Now celebrating its 35th year of bringing thought-provoking and entertaining Jewish-themed films to the area, the Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival kicks off Saturday with Matchmaking 2, an Israeli rom-com about love in the Orthodox community, the first of some 34 movies to be screened over the following three weeks. Jodi Michelle Cutler, arts and culture director of the … [Read more...]
Capsule reviews: Four movies at the Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival
Here are capsule reviews of four films showing in the Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival, which opens Sunday and runs through Feb. 12. The Last Resort: What begins as a nostalgic look at the changing face of Miami Beach turns much darker in The Last Resort, a history of the 1970s cultural transformation of the area as seen through the lenses of two fascinated young … [Read more...]
Jewish Film Festival returns, landing important premieres
For the past three decades, January in Palm Beach County has been synonymous with an international array of Jewish-themed movies. And beginning Sunday, the 29th annual Donald M. Ephraim Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival screens 33 such selections – many of them world, Florida or county premieres – at four venues over 21 days. This will also be the sixth such event for … [Read more...]
Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival explores America’s soundtrack
For 28 years – five of them under the direction of Ellen Wedner – The Donald M. Ephraim Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival has been bringing to the county an array of international movies that illuminate the Jewish experience. This year, as always, Wedner and her selection committee sought out the highest-quality films that fit that mission, without trying to feature a particular … [Read more...]
At the Jewish Film Festival: Capsule reviews of some notable movies
Here are a few capsule reviews of entries in this year’s Donald Ephraim Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival, including the opening and closing night selections and a couple in between: On the Map (7 p.m. tonight, Kravis Center Cohen Pavilion) — In the same way that you don’t have to be Jewish to love Levy’s Rye Bread, you truly do not need to have any interest in the sport of … [Read more...]
Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival aims for diverse lineup
Diversity is the goal of the Donald M. Ephraim Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival, now in its 27th year, beginning Thursday and running for three-and-a-half weeks. “I think my overriding goal is always to bring in as many different people as I can,” says festival director Ellen Wedner. “But also to make people aware that it’s not a Jewish festival for Jewish people. It’s … [Read more...]
The January Scene: Notable events for the month
Here is a quick overview of some of the notable events on tap for January, some of which will be explored in more detail in future ArtsPaper stories: Shakespeare in the Park Festival (Mizner Park, Jan. 6-8) Shakespeare Miami is teaming with the city of Boca Raton to present three free mountings of The Merchant of Venice at Mizner Park in the first week of the new … [Read more...]
Film series brings Israel into focus
For years, Karen Davis directed the Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival, building it into one of the nation’s strongest programs screening movies on Jewish themes from around the globe. She and the PBJFF parted ways a few years ago and, soon afterwards, she was wooed to take over the artistic reins of the Palm Beach Israeli Film Series, which is about to kick off its eighth … [Read more...]