New Jersey Jewish News
MetroWest Feature Story

Film festival showcases 14 NJ premieres

From an Israeli buddy road picture to a Mideast Romeo and Juliet, from the tale of an Ethiopian dreamer to a portrait of a charismatic cantor, the NJ Jewish Film Festival delivers comedy and drama, engrossing subjects, and provocative documentaries.

A celebration of the Jewish experience and an exploration of Jewish issues through the cinematic arts, JCC MetroWest’s sixth annual New Jersey Jewish Film Festival will be held March 23 through April 2 at venues throughout Essex and Morris counties. Films to be screened are from Israel, France, Mexico, Germany, and the United States.

Post-screening dialogues with directors, actors, filmmakers, critics, and scholars promote cross-cultural understanding and examination of universal themes. This year’s festival will present 14 NJ premieres, one U.S. premiere, and a film by Livingston native Irena Fayngold.

Among the Israeli films highlighted will be Radu Mihaileanu’s Live and Become, Anat Zuria’s Sentenced to Marriage, and Eran Riklis’ The Syrian Bride. Special guests scheduled to appear include Sirak Sabahat, lead actor of Live and Become; Erik Greenberg Anjou, director of A Cantor’s Tale, along with the film’s subject, Cantor Jacob Mendelson; Eyal Dimant, producer of At the Green Line; and Asaf Shaul, producer of 39 Pounds of Love.

The festival is cochaired by Herbert S. Ford and Sara-Ann Sanders, both of Livingston.

Tickets for each screening cost $12, $10 for JCC members, students, and seniors. Tickets for the opening and closing night programs, which include dessert receptions, cost $20, $15 for JCC members, students, and seniors. VIP sponsorship packages are also available. For tickets, call the box office at 973-530-3444 or e-mail them.

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