Film Categories: Jewish

  • ZERO the inside story

    On a journey to find the origins of the number zero, a woman discovers more than she was expecting. The journey begins as a quest for the cultural roots of zero and how this concept touches human consciousness in unexpected ways. The search leads her to India, said to be the birthplace of the mysterious number, and the ancient city of Varanasi. There she maps her inner world onto the powerful mix of Hindu ritual and spirituality she encounters, finally confronting a traumatic event in her past. More than a film about the number that is not, “ZERO the inside…

  • Der Fus Tort

    A 21st-century take on the tower of Babel story, this zany animated tale combines modern Yiddish storytelling with the hottest of new media. From angel’s foot cake to angels’ cheese cake, this delicious serving of new Yiddish film comes complete with a high fat, double, double ending. “Whimsical drawings and Yiddish humor animate this charming tale. ‘Der Fus Tort’ is a treat for all ages.” – Susan Alper, Director Montreal Jewish Film Festival Yiddish /w English subtitles

  • Zero Degrees of Separation

    “George Orwell, in his wildest dreams, could not imagine a place like this.” EZRA, ZERO DEGREES OF SEPARATION Described by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz as a film “bursting with concern about identities – sexual, national, political, generational, cultural, class, ethnic and more,” Elle Flanders’ feature -length documentary “Zero Degrees of Separation” breaks from the sensationalistic media coverage of violence in the Middle East by examining the current conflict through the eyes of two mixed Palestinian and Israeli gay couples. Courageous and outspoken, their relationships are as complex and volatile as the politically charged world around them. Selim, a Palestinian, and…

  • Schogt, Elida: A Film Trilogy

    Newly available on DVD, this trilogy from award-winning filmmaker Elida Schogt examines Holocaust memory, the family and the role of photography in history. (For purchase only. For rentals, see individual titles.) ZYKLON PORTRAIT “Zyklon Portrait” is about Zyklon B – the pesticide transformed into a genocidal weapon by the Nazis in the 1940s. It is also an elegy for the filmmaker’s grandparents; after years of silence, the filmmaker’s mother finally talks about her parents’ horrific fate. A Holocaust film without Holocaust imagery, “Zyklon Portrait “ uses family photographs, underwater photography and hand-painted imagery to draw a personal story out of…

  • Lunch with Fela

    “Lunch with Fela” is the filmmaker’s response to the passing of his last parent, Fela Ravett. Utilizing a combination of DV footage shot during her stay at a nearby nursing facility, excerpts from previously made 16mm films, animation sequences, plus remaining family memorabilia, the film renders the presence and absence of a much loved parent. “Lunch with Fela” is the eighth film in a series that addresses the complexities of family history and Jewish cultural identity.

  • Hello, My Name Is Herman

    “Hello, My Name Is Herman” poignantly and humorously describes the relationship between a 91-year-old Jewish man, his lesbian granddaughter and her girlfriend. This ten-minute documentary explores intergenerational and interracial relationships, coming out, aging, and the process of accepting difference and love. Awards: Audience Award for Best Short Film (Tie), Fairy Tales Festival, Calgary, AB, 2009; Mikey/Schmkey Award for Best Short Film or Video at the 2007 Toronto Inside Out Film Festival. Honourable Mention for Best Up-and-Coming Toronto Film or Video Maker Award at the 2007 Inside Out Film Festival. Special Mention at the Iris Prize Festival 2007 in Wales.

  • Berated Woman

    An Orthodox Jewish woman finds herself strangely attracted to the Aryan Supermom bent on converting her to Christianity. Both women want something from the other, but what is each willing to sacrifice to achieve her goals?

  • Tziporah

    “Tziporah” is the Hebrew work for a bird. The film is another cinematic reflection on loss and grief. Premiere: October 2007, New York Film Festival: Views from the Avant Garde January, 2008, Rotterdam International Film Festival April 6, 2008, San Francisco Cinematheque April 27&29, 2008, San Francisco International Film Festival September 6,2008,Toronto International Film Festival:Wavelengths Program October, 2009, FAMU, Prague, Czech Republic October, 2009, WRO Art Center, Wroclaw, Poland

  • Grains of Salt

    “GRAINS OF SALT” provides an innovative perspective on the Holocaust. Holocaust survivors’ accounts of how talking about food helped cope with the incredible hunger are interwoven with their poignant stories about life in the concentration camps. We also see how, after being released from the camps, the memory of starvation affects their religious beliefs. The film contributes to our understanding of both past and present conditions where extreme food deprivation has severely impacted peoples’ lives both psychologically as well as physically.

  • Communication

    Jacob, a young Orthodox Jewish student, never expected to hear from his old university tutor Andrew ever again. Shocked to learn of Andrew’s sudden death, and surprised to discover that he has inherited his entire estate, Jacob returns to Andrew’s house looking for answers. As Jacob wanders from room to empty room, a flood of memories from their final days together return to haunt him, leading to a final confrontation which forces Jacob to accept a painful truth about their relationship – and himself. Awards & Nominations: Outstanding Short Film, QBliss Creating Change Community Awards; Best Dramatic Short, Fort Worth…