The 24th Annual Denver Jewish Film Festival - 2020 by Staenberg–Loup Jewish Community Center

Our Culture Makes

Colorado a great place to live,

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STURM FAMILY FOUNDATION PRESENTS

The 24th Annual

Denver Jewish Film Festival We couldn’t be more proud of the films we’re playing for you this year, and the way these films bring us together to inspire us, challenge us, and expand the way we view the world and each other. We’ll be featuring gorgeously-shot coming-of-age debuts (Fig Tree; Leona); intergenerational heart-warmers (Witness Theater; Shoelaces; Back to Maracanã); a slew of biographies, from the story of a baseball-playing spy (The Spy Behind Home Plate) and a basketball icon (Aulcie), to a fashion designer (Mrs. G), Israeli politicians (King Bibi; Golda), a media mogul (Joseph Pulitzer: Voice of the People), a daring wildlife photographer (Picture of His Life), a French novelist (Promise at Dawn), and even record label founders (It Must Schwing! The Blue Note Story). We have over a dozen short films, both paired with various feature films and with each other (Short Film Package: Parenting). We have stories of environmental justice to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Tu B’Shevat. We even, for the first time ever, will have a VR film for patrons to enjoy during President’s Day Weekend! Please scroll through this year’s brochure and note all of the Q&A’s, discussions, and talk backs offered after select films, courtesy of visiting filmmakers and local film scholars, academics, and community leaders. We feel this dialogue is an essential element of the film festival experience and are excited to facilitate these conversations! We are thrilled to kick off the 2020 festival with Crescendo, a drama about the power of music to promote peace and compassion, courtesy of our Opening Night sponsors, Israel Investment Advisors. Their support, alongside the support of our presenting sponsor, Sturm Family Foundation, our organizational sponsor, SCFD, and all of our individual DJFF sponsors, make this festival possible. You know what else makes this festival possible? Our volunteer reviewers. It takes over 50 volunteer reviewers submitting nearly 1,500 reviews to curate our program. We couldn’t do it without you! This is your Jewish Film Festival, Denver. Amy Weiner Weiss Director of Festivals

picture of his life p15

djff:

Contents

picture of his life

friday, february 7, 1:00 pm

Witness Theater preceded by A Night at the Garden

From Amy Weiner Weiss, Director of Festivals

Anne Frank: Parallel Stories

at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Sloan’s Lake Actress Helen mirren retraces Anne Frank’s life thought the pages of her diary, and through the lives of ﬁve woman, who, as young girls, were also deported to concentration camps but escaped the Holocaust.

crescendo

wednesday, february 5

6:oo pm VIP Opening Night Reception 7:oo pm Crescendo

When a world famous conductor tries to create an Israeli-palestinian orchestra, it takes all his skill and resources to overcome the discord and get them to play in harmony.

sunday, february 9, 11:00 am

The Spy Behind Home Plate

Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles

Flawless preceded by Butterflies in Berlin sunday, february 9, 3:45 pm

Those Who Remained

three innovators are taking valuable lessons learned from Israel’s water shortage to a thirsty planet.

monday, february 10, 7:30 pm

Picture of His Life

World-renowned wildlife photographer Amos Nachoum dreams of capturing a polar bear underwater.

Denver Jewish Film Festival

FebruAry 5 - 19, 2020

wednesday, february 12, 7:45 pm

Leona preceded by The Double Date

thursday, february 13, 5:30 pm

It Must Schwing! The Blue Note Story

two young émigrés from Berlin, united by their love of jazz, found the iconic music label Blue Note records.

thursday, february 13, 8:00 pm

Working Woman preceded by Division Ave

A mother of three gets a job as assistant to a powerful realtor and must ﬁght back against his sexual harassment.

monday, february 10, 5:30 pm

Sustainable Nation

Echo

A young Jewish woman from mexico City ﬁnds herself torn between her family and her forbidden love.

A man living a solitary life in post-World War II Hungary befriends a young girl. Hungary’s submission for 2020 Foreign Language oscar.

My Name is Sara

Support From

thursday, february 6, 7:45 pm A polish-Jewish girl seeks refuge from the Holocaust in a ukrainian farmer’s home, discovering their family secrets while protecting her greatest secret of all: her identity.

sunday, february 9, 1:15 pm

wednesday, february 12, 5:30 pm

Avner suspects his wife, Ella, of having an aﬀair. But as he digs deeper, he meets a very diﬀerent woman from the one he thought he knew.

three self-conscious high school girls make a dangerous pact to raise funds for cosmetic surgery and prom dresses.

thursday, february 6, 5:30 pm

the origin story behind one of Broadway’s most beloved musicals.

Fig Tree

preceded by Terror

Standing Up, Falling Down preceded by Optimistic Realist

the fascinating story of moe Berg, an enigmatic and brilliant Jewish baseball player turned oSS spy.

djff: opening night

tuesday, february 11, 8:00 pm A teenage girl’s harrowing coming of age, set in Addis Ababa in 1989.

saturday, february 8, 9:15 pm

A failing stand-up comedian and an alcoholic dermatologist (Billy Crystal) give each other the conﬁdence to face the failures in their lives.

Golda’s Balcony, the Film

A riveting portrait of one of the great women of our time, portrayed oﬀ-Broadway by the legendary actress tovah Feldshuh.

6 djff: prologue sunday, january 26, 3:00 pm

saturday, february 8, 7:00 pm

The Keeper

the incredible true story of Bert trautmann, a German soldier and poW who, amidst post-WWII protest, became Goalkeeper at manchester City and, in turn, a footballing icon.

Holocaust survivors share their stories in a unique program led by a drama therapist with high-school students in Brooklyn.

1 welcome letter

tuesday, february 11, 5:30 pm

friday, february 14, 1:00 pm

Mrs. G

the story of mrs. Lea Gottlieb, the legendary designer behind the Gottex swimwear empire.

saturday, february 15, 7:00 pm

Aulcie

the inspiring story of Aulcie perry, a basketball legend who led maccabi tel Aviv to an upset win in the 1977 European Championship.

djff:

saturday, february 15, 9:15 pm

Winter Hunt

on a mission of vigilante justice, a young woman goes to extremes to seek reprisal against a suspected ex-Nazi.

sunday, february 16, 11:00 am

Why the Jews? preceded by Keh-hee-lah and 1oo Faces

sunday, february 16, 1:15 pm

King Bibi

sunday, february 16, 3:15 pm

Shoelaces

the story of a complicated relationship between an aging father and his adult special-needs son.

february 16, 5:30 pm 26 sunday, Joseph Pulitzer: Voice of the People

Tel Aviv on Fire

An inexperienced young palestinian man becomes a writer on a popular soap opera after a chance meeting with an Israeli soldier. Luxembourg’s submission for 2020 Foreign Language oscar.

monday, february 17, 2:30 pm

Back to Maracanã

monday. february 17, 5:30 pm

standing up, falling down

Promise at Dawn

the romantic and tragicomic story of romain Gary, one of France’s most famous novelists.

monday, february 17, 8:00 pm

The Unorthodox

A dark comedy depicting the 1980s formation of an upstart Israeli political party representing the interests of Sephardic Jews.

Joseph pulitzer was as a penniless Jewish immigrant from Hungary who grew into one of America’s most admired and feared media ﬁgures.

sunday, february 16, 7:45 pm

Short Film Package: Parenting

A heartfelt and humorous road trip ﬁlm featuring three generations of men trying to understand one another as they travel to their native Brazil for the World Cup.

An exploration of Benjamin Netanyahu’s rise to power.

monday. february 17, 12:30 pm

relationships between parent and child seen through various life cycle moments.

the stunning accomplishments of the Jews raise a question no ﬁlm has dared ask before: how do they do it?

president’s day holiday

Contents

tuesday, february 18, 5:30 pm

Golda

the story of meir’s dramatic premiership – from her surprising rise to power and iconic international stature to her tragic and lonely demise.

echo

tuesday, february 18, 7:30 pm

Redemption (Geu.0la)

A newly-religious former rocker reunites his band as a means to aﬀord his young daughter’s cancer treatments.

encore Films at the elaine wolf theatre wednesday, february 19, 5:30 pm

Golda’s Balcony, the Film wednesday, february 19, 7:30 pm

Aulcie fiddler: a miracle of miracles

working woman see page 5 for ticket information

info & tickets: jccdenver.org/film | box office: 303.316.6360

2020 djff regular tickets & packages TICKETS ON SALE WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15! Sponsor ticket pre-sale begins Friday, January 3 VIP Opening Night*: $55 Plus $1.50 processing fee per ticket

Includes champagne and hors d’oeuvres reception and ﬁlm screening (regularly-priced ﬁlm-only tickets are also available for purchase in the balcony) Festival Pass*: $330 ($420 value)

30 admissions at $10 per ticket Plus $1.00 processing fee per ticket

10 Pack Pass*: $120 ($140 value)

10 admissions at $11 per ticket

Includes $1.00 processing fee per ticket

Individual Film Tickets*

$14 Adults; $12 Student & Senior Includes $1.50 processing fee per ticket

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema – Sloan’s Lake Tickets**

$14 Adults; $12 Student & Senior See ﬁlm page for ticketing urL

*Individual film tickets and packages eligible for screenings in the JCC Elaine Wolf theatre only and do not apply to any offsite screenings. **Additional ticketing fees may apply to offsite box office transactions.

the keeper

box office make your reservations early to assure the best seat selection. All seating is reserved. See seating policy page 33. Exchanges are allowed only prior to screening.

Box oﬃce Hours Walk-up: monday – Friday, 1:00 – 5:00 pm and one hour before all screenings phone: 303.316.6360; monday – Friday, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm online: jccdenver.org/ﬁlm; 24/7 Note: All seating is reserved. View the seating chart online to select your seats when you purchase your tickets (at participating venues). our seating policy is available on page 37

~ back to maracana

Denver Jewish Film Festival, Volume 23, 2020 • This program is published annually by the Mizel Arts and Culture Center at the J, 350 South Dahlia Street, Denver, CO 80246.

Denver Jewish Film Festival

FebruAry 5 - 19, 2020

djff: Prologue

Sunday, January 26 3:00 PM Alamo Drafthouse Cinema – Sloan’s Lake 4255 W Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80204 | 720.577.4720 Tickets available at: jccdenver.org/film

anne frank: parallel stories Documentary, Holocaust, Women Directors: Sabina Fedeli and Anna migotto 2019/Italy/92 minutes Italian, English, French, Czech and German with English subtitles #AnneFrank Parallel Stories is a powerful retelling of Anne Frank's life through the pages of her extraordinary diary, guided by the Academy-Award winning actress Helen Mirren, and through the lives of ﬁve women who, as young girls, were also deported to concentration camps but survived the Holocaust. As a dedication to what would have been her 90th anniversary — and in cooperation with the Anne Frank Foundation — this documentary takes audiences into Anne's room within the secret annex of her family's hiding place before being deported, and through read excerpts of her diary intertwined with the experiences of the survivors who lived to tell their own parallel stories. Rocky Mountain Premiere.

info & tickets: jccdenver.org/film | box office: 303.316.6360

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opening night celebration and film Wednesday, February 5

Wednesday, February 5 6:00 PM – VIP Opening Night reception JCC Denver – Phillips Social Hall 7:00 PM – Film Screening JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

crescendo #makemusicnotwar

Having grown up in a state of war, suppression or constant risk of terrorist attacks, the young musicians from both sides are far from able to form a team. Lined up behind the two best violinists – the emancipated Palestinian Layla and the handsome Israeli Ron – they form two parties who deeply mistrust each other, on and oﬀ-stage alike. Will Sporck succeed and make the young people forget their hatred, at least for the three weeks until the concert? With the ﬁrst glimmer of hope, however, the political opponents of the orchestra show them how strong they are…

Drama, Music, young Adults, Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Director: Dror Zahavi 2019/Germany/106 minutes English, German with English subtitles SPONSOR: ISRAEL INVESTMENT ADVISORS

When world-famous conductor Eduard Sporck (Peter Simonischek) accepts the job to create an Israeli-Palestinian youth orchestra, he is quickly drawn into a tempest of sheer unsolvable problems.

Loosely inspired by Daniel Barenboim’s West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, this gripping drama builds as a constantly growing ‘crescendo,’ rising the tension and conﬂicts until the last frame. Denver Premiere.

info & tickets: jccdenver.org/film | box office: 303.316.6360

djff: February

Thursday, February 6 5:30 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

Thursday, February 6 7:45 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

fiddler: a miracle of miracles

my name is sara

Documentary, Musical Theatre, Jewish History

Drama, Holocaust Director: Steven oritt 2019/uSA/111 minutes English, polish with English subtitles

Director: max Lawkowicz 2019/uSA/92 minutes English with English subtitles The origin story behind one of Broadway's most beloved musicals, Fiddler on The Roof, and its creative roots in early 1960s New York, when "tradition" was on the wane as gender roles, sexuality, race relations and religion were evolving. For the first time, intimate interviews with the show's creators reveal how the tremendous success and worldwide impact of Fiddler and its subsequent film adaptation is most appropriately viewed through the lens of the social upheaval and change in mid-20th century America. Yet, as the film shows, the true wonder of wonders and miracle of Fiddler is that audiences world-wide and for the last half century claim the story as their own.

The true-life story of Sara Guralnick, a 13 year-old Polish Jew whose entire family was killed by Nazis in September of 1942. After a grueling escape to the Ukrainian countryside, Sara steals her Christian best friend's identity and ﬁnds refuge in a small village where she is taken in by a farmer and his young wife. She soon discovers the dark secrets of her employers' marriage, compounding the greatest secret she must strive to protect, her true identity. Colorado Premiere.

This documentary explores a variety of international productions of the show, detailing how individuals of many cultures see themselves in the residents of Anatevka. The ﬁlm includes major worldwide productions from Canada, The United Kingdom, the Netherlands, as well as the last Broadway production revival with Danny Burstein and Jessica Hecht.

Denver Jewish Film Festival

FebruAry 5 - 19, 2020

February 7

:djff

Friday, February 7 1:00 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

witness theater Documentary, Holocaust, Intergenerational Director: oren rudavsky 2018/uSA/74 minutes English COMMUNITY PARTNER: KAVOD SENIOR LIFE Aron is 88 years old, Eazek is 94 and Claudine is 89. Over seventy years ago, although they lost their entire families, they survived the Holocaust and resettled in New York City. Now, they are sharing their stories in a unique program led by a drama therapist with high-school students in Brooklyn. The hope is that this sharing will sensitize the students and give some closure to the adult survivors after all these years. The Witness Theater workshop they participate in culminates in the performance of a play based on Survivor stories. With a mix of cinema vérité, archival footage, interviews, animation and staged recreations to blend past and present, the result is a story that illustrates the power and importance of transmitting experience from one generation to the next. Denver Premiere.

preceded by the short film

a night at the garden Documentary, American History, Nationalism Director: marshall Curry 2017/uSA/7 minutes English In 1939, 20,000 Americans rallied in New York’s Madison Square Garden to celebrate the rise of Nazism – an event largely forgotten from American history. A NIGHT AT THE GARDEN, made entirely from archival footage ﬁlmed that night, transports audiences to this chilling gathering and shines a light on the power of demagoguery and anti-Semitism in the United States. Nominated for a 2019 Academy Award for Best Documentary Short.

info & tickets: jccdenver.org/film | box office: 303.316.6360

p1o

djff: February

Saturday, February 8 7:00 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

golda’s balcony, the film

winter hunt p24

Drama, Theatre, Israeli History Director: Scott Schwartz 2019/uSA/85 minutes English SPONSOR: STREAR FAMILY FOUNDATION

As a play on Broadway and Off, Golda’s Balcony sold out over 500 performances, becoming the longest-running, one-woman show in Broadway history. Tovah Feldshuh recreates 100 years of Jewish history playing 45 different characters (including Ben-Gurion, Moshe Dayan, Holocaust survivors, Israeli soldiers and, of course, Golda Meir herself), in one of the greatest acting performances of the last 50 years. In this final masterpiece by William Gibson, author of "The Miracle Worker," the rise of Golda Meir from Russian schoolgirl to Prime Minister of Israel is one of the most thrilling and amazing stories of the 20th Century. 59 Official Selections to Jewish Film Festivals and winner of 16 “Audience Choice Awards” to date! Rocky Mountain Premiere. Producer Dave Fishelson in attendance for audience Q&A!

encore screening: wednesday, february 19, 5:30 pm

keh-hee-lah p24

Golda’s Balcony, the Film

p11

Denver Jewish Film Festival

FebruAry 5 - 19, 2020

February 8

:djff

Saturday, February 8 9:15 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

standing up, falling down Comedy, Friendship Director: matt ratner 2019/uSA/91 minutes English Things are not going according to plan for Scott (Ben Schwartz), a stand-up comedian begrudgingly returning to Long Island after striking out on the Los Angeles comedy scene. He’s humiliated to move back in with his family and haunted by what could have been with Becky (Eloise Mumford), the hometown girlfriend he abruptly left for the West Coast. Wracked with doubt and facing the prospect of a soul-crushing “real” job, Ben finds an unexpected connection with Marty (Billy Crystal), a local dermatologist and charming barfly with a penchant for karaoke. Scott learns that Marty’s larger-than-life personality and alcoholism mask past disappointments of his own. As their unlikely friendship evolves, Marty and Scott find the strength to start confronting their long-simmering regrets.

preceded by the short film

optimistic realist Drama, Comedy, Theatre, Storytelling Director: Brandon ravet 2018/uSA/11 minutes English A struggling actress/Hebrew school teacher seeks career advice from her sage 5th grade students. Rocky Mountain Premiere.

Matt Ratner’s feature debut is a poignant, warmhearted comedy anchored by its leads’ easy rapport and Crystal’s boundless charisma. Nate Corddry and Grace Gummer round out a strong supporting cast in this ode to companionship and facing failure together. Denver Premiere. Director Matt Ratner in attendance for audience Q&A!

info & tickets: jccdenver.org/film | box office: 303.316.6360

p12

djff: February

Sunday, February 9 1:15 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

Sunday, February 9 11:00 AM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

flawless Drama, Coming of Age, LGbT

the spy behind home plate Documentary, biography, Sports, espionage Director: Aviva Kempner 2019/uSA/96 minutes English THE SPY BEHIND HOME PLATE is the first feature-length documentary to tell the real story of Morris “Moe” Berg, the enigmatic and brilliant Jewish baseball player turned spy. Berg caught and fielded in the major leagues during baseball’s Golden Age in the 1920s and 1930s. But very few people know that Berg also worked for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), spying in Europe and playing a prominent role in America’s efforts to undermine the German atomic bomb program during WWII. This documentary film reveals the life of this unknown Jewish hero through rare historical footage and photographs as well as revealing interviews with an All-Star roster of celebrities and other individuals from the worlds of sports, spycraft, and history. Berg may have had only a .243 batting average during his 15-year major league career, but it was the stats he collected for the OSS that made him a most valuable player to his country during World War II.

p13

Denver Jewish Film Festival

Director: tal Granit, Sharon maymon 2018/Israel, Germany/97 minutes Hebrew, russian with English subtitles Eden, a 17-year-old high school student, discovers that her two best friends are planning to sell their kidneys to pay for cosmetic surgery and a dress for prom. Eden, who is secretly a trans woman, realizes that this may be the answer to her prayers. She joins the others on their journey to Kiev to exchange their kidneys for the ﬂawless body of their dreams. Their trip does not go as planned and when Eden’s secret is exposed, all three of them need to come to terms with the prejudices they have and redeﬁne who they really want to be in this world. Rocky Mountain Premiere. Post-screening discussion led by faculty from the CU Center for Bioethics and Humanities.

butterflies in berlin

preceded by the short film

Drama, LGbT, european History, Animation Director: monica manganelli 2019/Italy, Germany/30 minutes English, German with English Subtitles Alex moves to Berlin in 1933, during the Weimar Republic period. Looking for his place in the world and his sexual identity, he becomes the ﬁrst out-of-surgery transsexual in history. That happens, unfortunately, during the NationalSocialism rise, a social disruption that turned the capital of sexual freedom in the most repressed country of all time. Rocky Mountain Premiere.

FebruAry 5 - 19, 2020

February 9 – 10

Sunday, February 9 3:45 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

:djff

Monday, February 10 5:30 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

those who remained

sustainable nation

Drama, Post-Holocaust, Friendship

Documentary, environment

Director: Barnabás tóth 2019/Hungary/83 minutes Hungarian with English subtitles

2019/Israel, uSA/60 minutes English, Hebrew, Luganda with English subtitles

Having survived the camps, 42-year old Aldo lives a solitary life as a doctor in Budapest. 16-year old Klara lives reluctantly with her great-aunt, holding on to hope that her father and mother will return. She meets Aldo, and soon the two of them ﬁnd something in each other that has long been absent in their lives. As they grow closer and closer, the joy in both of their lives slowly returns. But as the Soviet Empire rises to power in Hungary, their pure and loving father-daughter relationship is misunderstood and frowned upon.

SUSTAINABLE NATION follows three individuals who are doing their part to bring sustainable water solutions to an increasingly thirsty planet. Using solutions developed in water-poor Israel, they are working to change the status quo of a world where one in ten people lacks access to safe drinking water. But water is just the beginning. The work of this visionary trio highlights the nexus between food, energy and water and underscores how solving these enormous challenges can help free women, and the world, from life threatening poverty, illness and lack of opportunity. Denver Premiere.

COMMUNITY PARTNER: HAZON

A lyrical story of the healing power of love in the midst of conﬂict, loss and trauma, THOSE WHO REMAINED reveals the healing process of Holocaust survivors through the eyes of a young girl in post-World War II Hungary. Denver Premiere. Hungary’s submission for 2020 Foreign Language Oscar.

Post-screening talk back led by JEWISHcolorado Israeli Emissary Itai Divinsky!

Post-screening talk back led by DU ﬁlm scholar and DJFF Film Selection Committee member Diane Waldman!

info & tickets: jccdenver.org/film | box office: 303.316.6360

p14

djff: February

10 – 11

Tuesday, February 11 5:30 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

Monday, February 10 7:00 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

picture of his life

the keeper

Documentary, biography, Photography, Nature

Drama, biography, Post-WWII, Sports, romance

Director: omri Givon 2018/Israel/80 minutes Spanish and Hebrew with English subtitles

Director: marcus H. rosenmüller 2018/uK, Germany/120 minutes English, German with English subtitles

Amos Nachoum is one of the greatest underwater photographers of all time. Fascinated by the most fearsome creatures on Earth, he has developed a unique approach that puts him face to face with his subjects, without any protection. He swam with crocodiles and killer whales, with anacondas and with great white sharks, but one major predator has always eluded him: the Polar Bear. He tried before and barely escaped, but now, after four decades in the wilderness, Amos is determined to give it one last shot. Denver Premiere. Director and Israeli Academy Award Winning ﬁlmmaker Dani Menkin in attendance for audience Q&A!

p15

Denver Jewish Film Festival

THE KEEPER tells the incredible true story of Bert Trautmann (David Kross), a German soldier and prisoner of war who, against a backdrop of British post-war protest and prejudice, secures the position of Goalkeeper at Manchester City, and in doing so becomes a footballing icon. His signing causes outrage to thousands of fans, many of them Jewish. But Bert receives support from an unexpected direction: Rabbi Alexander Altmann, who fled the Nazis. Bert’s love for Margaret (Freya Mavor), an Englishwoman, carries him through and he wins over even his harshest opponents by winning the 1956 FA Cup Final, playing on with a broken neck to secure victory. But fate will soon twist the knife for Bert and Margaret, when their love and loyalty to each other is put to the ultimate test. Presented in cooperation with Denver Film.

FebruAry 5 - 19, 2020

February 11

:djff

Tuesday, February 11 8:00 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

golda p29

fig tree Drama, Coming-of-Age, ethiopian Jewry Director: Aäläm-Wärqe Davidian 2018/Israel, France, Ethiopia, Germany/93 minutes Amharic with English subtitles Ethiopian-Israeli writer-director Aäläm-Wärqe Davidian makes a startlingly conﬁdent feature debut with this story of lives torn asunder by civil war. Set in Addis Ababa in 1989, FIG TREE follows a teenage girl's harrowing coming of age. Mina is 16 years old. The Ethiopian Civil War has been underway her entire life. She lives with her brother and grandmother in a humble house with newsprint for wallpaper. The family is Jewish and is planning to ﬂee Ethiopia for Israel, where Mina's mother awaits their reunion. But this plan leaves out the person Mina loves most: Eli, her Christian boyfriend, who lives in the woods so as to evade being drafted into Mengistu Haile Mariam's army. Mina hatches a scheme to save Eli, but everyone and everything seems set against her. Denver Premiere.

promise at dawn p28

info & tickets: jccdenver.org/film | box office: 303.316.6360

p16

djff: Prologue January 3:00 PM

Dr = Drama

Doc = Documentary

C = Comedy

S = Shorts

2020

SuNDAy

Anne Frank: parallel Stories (Doc, p:6) at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema - Sloan’s Lake

february 5–19 9

SuNDAy

OPENING NIG 6:00 PM

Champagne and Hors D’oeuvre rece

7:00 PM Crescendo (Dr, C, p

moNDAy

tuESDAy

11:00 AM the Spy Behind Home plate (Doc, p:13)

5:30 PM 1:15 PM

5:30 PM

Flawless (Doc, p:13) Butterﬂies in Berlin (S, p:13)

Sustainable Nation (Doc, p:14)

the Keeper (Dr, p:15)

Echo (Dr, p:19) terror (Dr, S, p:19)

7:30 PM

8:00 PM

7:45 PM

picture of His Life (Doc, p:15)

Fig tree (Dr, p:16)

Leona (Dr, p:20) the Double Date (C

3:45 PM those Who remained (Dr, p:14)

11:00 AM Why the Jews? (Doc, p:24) 100 Faces (Doc, S p:24) Keh-hee-lah (Doc, S, p:24)

King Bibi (Doc, p:25)

3:15 PM

2:30 PM

1:15 PM

Shoelaces (Dr, p:25)

5:30 PM Joseph pulitzer: Voice of the people (Doc, p:26)

7:45 PM tel Aviv on Fire (C, p:26)

p17

12:30 PM Short Film package: parenting (Dr, S, p:27) How to Swim (Dr, C, S, p:27) 99 (Dr, S, p:27) that’s mine (Dr, S, p:27) Butterﬂies (Dr, S, p:27)

SuNDAy

Back to maracanã (Dr, p:28)

tuESDAy

moNDAy

5:30 PM Golda (Doc, p:29)

7:30 PM redemption (Geula) (Dr, p:30)

5:30 PM promise at Dawn (Dr, p:28)

8:00 PM the unorthodox (Dr, C, p:29)

Denver Jewish Film Festival

FebruAry 5 - 19, 2020

ENCORE SCRE 5:30 PM

Golda’s Balcony, th

7:30 PM Aulcie (Doc, p:23)

WEDNESDAy

tHurSDAy

FrIDAy

SAturDAy

GHT 7:00 PM

5:30 PM Fiddler: A miracle of miracles (Doc, p:9)

eption

7:45 PM

1:00 PM

Goldaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Balcony, the Film (Dr, p:11)

Witness theater (Doc, p:10) A Night at the Garden (Doc, S, p:10)

9:15 PM Standing up, Falling Down (C, p:12) optimistic realist (Dr, C, S, p:12)

my Name is Sara (Dr, p:9)

:8)

WEDNESDAy

tHurSDAy

5:30 PM It must Schwing! the Blue Note Story (Doc, p:21)

8:00 PM Working Woman (Dr, p:22) Division Ave (Dr, S, p:22)

, S, p:20)

FrIDAy

SAturDAy

7:00 PM Aulcie (Doc, p:23)

1:00 PM mrs. G (Doc, p:23)

9:15 PM Winter Hunt (Dr, p:24)

WEDNESDAy

EENINGs

he Film (Dr, p:11)

fig tree p16

shoelaces p25

info & tickets: jccdenver.org/film | box office: 303.316.6360

p18

djff: February

Wednesday, February 12 5:30 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

echo Drama, Thriller, Family Directors: Amikam Kovner, Assaf Snir 2018/Israel/98 minutes Hebrew with English Subtitles Avner suspects his wife Ella of having an aﬀair. Secretly recording her telephone conversations, he turns into a spy in his own home, listening to them again and again. But while searching for one thing, he discovers another - the woman he listens to is a stranger to him, so very diﬀerent from the one he thought he knew. He tries to understand that woman, to decode their relationship, but the more he knows, the less he understands. Colorado Premiere.

preceded by the short film

terror Drama/PTSD/Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Director: yonatan Shehoah 2018/Israel/16 minutes Arabic, Hebrew with English subtitles Dan, who suﬀers from PTSD after being wounded in a terrorist attack, ﬁnds himself thrown together with his Arab co-workers when multiple terror attacks hit Jerusalem again. Rocky Mountain Premiere.

p19

Denver Jewish Film Festival

FebruAry 5 - 19, 2020

February 12

Wednesday, February 12 7:45 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

:djff

preceded by the short film

leona Drama, romance, Mexican Jewry Director: Isaac Cherem 2018/mexico/95 minutes Spanish with English subtitles A young Jewish woman from Mexico City ﬁnds herself torn between her family and her forbidden love with a non-Jewish man. He allows her to discover the world outside the bubble of her community, leading to an important transition in her adult life. Denver Premiere.

the double date Comedy, Dating

Post-screening talk back led by DJFF Festival Director Amy Weiner Weiss and DU Professor of Latin American Jewish Literature Lydia Gil Keﬀ!

Director: Jamie Elman 2016/Canada/7 minutes yiddish, English with English subtitles A blind date for Leizer with the perfect woman (Mayim Bialik) turns into a battle of nebbish proportions. Rocky Mountain Premiere.

info & tickets: jccdenver.org/film | box office: 303.316.6360

p2o

djff: February

Thursday, February 13 5:30 pm JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

it must schwing! the blue note story

golda p27

Documentary, Jazz History Director: Eric Friedler 2018/Germany/115 minutes English, German with English subtitles IT MUST SCHWING! is the story of Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff, two young German Jewish refugees fleeing Hitler and reinventing themselves in New York as jazz record producers of the legendary Blue Note Records label in 1939. At a time when African-Americans faced legalized discrimination and segregation, Blue Note Records broke new ground by engaging with the artists as equal partners, ultimately becoming a subtle but significant player in the struggle for civil rights. Featuring living jazz greats as Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones, Sonny Rollins and Wayne Shorter among many others, IT MUST SCHWING! also includes rare archival footage of past masters such as John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk. Denver Premiere.

my name is sara p9 p21

Denver Jewish Film Festival

FebruAry 5 - 19, 2020

February 13

:djff

Thursday, February 13 8:00 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

working woman Drama, #MeToo, Israeli Society Director: michal Aviad 2018/Israel/93 minutes Hebrew with English subtitles

preceded by the short film

Orna (Liron Ben Shlush) is the mother of three young children with a husband struggling to start his own restaurant. To help support her family, Orna returns to the workplace, landing a job with a former army superior, Benny, who is now a successful real estate developer. While Orna embraces her new position and tries to balance its demands with her home life, she begins to experience escalating sexual harassment from her boss. Her rapid rise through the ranks and her increasing financial success seem to parallel a pattern of predatory behavior which ultimately brings her career and marital relationship to the brink. This timely and devastating story is expertly told by longtime feminist filmmaker Michal Viad. Winner, Ophir Award for Best Actress. Post-screening talk back led by DU film scholar and DJFF Film Selection Committee member Diane Waldman!

division ave Drama/Friendship/Social Justice Director: tamar Glezerman 2019/uSA/14 minutes English, Spanish, yiddish with English subtitles A few days before Passover, Fernanda, a young Mexican woman, is hired by a Brooklyn cleaning agency to work in the local Jewish Hasidic community. Despite a prolonged wait for her payment, Fernanda continues to faithfully show up for work each day at her employer’s house. An unexpected connection between the two leads to a ﬁght for justice against the cleaning agency at fault, bridging the gaps between their very diﬀerent worlds. Rocky Mountain Premiere.

info & tickets: jccdenver.org/film | box office: 303.316.6360

p22

djff: February

14 – 15

Friday, February 14 1:00 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

Saturday, February 15 7:00 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

mrs. g

aulcie

Documentary, biography, Fashion, Israeli Society

Documentary, biography, Sports Director: Dani menkin 2020/uSA, Israel/75 minutes English, Hebrew with English subtitles

Director: Dalit Kimor 2019/Israel/54 minutes Hebrew with English Subtitles The story of Mrs. Lea Gottlieb, the legendary designer, founder and owner of the Gottex swimwear empire. Gottlieb was a woman full of contradictions who knew how to recover from periods of crisis – from surviving the Holocaust, establishing a small factory in Israel, to her phenomenal success abroad. The ﬁlm follows Mrs. G’s incredible creativeness alongside her dominant personality, her complex relationships with her two daughters, who both worked for the family business, and her unbridled passion, for which she paid a heavy price. Rocky Mountain Premiere.

Aulcie Perry, an African-American Basketball player from the Newark Ghetto, found international glory in the Holy Land when he helped Maccabi Tel Aviv win the 1977 European Championship (as seen in DJFF Audience Award winner ON THE MAP). Aulcie moved to Israel, converted to Judaism, changed his name to Elisha Ben Abraham, and began dating Israeli supermodel Tami Ben Ami. But when his charmed life came to a dramatic halt, he was forced to confront his own demons and his fall from grace. Denver Premiere.

encore screening: wednesday, february 19, 7:30 pm

Aulcie

p23

Denver Jewish Film Festival

FebruAry 5 - 19, 2020

February 15 – 16

:djff

preceded by the short films

Sunday, February 16 11:00 AM JCC Denver –The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

why the jews? Documentary, Jewish History

Saturday, February 15 9:15 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

Director: John Curtin 2019/Canada/70 minutes | English The stunning accomplishments of the Jews raise a question no ﬁlm has dared ask before: How do they do it? Some of the world’s most prominent thinkers tackle a mystery shrouded in ignorance and prejudice. They tear back the curtain on a taboo and draw a startling link between a people’s achievements and the darkest hours in its history. Denver Premiere.

winter hunt Drama/Thriller/Post-Holocaust Director: Astrid Schult 2018/Germany/75 minutes German with English subtitles

100 faces

On a mission of vigilante justice, a young woman goes to extremes to seek reprisal against a suspected ex-Nazi, in the psychological thriller WINTER HUNT. Driving on a deserted highway through the German countryside, Lena arrives at the Rossberg’s remote estate, as nightfall descends. Feigning a car accident, she begs for help from the deeply apprehensive Maria, who reluctantly agrees to invite her in. But Lena’s plea is a ruse to confront the aged patriarch Anselm Rossberg, a former Auschwitz guard accused of war crimes. Lena’s eﬀorts to extract a confession at gunpoint result in a twisted cat-and-mouse game, as the three characters enter a standoﬀ fraught with moral complexities and shocking revelations. Powerhouse performances and a taut script fuel this edge-of-the-seat chamber drama about wartime guilt and culpability across generations. Denver Premiere.

Documentary, british Jewry Director: Benjamin till 2018/uK/14 minutes | English This charming short ﬁlm features one person born every year from 1918-2017: rabbis, chazans, members of LGBT+ community, lords, dames, actors, musicians, disabled people, Holocaust survivors, and Jewish people from every conceivable walk of life. Rocky Mountain Premiere.

keh-hee-lah Documentary, Denver Jewish Community Director: myles Goldstein & Alexander Sturns 2019/uSA/14 minutes | English An unnamed narrator skates across the Denver landscape. His narration poses questions on the nature of faith and its meaning in the modern day. To explore his questions, a round table of Jewish leaders expound upon the importance of the community and how it interplays with the rabbinate. Public Premiere. Local ﬁlmmakers!

info & tickets: jccdenver.org/film | box office: 303.316.6360

p24

djff: February

Sunday, February 16 1:15 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

Sunday, February 16 3:15 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

king bibi

shoelaces

Documentary, Politics, Media

Drama, Disability, Family

Director: Dan Shadur 2018/Israel, uSA/87 minutes Hebrew with English Subtitles

Director: Jacob Goldwasser 2018/Israel/100 minutes Hebrew with English subtitles Sponsor: Jane E and Stanton Rosenbaum

Twenty years before the spectacle of Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu already understood the political benefits of a toxic relationship with the media, and direct communication with the public. King Bibi explores Netanyahu’s rise to power, relying solely on archival footage of his media performances over the years: from his days as a popular guest expert on American TV, through his public confession of adultery, and his mastery of the art of social media. From one studio to another, “Bibi” evolved from Israel’s great political hope, to a controversial figure whom some perceive as Israel’s savior, and others – as a cynical politician who will stop at nothing to retain his power. Colorado Premiere. Post-screening talk back led by DU professor Jonathan Sciarcon!

p25

Denver Jewish Film Festival

The story of a complicated relationship between an aging father, Reuben, and his special-needs son, Gadi, whom he abandoned while he was a child. When his mother passes away, 35 year-old Gadi is taken to live with his father, and they begin navigating their newfound relationship. When Reuben’s kidneys start failing, Gadi wants to donate one of his own kidneys. The transplant committee objects to the procedure, claiming that Reuben, acting as Gadi’s sole legal guardian, does not have the right to authorize such an invasive procedure. But Gadi feels he finally has the chance to do something meaningful, and he fights to save his father. Through the film's portrayal of a relationship full of love, rejection and co-dependency, it manages to shed some light and question the importance of human life, human connection and if life is even possible without either one. Denver Premiere.

FebruAry 5 - 19, 2020

February 16

Sunday, February 16 5:30 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

joseph pulitzer: voice of the people Documentary, News, Journalism, Media Director: oren rudavsky 2018/uSA/95 minutes English Joseph Pulitzer began as a penniless Jewish immigrant from Hungary and grew into one of America's most admired and feared media ﬁgures. JOSEPH PULITZER: VOICE OF THE PEOPLE tells the rare story of the man behind the prize, who spoke of "fake news" and the importance of freedom of the press over a century ago. His New York newspaper The World spoke to an unprecedented number of readers with powerful journalistic ideals and an artistry and game-changing originality. Pulitzer eventually came to challenge a popular president, ﬁghting for the freedom of the press as essential to our American democracy.

:djff

Sunday, February 16 7:45 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

tel aviv on fire Comedy, Television, Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Director: Sameh Zoabi 2018/Luxembourg, Belgium, Israel, France/97 minutes Arabic, Hebrew with English subtitles COMMUNITY PARTNER: SERIESFEST

Salam, an inexperienced young Palestinian man, becomes a writer on a popular soap opera after a chance meeting with an Israeli soldier. His creative career is on the rise - until the soldier and the show's ﬁnancial backers disagree about how the show should end, and Salam is caught in the middle. Luxembourg’s submission for 2020 Foreign Language Oscar Post-screening talk back led by JEWISHcolorado Israeli Emissary Itai Divinsky!

In this landmark ﬁlm by acclaimed director Oren Rudavsky, Adam Driver is the narrator while Liev Schreiber, Tim Blake Nelson and Rachel Brosnahan voice key roles; together, they bring to life thise virtually unknown American icon. Denver Premiere.

info & tickets: jccdenver.org/film | box office: 303.316.6360

p26

djff: February

sushi, meatballs & everything

Monday. February 17: President’s Day Holiday 12:30 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

Drama, Shabbat, Family

short film package: parenting Drama/Short Film/Family This program features ﬁve short ﬁlms that depict relationships between parent and child as seen through various life cycle moments.

Director: Liel Gur 2018/Israel/10 minutes Hebrew with English subtitles A newly-married young woman goes to war with her loving in-laws. Rocky Mountain Premiere.

Post-screening talk back led by DU ﬁlm scholar and DJFF Film Selection Committee member Diane Waldman!

how to swim Drama/Comedy/Motherhood Director: Noa Gusakov 2019/Israel/15 minutes Hebrew with English subtitles Abigail is heavily pregnant, But something is missing. Terriﬁed about the imminent birth, she kidnaps a comforting partner in crime for one afternoon. Denver Premiere.

that’s mine Drama, Grief Director: Amit Hay Ben Shlomo 2018/Israel/35 minutes Hebrew with English subtitles Under the macho visage of a military commander, Roni is hiding thoughts and doubts on the biggest day of his career. Colorado Premiere.

butterflies

Drama, Family

Director: Nick Borenstein 2019/uSA/5 minutes English A mother and son shop for a Bar Mitzvah gift at a 99 Cent store. Rocky Mountain Premiere.

p27

Denver Jewish Film Festival

Director: yona rozenkier 2019/Israel/7 minutes Hebrew with English subtitles Another Sunday in April. A Kibbutz in the north of Israel. A natural phenomenon. A family on an impromptu ride, maybe the last one. Rocky Mountain Premiere.

FebruAry 5 - 19, 2020

February 17

Monday, February 17: President’s Day Holiday 5:30 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

Monday. February 17: President’s Day Holiday 2:30 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

back to maracana˜

:djff

promise at dawn

Drama, Family Drama, road Movie, Soccer

Drama, biography, Literature

Director: Jorge Gurvich 2018/Israel, Brazil, Germany/90 minutes Hebrew, portuguese, English with English Subtitles

Director: Fiona murphy 2017/uK/69 minutes English, Hebrew, and Arabic with English subtitles

Roberto (40), divorced with a failing business, his son Itay (12), a spoiled teenager that snubs his father and despises soccer, and grandfather Samuel (76), an enthusiastic soccer fan that recently found out he doesn't have much time to live, depart spontaneously to the World Cup Games in Brazil- their former homeland. Their unplanned trip turns into a wild journey that changes all of them. Rocky Mountain Premiere.

Based on the acclaimed autobiographical novel by Romain Gary. It’s the wild love of his eccentric and endearing mother that drives Romain Gary to become one of the greatest novelists of the twentieth century, to lead a life full of twists, passion, and mystery. But this unconditional maternal love will also be a burden that he bears his whole life… From his childhood in Poland to his adolescence in Nice to his years as a student in Paris and his tough training as a pilot during World War II, this epic drama tells the romantic story of one of the most famous French novelists and sole writer to have won the Goncourt Prize for French literature two times. Denver Premiere.

info & tickets: jccdenver.org/film | box office: 303.316.6360

p28

djff: February

17 – 18

Tuesday, February 18 5:30 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

Monday. February 17: President’s Day Holiday 8:00 PM JCC Denver – The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

the unorthodox

golda

Drama, Comedy, Politics, Israeli History

Documentary, Politics, Israeli History

Director: Eliran malka 2018/Israel/99 minutes Hebrew with English Subtitles

Directors: Sagi Bornstein, udi Nir, Shani rozanes 2019/Israel, Germany/85 minutes Hebrew with English Subtitles

An Orthodox single father whose daughter was expelled from school for no reason but her ethnic background decides to run for the city elections and almost single-handedly establishes the Shas political party. He had no knowledge, no money, no connections and no PR but he had the strong will to take action that would allow him and other Sephardic Jews to hold their heads up high. The film is based in Jerusalem of the 1980s and inspired by the true story of the first ethnic political group in Israel, which today is an empire with half a million voters and significant implications to society. Colorado Premiere.

Shortly before her passing, Golda Meir was interviewed for the Israeli television. After the shooting ended the cameras kept rolling, recording an intimate talk with the ﬁrst and only woman to ever rule Israel. As she lit one cigarette oﬀ the other, Golda spoke freely, pleading her case for her term as prime minister.

Post-screening talk back led by JEWISHcolorado Israeli Emissary Itai Divinsky!

Based on that never-seen-before talk, testimonies of supporters and opponents and rare archival footage, GOLDA tells the story of Meir’s dramatic premiership - from her surprising rise to power and iconic international stature as “queen of the Jewish people” to her tragic and lonely demise. Colorado Premiere.

The Dr. Irwin E. & Sandra Vinnik Memorial Fund at DU’s Center for Judaic Studies presents the 3rd Annual Dr. Irwin E. & Sandra Vinnik Evening of Jewish Culture. RSVP (cjs@du.edu) for a reception, panel conversation, and Q&A with Udi Nir and Shani Rozanes!

p29

Denver Jewish Film Festival

FebruAry 5 - 19, 2020

February 18

:djff

Tuesday, February 18 7:30 PM JCC Denver â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The elaine Wolf Theatre Ticket info see page 5

anne frank: parallel stories p6

redemption (geula) Drama, Music, Family Directors: Joseph madmony, Boaz yehonatan yacov 2018/Israel/104 minutes Hebrew with English subtitles Menachem, a former frontman for a rock band, is now religious, and a father to a six-year-old. When his daughter is diagnosed with cancer, he must ďŹ nd a creative solution to fund the expensive treatments. He reunites his band for one last tour. The journey to save his daughter exposes old wounds and allows him to reconnect with his secular past. Menachem understands that only a new connection to his past and to his music can pave the road to his own redemption. Denver Premiere.

flawless p13

info & tickets: jccdenver.org/film | box office: 303.316.6360

p3o

schedule & index DRAMA/NARRATIVE FEATURE Wednesday, February 5 7:00 pm thursday, February 6 7:45 pm Saturday, February 8 7:00 pm Saturday, February 8 9:15 pm Sunday, February 9 1:15 pm Sunday, February 9 3:45 pm tuesday, February 11 5:30 pm tuesday, February 11 8:00 pm Wednesday, February 12 5:30 pm Wednesday, February 12 7:45 pm thursday, February 13 8:00 pm Saturday, February 15 9:15 pm Sunday, February 16 3:15 pm Sunday, February 16 7:45 pm monday, February 17 2:30 pm monday, February 17 5:30 pm monday, February 17 8:00 pm tuesday, February 18 7:30 pm DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Sunday, January 26 3:00 pm thursday, February 6 5:30 pm Friday, February 7 1:00 pm Sunday, February 9 11:00 Am monday, February 10 5:30 pm monday, February 10 7:30 pm thursday, February 13 5:30 pm Friday, February 14 1:00 pm Saturday, February 15 7:00 pm Sunday, February 16 11:00 Am Sunday, February 16 1:15 pm Sunday, February 16 5:30 pm SHORT FILM Friday, February 7 1:00 pm Saturday, February 8 9:15 pm Sunday, February 9 1:15 pm Wednesday, February 12 5:30 pm Wednesday, February 12 7:45 pm thursday, February 13 8:00 pm Sunday, February 16 11:00 Am Sunday, February 16 11:00 Am monday, February 17 12:30 pm monday, February 17 12:30 pm monday, February 17 12:30 pm monday, February 17 12:30 pm monday, February 17 12:30 pm BIOGRAPHY Saturday, February 8 7:00 pm Sunday, February 9 11:00 Am monday, February 10 7:30 pm tuesday, February 11 5:30 pm Friday, February 14 1:00 pm Saturday, February 15 7:00 pm Sunday, February 16 1:15 pm Sunday, February 16 5:30 pm monday, February 17 5:00 pm tuesday, February 18 5:30 pm COMEDY Saturday, February 8 9:15 pm Saturday, February 8 9:15 pm Wednesday, February 12 7:45 pm Sunday, February 16 7:45 pm

p31

SUBGENRE

SEE PAGE

Crescendo my Name is Sara Golda’s Balcony the Film Standing up, Falling Down Flawless those Who remained the Keeper Fig tree Echo Leona Working Woman Winter Hunt Shoelaces tel Aviv on Fire Back to maracanã promise at Dawn the unorthodox redemption (Geula)

Drama, music, young Adults, Israeli-palestinian Conﬂict Drama, Holocaust Drama, theatre, Israeli History Comedy, Friendship Drama, Coming of Age, LGBt Drama, post-Holocaust, Friendship Drama, Biography, post-WWII, Sports, romance Drama, Coming-of-Age, Ethiopian Jewry Drama, thriller, Family Drama, romance, mexican Jewry Drama, #metoo, Israeli Society Drama, thriller, post-Holocaust Drama, Disability, Family Comedy, television, Israeli-palestinian Conﬂict Drama, Family Drama, road movie, Soccer Drama, Biography, Literature Drama, Comedy, politics, Israeli History Drama, music, Family

8 9 11 12 13 14 15 16 19 20 22 24 25 26 28 28 29 30

Anne Frank: parallel Stories Fiddler: A miracle of miracles Witness theater the Spy Behind Home plate Sustainable Nation picture of His Life It must Schwing! the Blue Note Story mrs. G Aulcie Why the Jews? King Bibi Joseph pulitzer: Voice of the people

Documentary, Holocaust, Women Documentary, musical theatre, Jewish History Documentary, Holocaust, Intergenerational Documentary, Biography, Sports, Espionage Documentary, Environment Documentary, Biography, photography, Nature Documentary/Jazz History Documentary, Biography, Fashion, Israeli Society Documentary, Biography, Sports Documentary, Jewish History Documentary, politics, media Documentary, News, Journalism, media

6 9 10 13 14 15 21 23 23 24 25 26

A Night at the Garden optimistic realist Butterﬂies in Berlin terror the Double Date Division Ave Keh-hee-lah 100 Faces How to Swim 99 Sushi, meatballs & Everything that's mine Butterﬂies (parparim)

Documentary, American History, Nationalism Drama, Comedy, theatre, Storytelling Drama, Animation, LGBt, European History Drama, ptSD, Israeli-palestinian Conﬂict Comedy, Dating Drama, Friendship, Social Justice Documentary, Denver Jewish Community Documentary, British Jewry Drama, Comedy, motherhood Drama, Family Drama, Shabbat, Family Drama, Grief Drama, Family

10 12 13 19 20 22 24 24 27 27 27 27 27

Golda’s Balcony the Film the Spy Behind Home plate picture of His Life the Keeper mrs. G Aulcie King Bibi Joseph pulitzer: Voice of the people promise at Dawn Golda

Drama, theatre, Israeli History Documentary, Biography, Sports, Espionage Documentary, Biography, photography, Nature Drama, Biography, post-WWII, Sports, romance Documentary, Biography, Fashion, Israeli Society Documentary, Biography, Sports Documentary, politics, media Documentary, News, Journalism, media Drama, Biography, Literature Documentary, politics, Israeli History

11 13 15 15 23 23 25 26 28 29

Standing up, Falling Down optimistic realist the Double Date tel Aviv on Fire

Comedy, Friendship Drama, Comedy, theatre, Storytelling Comedy, Dating Comedy, television, Israeli-palestinian Conﬂict

12 12 20 26

Denver Jewish Film Festival

FebruAry 5 - 19, 2020

schedule & index ENVIRONMENT monday, February 10 monday, February 10 FAMILY Sunday, February 16 monday, February 17 tuesday, February 18 HOLOCAUST Sunday, January 26 thursday, February 6 Friday, February 7 Friday, February 7 Sunday, February 9 Sunday, February 9 tuesday, February 11 Saturday, February 15 ISRAEL Wednesday, February 5 Saturday, February 8 Sunday, February 9 monday, February 10 Wednesday, February 12 Wednesday, February 12 thursday, February 13 Friday, February 14 Saturday, February 15 Sunday, February 16 Sunday, February 16 Sunday, February 16 monday, February 17 monday, February 17 monday, February 17 monday, February 17 monday, February 17 tuesday, February 18 tuesday, February 18

MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT Wednesday, February 5 thursday, February 6 thursday, February 13 Sunday, February 16 tuesday, February 18 POLITICS & MEDIA Sunday, February 16 Sunday, February 16 Sunday, February 16 monday, February 17 tuesday, February 18 WOMEN Sunday, January 26 Saturday, February 8 Sunday, February 9 thursday, February 13 Friday, February 14 monday, February 17 tuesday, February 18

SUBGENRE

SEE PAGE

5:30 pm 7:30 pm

Sustainable Nation picture of His Life

Documentary, Environment Documentary, Biography, photography, Nature

14 15

3:15 pm 2:30 pm 7:30 pm

Shoelaces Back to maracanã redemption (Geula)

Drama, Disability, Family Drama, Family Drama, road movie, Soccer Drama, music, Family

25 28 30

3:00 pm 7:45 pm 1:00 pm 1:00 pm 1:15 pm 3:45 pm 5:30 pm 9:15 pm

Anne Frank: parallel Stories my Name is Sara Witness theater A Night at the Garden Butterﬂies in Berlin those Who remained the Keeper Winter Hunt

Documentary, Holocaust, Women Drama, Holocaust Documentary, Holocaust, Intergenerational Documentary, American History, Nationalism Drama, Animation, LGBt, European History Drama, post-Holocaust, Friendship Drama, Biography, post-WWII, Sports, romance Drama, thriller, post-Holocaust

6 9 10 10 13 14 15 24

7:00 pm 7:00 pm 1:15 pm 5:30 pm 5:30 pm 5:30 pm 8:00 pm 1:00 pm 7:00 pm 1:15 pm 3:15 pm 7:45 pm 12:30 pm 12:30 pm 12:30 pm 12:30 pm 8:00 pm 5:30 pm 7:30 pm

Crescendo Golda’s Balcony the Film Flawless Sustainable Nation Echo terror Working Woman mrs. G Aulcie King Bibi Shoelaces tel Aviv on Fire How to Swim Sushi, meatballs & Everything that's mine Butterﬂies (parparim) the unorthodox Golda redemption (Geula)

Drama, music, young Adults, Israeli-palestinian Conflict Drama, theatre, Israeli History Drama, Coming of Age, LGBt Documentary, Environment Drama, thriller, Family Drama, ptSD, Israeli-palestinian Conflict Drama, #metoo, Israeli Society Documentary, Biography, Fashion, Israeli Society Documentary, Biography, Sports Documentary, politics, media Drama, Disability, Family Comedy, television, Israeli-palestinian Conflict Drama, Comedy, motherhood Drama, Shabbat, Family Drama, Grief Drama, Family Drama, Comedy, politics, Israeli History Documentary, politics, Israeli History Drama, music, Family

8 11 13 14 19 19 22 23 23 25 25 26 27 27 27 27 29 29 30

7:00 pm 5:30 pm 5:30 pm 7:45 pm 7:30 pm

Crescendo Fiddler: A miracle of miracles It must Schwing! the Blue Note Story tel Aviv on Fire redemption (Geula)

Drama, music, young Adults, Israeli-palestinian Conﬂict Documentary, musical theatre, Jewish History Documentary, Jazz History Comedy, television, Israeli-palestinian Conﬂict Drama, music, Family

8 9 21 26 30

1:15 pm 5:30 pm 7:45 pm 8:00 pm 5:30 pm

King Bibi Joseph pulitzer: Voice of the people tel Aviv on Fire the unorthodox Golda

Documentary, politics, media Documentary, News, Journalism, media Comedy, television, Israeli-palestinian Conﬂict Drama, Comedy, politics, Israeli History Documentary, politics, Israeli History

25 26 26 29 29

3:00 pm 7:00 pm 1:15 pm 8:00 pm 1:00 pm 12:30 pm 5:30 pm

Anne Frank: parallel Stories Golda’s Balcony the Film Flawless Working Woman mrs. G How to Swim Golda

Documentary, Holocaust, Women Drama, theatre, Israeli History Drama, Coming of Age, LGBt Drama, #metoo, Israeli Society Documentary, Biography, Fashion, Israeli Society Drama, Comedy, motherhood Documentary, politics, Israeli History

6 11 13 22 23 27 29

info & tickets: jccdenver.org/film | box office: 303.316.6360

p32

seating policy & print sources: 24th DJFF 2020 24th Denver Jewish Film Festival Seating Policy

all seating is reserved Unlike most film events, screenings at the JCC Denver’s Elaine Wolf Theatre have a reserved seating policy which works much like any live theatre or concert event, where each patron has an individually numbered seat for each film. This means that if patrons are seeing multiple films, they may need to move seats after each showing. Patrons that purchase tickets in advance may request the same seat (if it is available), but they will need to exit the theatre and present their ticket separately for each film. Reserve a specific seat each time you purchase a ticket. Doors will open approximately 20 minutes prior to each screening. Please come early so you can locate your seat number and row. Late-comers will be seated at the discretion of the ushers. The theatre will be emptied after each screening in order to clean and conduct a sound check for the next film. Please help us keep the festival running on time by leaving the theatre promptly. Handicapped seating is available. To reserve handicapped seating please contact the box office at 303.316.6360. Free parking for the DJFF is available in all three JCC lots. Street parking on S. Dahlia St., E. Alameda Ave. and the neighborhood to the north of our location is also free.

24th djff print sources 99 Nicolas Borenstein nborenstein@gmail.com 100 Faces UK Jewish Film Michael Etherton Michael.etherton@ukjewishfilm.org A Night at the Garden Marshall Cury (Filmmaker) Ben Goldberg ben@marshallcurry.com Anne Frank: Parallel Stories BY Experience Dianna Mesion dianna@byexperience.net Aulcie Oded Horowitz oded@odedhorowitzfd.com Back to Maracanã Green Productions Gilli Zolty dist@greenproductions.co.il Butterflies H264 Distribution Jason Todd jason@h264distribution.com Butterflies in Berlin Monica Manganelli monica.manganelli77@gmail.com Crescendo Menemsha Films Neil Friedman neilf@menemshafilms.com Division Ave Michal Birnbaum divisionavefilm@gmail.com

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Echo Go2Films Hadar Taylor Shechter hadar@go2films.com Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles IsraeliFilms Dov Gil-Har israelifilms@gmail.com Fig Tree Menemsha Films Neil Friedman neilf@menemshafilms.com Flawless IsraeliFilms Dov Gil-Har israelifilms@gmail.com Golda Go2Films Hadar Taylor Shechter hadar@go2films.com Golda’s Balcony, the Film David Fishelson dfishelson@gmail.com How to Swim Noa Gusakov noagus@gmail.com It Must Schwing! The Blue Note Story Studio Hamburg Enterprises Thore Vollert t.vollert@studio-hamburg.de Joseph Pulitzer: Voice of the People First Run Features Marc Mauceri marcum@firstrunfeatures.com

Keh-hee-lah Myles Goldstein myles.goldstein107@gmail.com King Bibi Go2Films Hadar Taylor Shechter hadar@go2films.com Leona Menemsha Films Neil Friedman neilf@menemshafilms.com Mrs. G Muse Productions Yahaly Gat muse.prod1@gmail.com My Name is Sara Strand Releasing Nathan Faustyn nathan@strandreleasing.com Optimistic Realist Brandon Ravet Brandon.ravet@gmail.com

Shoelaces Menemsha Films Neil Friedman neilf@menemshafilms.com

The Keeper Menemsha Films Neil Friedman neilf@menemshafilms.com

Standing Up, Falling Down Menemsha Films Neil Friedman neilf@menemshafilms.com

The Spy Behind Home Plate The Ciesla Foundation Athena Robles Athena.cieslafdn@gmail.com

Sushi, Meatballs & Everything The Maaleh School of Film and Television Katie Green festivals@maale.co.il

The Unorthodox Go2Films Hadar Taylor Shechter hadar@go2films.com

Sustainable Nation Tamar Simon tamar.simon@gmail.com Tel Aviv on Fire Cohen Media Group Emma Myers emma@cohenmedia.net

Picture of His Life Oded Horowitz oded@odedhorowitzfd.com

Terror The Maaleh School of Film and Television Katie Green/Yonatan Shehoah festival@maale.co.il

Promise at Dawn Menemsha Films Neil Friedman neilf@menemshafilms.com

That’s Mine Costanza Film Distribution Asf Yecheskel costanzafilms@gmail.com

Redemption (Guela) Menemsha Films Neil Friedman neilf@menemshafilms.com

The Double Date YidLife Crisis Eli Batalion info@yidlifecrisis.com

Denver Jewish Film Festival

FebruAry 5 - 19, 2020

Those Who Remained Menemsha Films Neil Friedman neilf@menemshafilms.com Why the Jews? Menemsha Films Neil Friedman neilf@menemshafilms.com Winter Hunt Menemsha Films Neil Friedman neilf@menemshafilms.com Witness Theater Menemsha Films Neil Friedman neilf@menemshafilms.com Working Woman Zeitgeist Films Emily Russo emily@zeitgeistfilms.com

24th DJFF 2020 24th Denver Jewish Film Festival Sponsors ORGANIZATIONAL SPONSOR Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) FESTIVAL PRESENTING SPONSOR Sturm Family Foundation OPENING NIGHT SPONSOR Israel Investment Advisors EXECUTIVE PRODUCER SPONSORS Jane E and Stanton Rosenbaum Strear Family Foundation Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Denver DIRECTOR SPONSORS Anonymous Anonymous Dr. Hilary and Rabbi Eliot Baskin, All About Braces and Colorado Orthodontics Marsha and Gary Blum Krista and Mark Boscoe BusinessDen.com, 2020 Narrative Audience Choice Award Betsy Mordecai Heyman and Gareth Heyman, MorEvents 2020 Documentary Audience Choice Award Celeste Grynberg Susan Mathews Kathy Neustadt Mindy Levy Peckar and Steven Peckar Essie Perlmutter & Family Dean Prina, M.D. and Gary Mobell Scott Robinson Scott’s Liquid Gold

LEADING ACTOR SPONSORS Nancy Alterman Diana Anderson Anonymous BNY Mellon Renee and Martin Gross Family Foundation Roberta and Dr. Melvyn Klein Joanne and Arthur Kleinstein Stuart and Janet Kritzer Family Foundation Andy Levy and Renee Levy Robyn and Andy Levy Joyce and Gary Pashel Shira and Jeffrey Reiss Lynn and Roger Ritvo Carol and Irwin Wagner Diane Waldman Lisa Sirota-Weiner and Douglas Weiner Alan Wernz, to honor our volunteers and their contributions to our film festival

Rich and Lisa Cohn Nancy Reichman and Charlie Gwirtsman Kathy and Bob Klugman Strear Family Foundation Elaine Gantz Berman and Stephen Berman Shannon Gifford and Jerry Glick Elise and Brian Barish Kendra and Jason Harrison Betsy Mordecai Heyman and Gareth Heyman Mike and Toni Kboudi Lara and Frank Knuettel Don and Mary Lou Kortz The Lusher, McQuade and Curtiss-Lusher Families Essie Perlmutter & Family Richard and Michele Right Sidney T. and Bertha Katzson Charitable Foundation Vicki Trachten Schwartz and Robert Schwartz Deborah and Mattis Sessel CORPORATE CHAMPIONS FOR THE J JEWISHcolorado

SUPPORTING ACTOR SPONSORS Anonymous Vicky and David Dansky Elaine and Arnie Tinter CHAMPIONS FOR THE J Wendy and Ed Nekritz Kathy Neustadt Debbie and Michael Feiner – Feiner Family Foundation Goodspeed & Merrill Karen and Steven Leaffer Gary and Connie Levine

PATRONS FOR THE ARTS Robin and Ken Glickstein Gabriela and Peter Gotlieb Renee and Martin Gross Family Foundation Celeste Grynberg Terry and Art Heller Arthur and Joanne Kleinstein TriCuzz Productions Lisa Sirota-Weiner and Douglas Weiner SPECIAL THANKS & COMMUNITY PARTNERS