Coloring Dictatorship
Film editor Dina Gold reviews the recent Latvian film “The Sign Painter.” The film won four awards at the Latvian National Film Festival.
09
Feb
05
Jan
Israel’s 2021 Oscar Submission
Israeli director Ruthy Pribar describes her newly released debut feature film Asia as “not easy to watch,” but she hopes it conveys the message that “even when in the darkest part of your life, you can see beauty.”
04
Dec
When Children Rescue Children
It’s a rare treat to discover a film that appeals across the generations, but The Crossing is a perfect example. This movie is true family-friendly storytelling. Set in 1942 Norway, during the third year of the German occupation, this is a particularly poignant and uplifting tale of ordinary youngsters rising to the challenge of rescuing Jewish children during a brutal period of history.
30
Oct
When Baseball Was Too American for Jews
Albert Dabah, the writer and director of the truly wonderful drama Extra Innings, has delivered a heartrendingly personal portrayal based on his own life story.
02
Oct
The (Un)Holy Silence of Pope Pius XII
“There are 16 million documents in the Vatican waiting to be read. Maybe one day we will get a deeper understanding of the profound moral questions raised in the film about complicity and silence. It is not only Jews who need answers but also Catholics, who must ask themselves why their church failed to uphold Catholic principles of love and mercy. “
08
Sep
The Abandoned Jews of Ethiopia
Jews have lived in Ethiopia for centuries, but over the past decades, the majority have emigrated to Israel, most in the well-known airlifts of Operations Moses (1984) and Solomon (1991). Now some 140,000 are citizens. Those left behind in Addis Ababa and Gondar languish in dire conditions, vividly illustrated in the beautifully shot film.
12
Aug
The Rabbinical Student Tackling Chicago Gun Violence
What’s the answer to Chicago’s epidemic of gun crime?
According to Tamar Manasseh, the subject of the new documentary They Ain’t Ready for Me, which chronicles her fight against gun violence on the south side of Chicago, it’s, “Nobody wants to shoot anybody’s mother.”
29
Jul
Saul and Ruby’s Holocaust Survivor Band
To assume this is just another depressing Holocaust survivor film would be a huge mistake. Far from it. This outstanding documentary, about survival and the joys of living, is suffused with humor and boundless energy.
30
Jun
Homage to a Master Drama Teacher
This film is an insightful view into the life of a little-known luminary, replete with wonderful archival footage (not only of pre-state Jerusalem but also of his and his wife’s mime performances), whose legacy would otherwise be unknown to almost all of us.
12
Jul
Verdict on Roman Artichokes? Tasty!
In Rome, the future of the Jewish community’s signature dish—the carciofo alla giudia (Jewish-style artichoke)—was threatened by a decree from the Israeli rabbinate’s head of imports.