18th Annual St. Louis Jewish Film Festival June 9-13

The St. Louis Jewish Film Festival, held annually at the Landmark Plaza Frontenac Cinema (1701 S Lindbergh Blvd #210, St Louis, MO 63131), is one of the local Jewish community’s most popular and highly attended events of the year.  Each year, the festival presents international Jewish films, both documentaries and features that explore universal issues through traditional Jewish values, opposing viewpoints and new perspectives. And each year, the fest packs ‘em in so get there early – it’s first come first serve for seats and those Frontenac theaters aren’t very big. Attendance is always through the roof for this thing, a testament to the group’s marketing and choice of programming. Guest lecturers are brought to the fest to discuss and illuminate the subjects of these films. This year’s St. Louis Jewish Film Festival runs Sunday, June 9^th through Thursday June 13^th.

The 18th Annual St. Louis Jewish Film Festival opens Sunday June 9 at the Landmark Plaza Frontenac Cinema with two exciting musical films. The first, Hava Nagila (The Movie), starts at 4pm. Hava Nagila is to music what the bagel is to food. It translates to “Let us rejoice.” This Jewish staple has become a worldwide phenomenon. After the film, we will celebrate together with birthday cake in honor of Israel’s 65th birthday as members of Klezundheit (a local Klezmer Band) play Hava Nagila.

At 7pm, Orchestra of Exiles will be introduced by the film’s director, Josh Aronson. The film tells of Bronislaw Huberman, a Polish born (1882) violin prodigy. Nazism transformed Huberman from artist to prophetic activist. He rescued 1,000 Jewish exiles and brought them to Palestine in 1936, where he founded a national orchestra whose initial concerts were conducted by the renowned Arturo Toscanini. Tickets are $15 each for the opening day films.

The St. Louis Jewish Film Festival continues through Thursday, June 13 with its celebration of Jewish Life in 15 documentary and feature films. While all films depict a slice of the Jewish experience, the films are universal and meant to be appealing to all, regardless of faith.

Historical personalities, Theodore Hertzl, the father of the State of Israel, the rock-and-roll hit songwriter Doc Pomus, Broadway legends Irving Berlin and the Gershwins, and the creators of Fiddler on the Roof are featured in documentaries.

Features originating from Argentina, Czech Republic, France, Israel, Germany and the United States tell stories of bravery under dire circumstances, families in crises, an unlikely romantic pair, brothers on opposite sides, and of two young men who discover they were switched at birth.

The Short Film Competition for emerging filmmakers continues, and this year’s theme is “PEACE.” Students and professionals were challenged to to create a five-minute film in a variety of formats including documentary, feature and animation. The winning film will be shown on the opening day of the Film Festival.

All films will screen at the Landmark Plaza Frontenac Cinema (Lindbergh & Clayton Road). Ticket prices vary. An Opening Day feature tickets are $15 each or buy the double feature for $25. Tickets for weekday films are $11 in advance and $12 at the door. Or, purchase a four-pack of weekday films for $40. Student tickets (age 16 and under) are $8 for weekday films and $10 for opening day.

Purchase tickets by phone 314 442-3179 or online brownpapertickets.com
A complete Film Festival Schedule is available at stljewishfilmfestival.org

This year’s Jewish Film Festival co-chairs are Louise Levine and Jeffrey Korn. The Jewish Film Festival is a program of the Jewish Community Center.

Here is the line-up for the The 18th Annual St. Louis Jewish Film Festival. Check back at We Are Movie Geeks for more detailed information o the films as we get closer to their play dates.

Sunday, June 9th:
HAVA NAGILA (THE MOVIE)
4:00PM
ORCHESTRA OF EXILES
7:00PM
Monday June 10th:
IT IS NO DREAM: THE LIFE OF THEODOR HERZL
2:00PM
DEFIANT REQUIEM
5:30PM
ALL IN
8:00PM
Tuesday June 11th
BROTHERS
2:00PM
KADDISH FOR A FRIEND
5:30PM
FILL THE VOID
8:00PM
Wednesday June 12th:
BROADWAY MUSICALS: A JEWISH LEGACY
2:00PM
PARIS – MANHATTAN
5:30PM
MY BEST ENEMY
8:00PM
Thursday, June 13th:
THROUGH THE EYE OF THE NEEDLE: THE ART OF ESTHER NISENTHAL KRINITZ
2:00PM
With HITLER’S CHILDREN
THE OTHER SON
5:30PM
A.K.A. DOC POMUS
8:00PM