A photo of a Jewish family from Istanbul living in France in 1920 appears in director Yves Jeuland’s compelling documentary, Being Jewish in France (Comme un Juif en France). The 185-minute film explores French-Jewish history, from the emancipation of the Jews in 1791 to the Dreyfus Affair, murderous repression under the Vichy regime in World War II, and the rise of anti-Semitism in recent years, a reaction to Israeli policies in the European country with the largest Jewish and Muslim populations. The film will be shown Nov. 11, 13 and 15 at the Oak Street Cinema, as part of a Jewish film series. See below photo for details. — M.S.
(Photo: The National Center for Jewish Film)
Oak Street Cinema to kick off Jewish film series
AJW Staff Report
The Jewish Cinema Series, an eight-part film series of features and documentaries on Jewish themes — sparked by the Coen Brothers’Â A Serious Man — will be screened Nov. 6-22 at Oak Street Cinema, 309 Oak St. S.E., Minneapolis.
• The series will begin with a powerful recent documentary about Nazi family culpability, Two or Three Things I Know About Him, which will be screened 7:15 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 6-8.
• Being Jewish in France (above) will be screened 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11; Friday, Nov. 13; and Sunday, Nov. 15. The two-part documentary, which was made for French television, investigates charges of rising anti-Semitism tied to the country’s now complex attitudes toward Israel.
• The area premiere of Inside Hana’s Suitcase, the bittersweet story of a brother and sister separated in 1943 Europe, will be screened 7:15 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16 and Tuesday, Nov. 17; and 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22.
• Schmatta, a documentary on changes in the “rag business” from the Depression-era Italians and Eastern European Jews to Latinos and other ethnicities (10-16-09 AJW), will be screened 7:15 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19. This will be a free showing, courtesy of HBO Documentary Films.
• The fully restored two-hour version of the Yiddish classic The Dybbuk (from the National Center for Jewish Film at Brandeis University) is a 1937 Polish film about an ill-fated young woman possessed by evil spirits. It will be shown 7:15 p.m. Friday, Nov 20; and 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21.
• A classic of Yiddish cinema, the 1925 restored film Jewish Luck, taken from a Sholem Aleichem story, will be screened 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21 and Sunday, Nov. 22.
• Included with Jewish Luck will be the 1931 film His Wife’s Lover, a Yiddish comedy of inspired clowning set in the garment district of New York City, which will be shown 7:15 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21 and Sunday, Nov. 22.
Tickets are $7 for the general public, $6 for students and $5 for Minnesota Film Arts members. Tickets for the two-part Being Jewish in France will be $10 for the general public, $9 for students and seniors, and $8 for MFA members. For information, call 612-331-3134 or visit: www.mnfilmarts.org.
