2005 – 2006 CBE
International Jewish Film Series
Last year’s film series was our first attempt at showing films that you may have seen reviewed or advertised at some of the theatres in town that did not make it to Sugar Land. It was a resounding success!
With a little experience under our belts, we’ve been searching for a variety of films from different countries that have Jewish themes and have received great reviews. All the films selected for this year, have been featured at film festivals at JCC’s or synagogues here and in other cities around the country so we feel confident of their quality.
On each of the Sundays, we serve a modest supper at 5pm and begin the film at 5:30 so that we’re finished by 7:30 at which point, we schmooze a little about our reactions to the film. Everyone has tended to help clean up and we’ve all enjoyed one another’s company in this casual, relaxed format.
The series price for all 6 films is $30 per person. The price per film is $6 which includes both the film and food! It’s a great deal. If you would like to volunteer to help with the food for one of the dates, please contact Sandy Lessig: slessig@houstonjewish.org or Dorothy Abels at 281 261-2673. RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED by phoning one of us or the CBE office so we know how much food we’ll need!
Sunday, Nov. 13th
The Garden of the Finzi-Continis – Italian with Eng. subtitles; R
A wealthy Jewish family lives in a castle surrounded by a beautiful garden in the midst of war-torn Italy. Within their garden, they are safe from outside fascist forces. This sweet love story won the academy award in ’72 for best foreign film.
Sunday, Dec. 11th
The Chosen – English PG
Chaim Potok's acclaimed novel is translated to the screen in this lyrical adaptation. It's World War II, and as battles rage in Europe and Asia, two young men -- one a member of the Hasidim, the other the son of a reformed Jew -- become friends in spite of their differences. Stars Maximilian Schell, Rod Steiger and Robby Benson.
Sunday, Jan. 15th
Rosenstrasse – in German with Eng subtitles PG 13
This 2003 release tells the story of the rescue by Christian wives of their Jewish husbands from the SS. A young woman who wonders about her mother’s past, visits the city to learn about how a caring Christian woman rescued her as a child and the young woman realizes how little she ever really knew about the woman closest to her.
Sunday, Feb. 12th
Watermarks – in English; rated G (shorter movie) documentary
Just released in 2005, the film is about a group of champion women swimmers from the Jewish sports club Hakoah Vienna who reunite to tell their inspiring story. Now in their eighties, the women return to the Vienna pool where they trained for Hakoah Vienna, which was founded in 1909 after Austrian sports clubs were forbidden to admit Jews. The film captures the reunion and chronicles the athletes' story.
Sunday, Mar. 5th Family Nite
Paperclips – in English rated G
Whitwell Middle School in rural Tennessee is the setting for this documentary about an extraordinary experiment in Holocaust education. Struggling to grasp the concept of 6 million Holocaust victims, the students decide to collect 6 million paper clips to better understand the enormity of the calamity. The film details how the students met Holocaust survivors from around the world and how the experience transformed them and their community. This film played at the Angelica just this past spring.
Sunday, Apr. 9th
Bonjour Monsier Schlomi – in Hebrew with Eng subtitles rated R for language
Shlomi is a caretaker of everyone in his family, that is, from his feeble grandfather to his sickly older brother and their disgraced father. Shlomi also cooks each family member's favorite meal to keep them on an even keel. Problem is, Shlomi's pretty much invisible to those he cares for -- until a math test at school catches the attention of Shlomi's teacher, who suspects that a unique personality lies behind that dormant facade. Sweet film but be warned that while there is no nudity, there is brief language that is vulgar & may offend.
