob( Jones( is( a( Virginian( who( was( in( Afghanistan( sweeping( for( improvised( explosive( devices( when( one( found( him(and(severed(both(legs(above(the(knee.(Steve(Rice(was(wounded(in(a(similar(way(in(Iraq.( ( Darisse(Smith,(the(only(woman(of(the(five,(had(a(spinal(cord(injury(that(gave(her(pain(so(debilitating(that(she( became(addicted(to(drugs.(Now(she(has(an(implant(with(a(hand(control(that(blocks(the(nerve(at(the(site(of(the( spinal(injury.( ( Two(of(the(comics(will(be(venturing(to(Toronto(to(take(part(in(the(screening(and(to(perform.(Joe(Kashnow(is( from(Baltimore.(His(leg(was(amputated(after(he(was(wounded(from(a(roadside(bomb(in(Iraq.(“I(zigged(where(I( should(have(zagged,”(he(quips.(He(is(also(an(observant(Jew,(and(the(role(that(his(faith(plays(in(his(rehabilitation( is(a(major(part(of(his(story(in(the(film.( ( Bobby( Henline( has( perhaps( the( most( moving( and( disturbing( story.( A( career( soldier( since( he( was( 19,( he( reN enlisted( after( the( events( of( 9/11,( only( to( be( nearly( killed( in( an( attack( on( his( fiveNman( Humvee( that( left( the( other(four(dead.(Fighting(for(his(life(for(six(months(in(the(hospital,(he(lost(his(left(hand(and(had(massive(facial( reconstruction,(which(could(only(partially(repair(the(damage.( ( It’s(shocking(and(courageous,(scary(and(liberating(all(at(the(same(time.(The(other(comics(in(the(film,(wounded( as(they(are,(can(put(on(a(pair(of(long(pants(and(pass(undetected.(Henline(has(nowhere(to(run.(

( (

For(A(Woman(by(Diane(Kurys(( ( Winner(of(the(2014(Micki(Moore(Award(–(Drama(–(100(minutes(( Featuring( some( of( France’s( top( actors—Benoit( Magimel( (The( Piano( Teacher),( Nicolas( Duvauchelle( (White( Material)( and( Sylvie( Testud((La(Rafle)—filmmaker(Diane(Kurys((Entre(Nous)(delivers(a( lush(and(wellNmade(melodrama(offering(a(unique(perspective(on( Jewish(life(in(postwar(France.(After(having(met(in(a(concentration( camp,(Michael(and(Lena(are(married(and(have(made(a(new(life(by( opening( a( tailor( shop.( When( Michael’s( brother,( previously( thought( dead,( reappears,( a( story( of( secrets,( betrayals( and( infidelity(unfolds.((

( Sunday,(May(4(at(8:00(PM(at(Cineplex(Cinemas(Empress(Walk(and(Sunday,(May(11(at(1:00( PM(at(Rom(Eaton(Theatre(( ( Kidon(by(Emmanuel(Naccache((filmmaker(in(attendance)(( ( Canadian(Premiere(–(Drama(–(97(minutes(( The(film(invents(an(international(espionage(thriller(surrounding(the( realNlife( murder( of( Mahmoud( al( Mabhouh.( Director( Emmanuel( Naccache’s( story( begins( when( the( assassination( makes( headlines( around( the( world( and( fingers( are( pointed( at( the( Mossad,( which( hasn’t(heard(of(any(such(assignment.(Thus(begins(the(exciting(ride( as(the(Mossad(struggles(with(this(puzzle.(Naccache(cleverly(weaves( a( labyrinth( of( plot( twists( that( keeps( the( action( moving( and( the( audience(guessing.(Featuring(a(French(and(Israeli(allNstar(ensemble( that(includes(Tomer(Sisley,(Lionel(Abelanski(and(Bar(Refaeli…( ( Thursday,(May(8(at(8:30(PM(at(Famous(Players(Canada(Square(Cinemas(and(Saturday,(May( 10(at(9:15(PM(at(Bloor(Hot(Docs(Cinema(( ( Friends(From(France(by(Anne(Weil(&(Philippe(Kotlarski(( Drama(–(100(minutes(( Set( in( Odessa( at( the( height( of( the( Cold( War,( this( suspenseNfilled( drama( tells( the( story( of( two( young( Jews( from( France( and( their( attempt( to( help( ‘Refuseniks’—Jews( persecuted( by( the( Soviet( regime( for( wanting( to( leave( the( country.( Posing( as( a( couple( celebrating( their( recent( engagement,( Carole( and( Jérôme( spend( their( nights( secretly( visiting( Jews.( With( their( risk( of( discovery( increasing(each(night,(it(becomes(clear(that(Carole(is(motivated(by( political( commitment( and( a( taste( for( risk,( while( Jérôme’s( motivation(is(his(desire(for(Carole.(Featuring(a(strong(international( cast( that( includes( French( singer/actress( Soko( as( well( as( RussianN Israelis(Vladimir(Friedman((Five(Hours(from(Paris)(and(Ania(Bukstein((The(Secrets).( (

(

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Pathos,!humour!and!more!at!TJFF! 05.14.2014( http://theorigami.ca/2014/05/04/pathosNhumourNtjff/( (

( ( ( Israel(is(hardly(on(the(radar(when(one(talks(about(the(plight(of(the(Philippines’(2.2(million( Overseas( Filipino( Workers( (OFWs),( and( conversely,( the( reality( of( OFWs( is( hardly( ever( mentioned(when(one(discusses(Israel.(Transit,(Filipino(filmmaker(Hannah(Tabitha(Espia’s(first( fullNlength(independent(film,(will(likely(change(that.( ( A(poignant(film(about(the(life(and(struggles(of(Israel’s(migrant(Filipino(community,(Transit(is( one( of( 23( films( from( around( the( world( featured( in( the( 22nd( Toronto( Jewish( Film( Festival,( May( 1( to( 11.( [It( was( also( the( Philippine( entry( for( Best( Foreign( Language( Film( at( the( 2014( Academy(Awards.]( ( Set( mostly( in( Tel( Aviv,( Transit( tells( the( story( of( Moises( (Ping( Medina)( and( his( sister( Janet( (Irma(Adlawan)(who(live(in(perpetual(fear(that(their(children(will(be(deported(anytime(soon.( Moises’(son,(Joshua((Marc(Justine(Alvarez)(was(born(in(Israel(and(speaks(fluent(Hebrew,(but( an(Israeli(law(has(been(passed((2009)(that(children(of(migrant(workers(under(the(age(of(five( must(be(sent(back(to(their(parents’(home(country.(Janet’s(teenage(daughter,(Yael((Jasmine( CurtisNSmith),(is(halfNIsraeli,(halfNFilipino,(and(she(boldly(asserts(that(she(will(never(be(sent( away(because(she(is(an(Israeli,(but(her(mother(will(hear(none(of(it.(“You(are(Filipino!”(Janet(

says( with( every( force( she( could( muster( even( though( she( knows( her( HebrewNspeaking( daughter’s( heart( belongs(to(an(Israeli(Jew(and(to(Israel.( ( Transit(benefits(greatly(from(a(talented(ensemble(who(on(many(occasions,(had(to(speak(Hebrew.(CurtisN Smith(and(Alvarez(display(admirable(wisdom(beyond(their(years(as(performers(and(at(times(they(steal(the( thunder( from( Adlawan( and( Medina,( both( veteran( actors.( The( dialogue( is( powerful;( the( overwrought( histrionics(and(melodrama,(which(characterize(many(Filipino(films(is,(for(the(most(part,(kept(at(bay.(

(

(

(

More(importantly,(Transit(is(a(film(of(many(layers(and(it(explores(the(big(and(small(tragedies(that(often( unravel(the(lives(of(migrant(workers.(Moises,(who(works(as(a(liveNin(caregiver(to(an(amiable(Israeli(senior,( is(a(single(father(because(Joshua’s(mother(left(them(for(the(promise(of(a(better(life(with(an(Israeli;(she( flatly(refuses(to(give(in(to(his(request(to(adopt(their(son(so(he(could(stay(in(Israel.(It(is(not(clear(whether( Janet,(who(works(as(a(maid(for(a(kind(Israeli(woman,(was(ever(married(to(Yael’s(Israeli(father;(she(simply( says(it’s(a(past(that(doesn’t(merit(any(discussion.( ( Laudably,( the( film( explores( the( effects( of( migration( on( children.( Israel( is( home( to( about( 100,000( OFWs( and(about(half(of(them(have(legal(documents,(while(others(have(legal(permits(that(have(expired,(leaving( them( undocumented.( Ugly( truths( are( exposed( in( the( allNtoo( familiar( setting( of( a( Filipino( birthday( party( with( the( requisite( merrymaking,( cake( and( pancit( (Filipino( noodles):( There( is( talk( of( how( youngsters( are( taught( how( to( lie( and( to( hide( to( avoid( deportation,( and( of( fellow( Filipinos( with( no( status( who( become( informants(to(save(their(own(skins.(In(a(corner,(FilipinoNIsraeli(teens(huddle(and(wonder(about(the(whole( question( of( identity.( They( have(inherited( their( parents’( neuroses( but( they( also( want( to( fit( into( the( only( place(they(have(ever(known.(They(wonder,(“Would(living(in(the(Philippines(be(any(different?”( ( Besides(opening(a(window(into(the(lives(of(migrant(workers,(the(film(allows(us(to(see(a(different(Israel.(It( is( not( an( Israel( gripped( with( tension( amidst( its( continuing( conflict( with( Palestine,( nor( is( it( a( prosperous( Israel(whose(citizens(enjoy(an(affluent(Western(lifestyle.(Rather,(we(see(the(landscape(of(its(underbelly,( where( migrant( workers( are( largely( invisible:( they( ( live( in( dusty,( rabbitNwarrenNlike( apartments( wallN papered( with( faded( posters( and( photographs,( constantly( pounding( the( gates( of( heaven( for( grace( and( deliverance.(

( (

!

This!Week!in!Movies!–!May!9,!2014!

05.09.2014! http://www.skonmovies.com/2014/05/this?week?in?movies?may?9?2014.html! !

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ! ! !

After!a!bit!of!a!hiatus,!here’s!what’s!playing!this!week.! !

What!I’ll!Be!Seeing:! !

Neighbors!–!Wide!Release!

Only!Lovers!Left!Alive!–!Varsity!Cinemas!

Locke!–!Varsity!Cinemas!

Other!Releases:! !

Fed!Up!–!Varsity!Cinemas!(Hot!Docs!14!Review)!

Teenage!–!Bloor!Hot!Docs!Cinema!(Hot!Docs!13!Review)!

Toronto!Film!Events/Screenings:! !

Toronto!Jewish!Film!Festival!–!May!1?11!

Orsen!Welles:!Lost!and!Found!–!Now!through!May!13!–!TIFF!Bell!Lightbox!

TIFF!Cinemateque!Special!Screenings!–!Now!through!May!20!–!TIFF!Bell!Lightbox!

!

!

The!German!Doctor!

By#NORMAN#WILNER# #THE#GERMAN#DOCTOR#(Lucía#Puenzo).#90#minutes.#Subtitled.#Opens#Friday#(May#9).#See# listings.# NOW#RATING:## N N N N # http://www.nowtoronto.com/movies/story.cfm?content=197948# #

# Fresh#from#the#Toronto#Jewish#Film#Festival#–#so#fresh,#in#fact,#that#it#begins#its#commercial# Toronto#engagement#with#one#TJFF#screening#still#remaining#–#Lucía#Puenzo’s#The#German# Doctor#is#an#appropriately#creepy#what\if#drama#about#an#encounter#between#a#12\year\old# girl#(Florencia#Bado)#and#fugitive#Nazi#Josef#Mengele#(Alex#Brendemühl)#in#Patagonia#circa# 1960.# #

#

Puenzo’s#take#on#the#war\criminal#material#is#less#Ira#Levin#and#more#Thomas#Harris;#there’s# no#ticking#clock#or#desperate#pursuit,#but#more#of#a#sense#of#young#Lilith’s#growing#awareness# that#something#about#the#gentleman#who’s#taken#up#residence#in#the#modest#hotel#inherited# by#her#parents#is#deeply#wrong.# # Maybe#it’s#his#interest#in#her#mother#(Natalia#Oreiro),#who’s#pregnant#with#twins.#Or#maybe# it’s#his#insistence#that#Lilith#begin#experimental#hormone#treatment#to#deal#with#her#slow# physical#development.#Whatever#it#is,#there’s#something#a#little#too#eager#underneath#his# carefully#maintained#facade#of#propriety#–#and#Spanish#actor#Brendemühl#is#excellent#at# implying#complex#motivations#for#even#the#simplest#of#gestures.# # Writer/director#Puenzo#plays#out#the#tension#as#long#as#she#can,#and#no#further.#Like#a#finely# rendered#short#story,#The#German#Doctor#forgoes#jolts#for#a#long,#unpleasant#shiver#of# understanding.# # #

!

!

Projections:!‘Teenage’!doc!charts!the!role!of! the!adolescent!

!

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/2014/05/08/projections_teenage_doc_chart s_the_role_of_the_adolescent.html! !

The!German!Doctor:#An#elegant,#slow\burn#thriller#by#Argentine#writer#and#filmmaker#Lucía# Puenzo,#The#German#Doctor#is#rather#subtler#than#The$Boys$from$Brazil#when#it#comes#to#its# portrayal#of#one#of#the#20th#century’s#most#monstrous#men.#While#a#physician#stationed#at# Auschwitz,#Josef#Mengele#performed#horrific#experiments#on#prisoners.#He#then#escaped#justice# for#decades#by#hiding#out#in#South#America.#Puenzo’s#creepy#drama#presents#him#largely#via#the# perspective#of#an#adolescent#girl#who#forges#an#unusual#bond#with#Mengele#when#he#becomes#a# resident#of#her#family’s#hotel#in#early\’60s#Patagonia.#A#recent#selection#at#the#Toronto#Jewish# Film#Festival,#The$German$Doctor#opens#in#Toronto#on#May#9.#

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(