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Message: <br /><br /> If you are having trouble reading this email, you may view this article online at: http://www.jweekly.com/41315/full/41315/a-lens-on-the-jewish-world-oscar-contender-tops-off-diverse-east-bay-film-f/ <br /><br /> <b>A lens on the Jewish world: Oscar contender tops off diverse East Bay film fest</b> <br /> Thursday, February 11, 2010 | by amanda pazornik <br /><br /><p><img alt="cover02-12-10_258" class="left" height="258" src="/images/uploads/cover02-12-10_258.jpg" title="cover02-12-10_258" width="216" />The recent announcement of Academy Award nominees has generated the usual buzz among moviegoers, but this year it’s also motivating many of them to get in line — and online — for tickets to the East Bay International Jewish Film Festival.</p> <p>The Israeli film “Ajami,” one of five nominees in the foreign language film category, will be shown on the festival’s closing night Feb. 25. Ticket sales shot up after “Ajami” got the nod Feb. 2, and the organizers of the 15th annual event naturally are thrilled.</p> <p>“‘Ajami’ is a great way to end the festival, and we expect a full house,” said festival director Riva Gambert. The screening will be the film’s Northern California premiere. (It also will screen 7:30 p.m. March 3 at the Retro Dome in San Jose as part of the Silicon Valley Jewish Film Festival.)</p> <p>Co-directed by first-time filmmakers Scandar Copti, an Israeli Arab, and Yaron Shani, an Israeli Jew, “Ajami” is an intense urban drama that focuses on the lives of several residents in the multiethnic and volatile neighborhood of Ajami, just south of Tel Aviv in the city of Jaffa. </p> <p>In addition to the Oscar nomination, “Ajami” picked up accolades at the 2009 Cannes International Film Festival and was named best picture at last year’s Ophir Awards (Israel’s version of the Oscars).</p> <p>“It’s a special film that opens up a window into Arab Israeli society that you don’t see in the overwhelming majority of Israeli films,” Gambert said. “It’s also a film that doesn’t point fingers at one group or another in society.”</p> <p>“Ajami” was added to the festival’s lineup in November, a relatively easy feat since the film’s distribution company wanted to “get it out there,” Gambert said.</p> <div class="capDivLeft" style="width: 126px;"><img alt="Jfilm fest Jones, Daniel" class="left" height="196" src="/images/uploads/y_photos_2010/zs02_12_10/Jfilm fest Jones, Daniel.jpg" title="Daniel Jones" width="126" /> <div class="caption">Daniel Jones</div> </div> The 30-plus films that make up this year’s festival were chosen by a diverse group of committee members who gathered at the Contra Costa JCC in Walnut Creek every other week for 11 months (except Jewish holidays) to plan all conceivable logistics. <p>With a modest budget of about $60,000, committee members screened nearly 100 films — together and on their own — and used a simple “yes,” “no” or “maybe” rating system to decide the lineup.</p> <p>In addition to selecting the films and setting the schedule, members promote the festival, usher and control crowds, and work behind the scenes to ensure the weeklong event runs smoothly.</p> <p>“See a film, see the world” is the motto of this year’s festival, set to run Feb. 20 to 26 at three East Bay locations. The schedule features award-winning films and documentaries from Argentina, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Kazakhstan, Mexico and Tunisia — and other countries, too. </p> <p>The festival is a project of the Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay and its Jewish Community Foundation.</p> <div class="capDivLeft" style="width: 126px;"><img alt="Jfilm festlevin, debra" class="left" height="179" src="/images/uploads/y_photos_2010/zs02_12_10/Jfilm festlevin, debra.jpg" title="Debra Levin" width="126" /> <div class="caption">Debra Levin</div> </div> The stories told span the Jewish universe: from two children raised in pre–World War II Czechoslovakia (“Inside Hana’s Suitcase”) to a 12-year-old ice skater who is diagnosed with hearing loss (“White Balance”) to a gay Orthodox student serving in the Israel Defense Forces who struggles to accept his sexual orientation while staying observant (“And Thou Shalt Love”). <p>“We don’t have a theme,” Gambert said, “because we look for the most engaging and relevant films. That doesn’t mean it has to be serious. You can have a comedy that resonates with an audience through a specific message or relatable character.”</p> <p>Take, for example, this year’s festival opener. “A Matter of Size” is a crowd-pleasing comedy about Herzl, an overweight dishwasher at a Japanese restaurant in Israel who trades calorie counting for sumo wrestling in hopes of improving his self-image. </p> <p>Other highlights include “For My Father,” an Israeli film about a young Palestinian man who is blackmailed into a suicide mission in Tel Aviv, only to be given a second chance at life when his explosive vest fails to detonate, and “La Fille du RER” (“The Girl on the Train”), a provocative and passionate drama about the complexities of modern French politics and society starring Catherine Deneuve.</p> <div class="capDivLeft" style="width: 126px;"><img alt="Jfilm fest Scotting, Linda" class="left" height="168" src="/images/uploads/y_photos_2010/zs02_12_10/Jfilm fest Scotting, Linda.jpg" title="Linda Scotting" width="126" /> <div class="caption">Linda Scotting</div> </div> Finding the films is more than half the fun for Gambert and the committee members. Members range from high school students to retirees, and all frequent regional film festivals to preview selections for Bay Area Jewish audiences. <p>Daniel Jones, a fan of documentaries, joined the festival committee after making a discovery that would change his life. For most of his 39 years, Jones didn’t have a clue he was Jewish.</p> <p>Raised Christian, Jones made the discovery in 2006 while rifling through items languishing in storage. When he came upon a copy of his family tree, the name “Abrahamson” jumped out at him. His mother confirmed that he had Jewish ancestry.</p> <p>In the months that followed, Jones felt reborn. He started reading the Old Testament, which resonated with him like nothing had before, and joined Congregation B’nai Tikvah in Walnut Creek so his 12-year-old son, Ian, could have his bar mitzvah.</p> <div class="capDivLeft" style="width: 360px;"><img alt="***JAJAMI_Still2" class="left" height="239" src="/images/uploads/y_photos_2010/zs02_12_10/***JAJAMI_Still2.JPG" title="scenes from the films: “Ajami”" width="360" /> <div class="caption">Scene from the film: “Ajami”</div> </div> He also signed on to volunteer with several Jewish organizations, including the film festival committee. At the group’s initial meeting last year, he was thrust into “robust and spirited” discussions and “fell in love.” <p>Jones wasn’t afraid to suggest films tinged with controversy. Still, he doesn’t anticipate any film will spark outrage like the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival’s screening of “Rachel,” about the death of pro-Palestinian activist Rachel Corrie.</p> <p>“We didn’t shy away from controversy,” Jones said, “but we didn’t want to put ourselves in a position where it would limit the number of people who attend.”</p> <p>Festival organizers have planned for just the opposite. Films will screen in three locations this year: the Contra Costa JCC in Walnut Creek, the Vine Cinema in Livermore and — for the first time — the 800-seat main domed theater at CineArts in Pleasant Hill.</p> <p>“We’re moving to a larger theater because of demand,” said festival chair Pearl Furman. “Many of our films sold out in 2009. We hope to reach even more people this year.”</p> <p>Organizers also edited the festival’s name, substituting “Contra Costa” with “East Bay” to reflect the fact that audiences come from all over the region.</p> <p>Longtime committee member Debra Levin took the lead on the film festival’s marketing campaign this year.</p> <div class="capDivLeft" style="width: 216px;"><img alt="scan_cameraobscura_001" class="left" height="272" src="/images/uploads/y_photos_2010/zs02_12_10/scan_cameraobscura_001.jpg" title="Scenes from the films: “Camera Obscura” " width="216" /> <div class="caption">Scene from the film: “Camera Obscura”</div> </div> Levin is the CEO and president of the Center for Health Design, a nonprofit that works with clients worldwide to develop better health care facilities. She also loves independent films, especially ones with Jewish themes.    <p>“Independent films broaden my horizons and allow me to learn about cultures, people and Jewish communities in parts of the world I would never have access to,” said Levin, of Pleasant Hill. “When the films have Jewish themes, you can relate to them on a very different level.”</p> <p>Of course, a film has to have certain qualities for Levin to buy a ticket. A compelling plot and strong acting are essential, as is the opportunity to learn something new — even if the film is fiction. “Movies are windows into the world,” she said, “and you can still learn from a story that is fictitious.”</p> <p>Joining the film festival committee was a no-brainer for  Levin, whose sister is an executive with New Line Cinema and has been in the movie industry for more than 20 years. Levin considers herself a movie buff and also wanted a career in Hollywood — until her sister talked her out of it.</p> <p>So she’s involved in the festival instead, which affords her plenty of time in front of the big screen and keeps her connected to the Jewish community.</p> <p>“You see people who you might not see throughout the year,” Levin said. “That’s what I love about the festival. It’s such a coming together of the community.”</p> <p>Fellow committee member Linda Scotting agrees. A trained fashion designer with a flair for costumes, she joined the group three years ago as a way to stay involved with the Jewish community and experience independent films not shown at mainstream theaters.</p> <p>Originally from London, Scotting worked in the costume department of Thames Television on dramas and comedies, including “The Benny Hill Show.” These days, she’s a freelance merchandiser with time to devote to the festival committee. She planned the festival’s kickoff gala and also helps manage crowds at the screenings.</p> <p>“A lot of my job is keeping everyone cool, calm and collected,” Scotting said. “I love being there every day and putting people in a happy mood.”</p> <p><br /><strong>The 15th annual East Bay International Jewish Film Festival</strong> runs Feb. 20-26 at CineArts, 2314 Monument Blvd., Pleasant Hill; the Contra Costa JCC, 2071 Tice Valley Blvd., Walnut Creek; and Vine Cinema, 1722 First St., Livermore. For a full schedule or more information, call (510) 318-6453 or visit <a href="http://www.eastbayjewishfilm.org">http://www.eastbayjewishfilm.org</a>.</p>

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