FRONT & CENTER
Every ticket is a reserved seat for the Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival’s
Silver Anniversary Celebration
F
or a quarter of a century, the Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival has celebrated Jewish culture through film, bringing an exciting lineup of films to Arizona, honoring Jewish traditions and heritage. Their 25th Anniversary will not be any different, except this year it will include three extra days of screenings and take place in the comfort of one’s own home! From Feb. 14 through March 3, 2021, the 25th Annual Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival will screen films showcasing the best of Jewish life, history and heritage. This year, due to ongoing health and safety concerns, the film festival, normally held in three cities across the Valley, will be held entirely online. Currently the longest-running film festival in the Valley, the Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival celebrates its 25th year by presenting more great films that make their festival even bigger and better – hours upon hours of Jewish cinema from dozens of different countries! Rejoice in this annual crowd-pleasing event with more than 30 feature56
length and short films ranging from defiance and struggle to fun and adventure to laughter and love, with something for everyone and stories that engage both mind and heart. Via just about any device, computer, or Smart TV, the audience can travel from the beaches and shuks of Israel to the sound stages of Hollywood, from the snowy forests of Norway to the announcers’ booth at Yankee Stadium; from an operating room in modern-day Italy to the cobblestone back alleys of wartime France. Using innovative technologies, the virtual festival will allow participants to easily build a flexible, customized schedule to see every film on the schedule. Post-film interviews with filmmakers and experts on the films’ subjects will be held seamlessly after many screenings. GPJFF Co-Executive Director Jerry Mittelman is excited about this milestone festival. “The festival has been of great value to the Valley, and the proof is the amazing attendance growth over this span of time. We are proud that we have been able to handpick films the audiences love; films from around the world that tell
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | ARIZONA JEWISH LIFE
of Jewish life, history and culture, all of significance not only to Jewish audiences, but to the community at large,” says Jerry. “Although the film festival will be virtual this year, our all-volunteer non-profit organization has been working hard with new technology to fit all the gears, levers, and wheels together to make this year even more successful than last! But we cannot wait until we are all back together again once it’s safe again." As a show of gratitude towards the Valley community’s support of the Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival, a free screening of the documentary, “Shared Legacies,” will be shown on Saturday, Feb. 13 at 7 pm to coincide with Black History Month. The documentary explores crucial historical lessons of AfricanAmerican and Jewish cooperation while fighting blatant bias and racism. For more information on the festival or to purchase tickets after January 15, visit gpjff.org. You can also follow the Festival on facebook. com/GreaterPhxJewishFilmFest or @ GPJFF on Twitter.
