Four fascinating films with topics as diverse as a Hasidic rabbi in a dance competition, Christian and Jewish students traversing the city of Rome in search of the truth, a revisiting of a conversation with Israel’s founding father, and a newly restored classic film that breathes new life into its tale of immigration, comprise this year’s United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Simon Family JCC’s 29th Annual Virginia Festival of Jewish Film, presented by Alma & Howard Laderberg.
While festival organizers are committed to maintaining a safe and engaging in-person moviegoing experience, an option to stream the films for those who feel safer at home is available. The various discussions with filmmakers, actors, and others, will be able to be viewed at home through a dedicated live stream link. The schedule is:
A Starry Sky Above
the Roman Ghetto
Thursday, Feb. 24
Cinema Café Kemps River
Tango Shalom
Saturday, Feb. 26
Conversation with film star
and producer Judi Beecher
Virginia Wesleyan University’s Susan Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center
Ben Gurion, Epilogue
Sunday, February 27
Conversation with producer Yael Perlov
Virginia Wesleyan University’s Susan Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center
Hester Street
Monday, Feb. 28
Conversation with Rabbi Michael Panitz
Naro Expanded Cinema
Those who opt for the virtual option (which is hosted through the platform Eventive) will receive a link to watch the films in real-time. These links will also provide viewers with the opportunity to watch and listen to the live conversations.
As one of the longest-running Jewish film festivals in the nation, the mission of the Virginia Festival of Jewish Film, presented by Alma & Howard Laderberg, is to educate and engage diverse Tidewater communities, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, by presenting world-class film premieres, repertory cinema, and associated programs that are inspired by Jewish or Israeli history, heritage, and values.
Tickets are limited. To purchase and view the lineup, visit www.JewishVA.org/FilmFestival.