October 25th 2024
JIFF - Jewish International Film Festival - 8 films reviewed
Left Write Hook
Lee
One of my favorite festivals opens this Sunday night. JIFF is always full of surprises, entertainment, and simply wonderful films which all come highly recommended. As well, two worthwhile mainstream releases hit the screens.
Jewish International Film Festival
Melbourne: October 27th - December 4th
Venues: Classic Elsternwick, Lido Hawthorn, Cameo Belgrave
As always JIFF presents the best Jewish films from around the world. I'm not detailing them here; everything you need to know is on the website. Suffice to say, this is always a stunning festival, but this year it feels even more important as something to unite people rather than divide. Here's an insight into those films I have been fortunate enough to preview, and I'll bring you several more next week.
Shoshana: From acclaimed director Michael Winterbottom comes this true story set in British Mandatory Palestine just before the Second World War. Shoshana Borochov, a Zionist writer, had a long term love affair with a British policeman, but things got fraught when the British were implicated in the death of Zionist hero Avraham Stern. Aside from everything looking a little too clean and shiny, the film is an excellent recreation of an era, shining a light on the shocking legacy the British left behind, sometimes cited as the origins of today's horrific conflicts.
Welcome to Yiddishland: Most of us are familiar with the word "schmuck", but probably don't know how many other Yiddish words have crept their way into daily use. Nor do we know the rich culture of the language, which is currently undergoing a revival in theatre, music, and literature. This fabulous doco celebrates this revival, throwing the spotlight on such wonderful things as a production of Yentl in Yiddish, Barrie Kosky's all-Yiddish cabaret being staged in Berlin, and Melbourne musicians like Gideon Preiss and Husky Gawenda performing fresh Yiddish music. The doco is at once joyous and celebratory, but also a very important reflection upon what it means to revive a language that was so nearly wiped out during the Holocaust, a language which unites Jews around the world, regardless of what country they come from. The film is such an entertainment, everyone should get a lot of nachas (joy) from it.
Sabbath Queen: Amichai Lau-Lavie comes from a long line of Orthodox rabbis in Israel. Knowing he's gay and will never be accepted, he heads to New York, where he joins the drag queen scene, invents an alter ego, then later sets up Lab/Shul, an alternative congregation that welcomes everyone, is "God-optional", and is more about spirituality than dogma. This remarkable documentary, shot over 21 years, traces Amichai's journey as he reinvents religion, examines the role of ritual, embraces same sex and interfaith marriage, and tries to convince the patriarchal powers of Orthodoxy that there is another path for Judaism - less divisive and all inclusive. Everything he does, including championing peace in Israel, is inspiring and reflective of the best in humanity. If there were more people like him in the world, it wouldn't be in the dire state it finds itself. I am moved, excited and blown away by this film.
Janis Ian: Breaking the Silence: Most of us of a certain vintage know the song "At Seventeen". But what do we know of the amazing singer/songwriter behind the hit? This fabulous doco about Janis Ian traces her rise to stardom, which began in the 1960s, when at the age of merely 13 she wrote a highly controversial song dealing with interracial relationships. Six decades later she is going strong, having battled homophobia, misogyny and illness. The film has insightful interviews, archival footage, and of course those magnificent songs that cut deep to the core of real-life emotions and experiences. A must-see for music lovers.
6.30: This is such an important film, throwing a light on the horrific events of October 7th, when Hamas slaughtered 1200 Israelis and abducted 250 more. Survivors and rescuers talk about their experiences, and a team of creative artists have made miniature models, which highlight the events but exclude disturbing images. Hearing survivors speak of hiding for hours on end, of being shot, abducted and returned is seriously harrowing, but a much-needed insight and reminder of a dark day in Israel's history.
Fuhrer and Seducer: Joseph Goebbels was Hitler's Propaganda Minister. He lived his life devoted to "spinning" the truth, keeping up the image of Germany as the victors, even as the country began to lose the war. Goebbels was in charge of creating images, speeches and films that glorified Hitler and the Third Reich, and justified the Jewish extermination. He had an ego to rival that of his Fuhrer. This dramatic feature captures the story from 1938 until the downfall of the Reich, interspersing the narrative with footage from the streets, the concentration camps, and movie news reports. In today's era of "fake news", Goebbels comes across as a true spin doctor, creating propagandist documentaries and newsreels that belied the ghastly truth of what was really happening to his country and the Jews.
Legend of Destruction: The artists who animated the docudrama Waltz With Bashir have spent nine years making this latest stunningly animated story of Jerusalem in the time of Roman rule. It depicts the divisive forces amongst the Jewish people, as Zealots faced off against corrupt temple priests, all ultimately leading to siege and famine, and facilitating Rome's victory and the destruction of the Temple. The film employs 1500 painted still images, many of them brutal and bloody, all beautifully executed so you believe these are real characters. Voiceovers of the English version include Oscar Isaac, Elliot Gould and Evangeline Lilly. Lovers of history and animation should really enjoy this.
Diane Warren: Relentless: Let me thow some song titles at you: If I Could Turn Back Time, I Don't Want To Miss a Thing; Rhythm of the Night; Unbreak My Heart - you know the songs but probably not the writer. Diane Warren has written more than 700 songs in her career, yet we don't know of her! In the music industry Diane has been known as hitmaker, in high demand to write for the world's biggest artists. But as we see in this eye-opening doco, she is also a complex person, often seen as an outsider, a pain, and relentlessly ambitious. A terrific insight into the woman and the art of songwriting. Another must for music lovers.
Left Write Hook
Dir: Shannon Owen
Length: 98 mins
Limited venues: Classic, Cameo, Nova
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© Bonsai - a brave woman helps others through
a trauma she knows only too well |
Donna Lyon is a survivor of incest and ritaul sexual abuse. She is also a boxer and film producer. In this disturbing, but ultimately uplifting, documentary, we learn how Donna helps other survivors of sexual abuse to work through their trauma through both writing and boxing. Seven very different women, all survivors of sexual abuse, feature as they take part in this experimental approach to trauma recovery. They all speak openly about their experiences, helping to destigmatise the shame and silence around the issue. The unique combination of anger release through boxing, expression of emotion and thought through writing, plus Donna's caring and empathetic appproach, all serve to support these women and help them move forward with their lives. Films like this are so important in opening up difficult conversations. Prepare to be emotionally moved! 3.5 - well recommended
Lee
