February 18th

JIFF - Jewish International Film Festival

In Melbourne from Feb 18-March 24

Classic Elsternwick, Lido Hawthorn

For other states, dates, bookings and programs, visit www.jiff.com.au

This week (part 1) I concentrate upon JIFF which was supposed to have its Melbourne opening night on the last night of Victoria's latest lockdown. Instead the festival takes off today (Thursday 18th), and is chock-full of wonderful films. Here's a brief run-down on some I've seen already. I recommend them all - my absolute faves are rated with a highly recommend. Further latest releases this week will come very soon in a subsequent edition. 

Abu Omar

Length: 113 mins

© JIFF - grief and
tentative friendship

Salah is a Palestinian whose young son has died in surgery in an Israeli hospital. In an attempt to get the body home past the checkpoints, he is helped out by a pregnant Jewish woman. This quite an extraordinary film - slow, intense and utterly thought-provoking. There are tiny moments of black humour, but at its heart it is a plea for more (much-needed) compassion in this world. 

4 - highly recommended

Adventures of a Mathematician

Length: 102 mins

© JIFF - should appeal to 
history buffs

Stanislaw Ulam emigrated to the USA and worked as a maths teacher. When he joined the Manhattan Project his theories helped to create the hydrogen bomb. Interesting subject matter which perhaps tries to cover too much material in too short a time, though is a fascinating snapshot of a seminal moment in history. 

Alan Pakula: Going for Truth

Length: 98  mins

© JIFF - portrait of
a brilliant film-maker

A must-see for film fans, this is a portrait of the famed director of such films as Sophie's Choice, All the President's Men and Klute, among many more. There is much to be learned about the man's private and professional life, augmented by insights from renowned faces from the film world such as Jeff Bridges, Jane Fonda, Alec Baldwin, and Dustin Hoffman, to name a handful. Enjoy the nostalgia of clips from Pakula's many iconic films, and be impressed by the dedication and skill he brought to his work.

4 - highly recommended

Born in Jerusalem and Still Alive

Length: 83 mins

© JIFF - love blooms in
a dangerous city

Ronen conducts tourists around the Jerusalem streets, showing them the sites of infamous terror attacks. As he tries to deal with his own anxiety over terrorism, he is also dealing with a demanding ageing father. When he meets Asia (ex-Jerusalem living in Barcelona), he starts to rethink the focus of his life. Yossi Atia is simply divine as the traumatised but adorable Ronen. Winning a couple of first feature film awards, this is a film that slowly sneaks up on you, with not only political issues to grapple with, but the subtleties of love, parental relationships, and what it means to live with fear but still get on with life.

4 - highly recommended 

Broken Dreams

Length: 70 mins

© JIFF - reminiscences of 
young lives cut short

Two sisters are both young and talented - one an aspiring actor the other a poet - when first the Russians then the Nazis invade their hometown in Poland. This moving doco makes excellent use of old diary entries, powerful archival footage, and reminiscences from the surviving sister, all artfully combined in yet another testament to the nightmare of the Holocaust and wasted lives.  

Churchill and the Movie Mogul

Length: 60 mins

© JIFF - how film as
propaganda turned the war

Short and sweet, but fascinating. The doco looks at Churchill's relationship with Hungarian emigre director Alexander Korda, who used Winston as a screenwriter and historical advisor. Churchill understood well how cinema could be used as a propaganda tool, and the movie stresses how many of Churchill's speeches were in fact like mini-movie scripts in themselves. It's a fascinating look at a little-known aspect of both movie and war history.

Comrade Dov

Length: 75 mins

© JIFF - a man of principal
stands against the tide

Another intriguing doco about a politician, 13 years in the Israeli Knesset (parliament), Jewish but representing the Jewish-Arab party Hadash. Dov Khenin was much hated by some as he went in to bat for causes that highlighted the ongoing conflicts between Palestinians and Israelis. He stood with villagers trying to prevent the bulldozing of their villages, and was an activist for social, economic and environmental reform. 

Esau

Length: 117 mins

© JIFF - bread, brothers,
fathers, lovers

This modern take on the biblical story of brothers Esau and Jacob is a beautifully told narrative, and sees a welcome return of Harvey Keitel. It's the sort of film where you can just revel in the story-telling of a man who returns to the city of his birth to confront his brother.  The acting is terrific all round, with authenticity and emotion in a story of a theft - of both love and livelihood. Much awarded actor Lior Ashkenazi is excellent as Esau.

4 - highly recommended

Kineret

Length: 91 mins

© JIFF - the beauty of 
nature celebrated

The Sea of Galilee, or Kineret, is the lowest freshwater lake on earth. It is showcased here in Israel's answer to a nature doco from David Attenborough or National Geo. The film is exquisitely  shot, and an insightful look at the cycle of life and the passing of the seasons on the vast lake. It focuses upon a year in the life of the native swamp cat, and also features spectacular bird life. It's a must for all lovers of nature docos.

Shiva Baby

Length: 77 mins

© JIFF - surly and confused
doesn't begin to cover it

Danielle is part of a tight-knit Jewish community. When she attends a shiva (a Jewish get-together for mourning) with her family, she runs into Max, an older married man with whom she has been having sex, in exchange for money. There is something so strong about this film, in the way it encapsulates uncomfortability for all concerned - Max, Danielle, nagging parents and friends . . . There is also something so stereotyped about the way a certain style of Jew is portrayed, and I found that uncomfortable in its own right. It's the sort of film, depending upon your sense of humour, you will either enjoy, or be annoyed by.

They Call Me Dr Miami

Length: 87 mins

© JIFF - you gotta love me! 
I'll give you the best body!

Michael Salzhauer aka Dr Miami is an observant Jew,who spends his days performing plastic surgery predominantly on women's breasts and buttocks, with the odd penis extension thrown in. Devotees follow him on all manner of social media, and he is uber-famous and in demand. This doco is arguably highly entertaining, but also raises many interesting moral questions about religion, plastic surgery (are the two compatible?) and integrity.

4 - highly recommended

Thou Shalt Not Hate

Length: 95 mins

© JIFF - torn between his oath
and saving a detested man

A fabulous Italian drama about a doctor, the son of a Holocaust survivor, who rushes to the scene of an accident but when he sees the swastika tattoo on the dying mans chest, withdraws all help. He subsequently takes on the daughter of the dead man as his cleaner, and is forced to again confront ethical issues when that young woman's neo-Nazi brother is injured in a shooting. Powerful movie making, that will make you do some serious thinking.

4 - highly recommended

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit

Length: 120 mins

© JIFF - childhood on the run
from the Nazis

Novelist Judith Kerr wrote a book based upon her childhood, staying one step ahead of the Nazis as her family took her from country to country. The story is beautifully told, acted and shot, centring upon a child's view of a ghastly time in history. The narrative is handled in a way that deflects the total horror, but captures the experience of many German Jews who fled their country, trying to find a new home.

4 - highly recommended