Exclusive VIP pre-screening reception and award ceremony, to present ASF's
Pomegranate Lifetime Achievement Award to acclaimed Sephardi actor/filmmaker Ronit Elkabetz who has won three Ophir Awards and in 2010 the France Culture Award at the
Cannes Film Festival; and a lifetime achievement award from the Israeli Film Academy.
For details: 212.294.8350 x2 or info@americansephardifederation.org
7:30pm OPENING NIGHT
Join us and celebrate The 15th NY Sephardic Jewish Film Festival as we honor actress and filmmaker, Ronit Elkabetz, and present her with the ASF Pomegranate Award. The evening will continue with the New York premiere of Five Brothers, followed by a dessert reception in the Steinberg Great Hall.
Five Brothers (Comme les cinq doigts de la main)
Themes of family and honor unfold in this fast-paced thriller, following five Algerian Jewish brothers living in France. Brought up by their widowed mother, one of them has gone his own way, only to reappear several years later, pursued by a gang of ruthless drug traffickers. Taking refuge amongst his siblings, this black sheep of the family reveals a terrible secret. The five brothers must now find the means and the energy to defend themselves and avenge the killing of their father.
France, 2010. 117mins. French w/ English subtitles.
Purchase Tickets
7:30pm There Were Nights
In this first cooperation between Israel's acclaimed actor Moshe Ivgy and his daughter Dana Ivgy, a troubled father-daughter relationship is examined in this melancholic drama. The film traverses two time periods in the lives of Yitzhak, a renowned Tel Aviv theater director, and his daughter Goni who idolizes him. An only child, Goni's world crumbles when her father is imprisoned for financial misconduct and her Russian mother succumbs to cancer. The loss and fall from grace are more than Yitzhak can bear. Seven year old Goni was her father's emotional support, and now, at 25, she must overcome the grip of her father's despair in order to begin her own life. Nominated for eight Israeli Ophir Awards, including Best Film.
Israel, 2010, 90 mins. Hebrew, Russian with English subtitles.
Purchase Tickets
9:30pm Zion & His Brother
A sensitive coming-of-age drama set in a gritty working-class neighborhood of Haifa, amidst the circumstances of an absent father and a single mother (Ronit Elkabetz). 14-year-old Zion would have never questioned his 17-year-old brother, Meir, until a tragic accident opens up a rift between them and Zion finally summons the courage to stand up for himself and take responsibility for his own life.
Israel/France, 2009, 84 mins. Hebrew with English subtitles. Some profanity.
Also shown at the JCC in Manhattan, Tuesday, March 15, 7:30pm
Purchase Tickets
12:00pm Baghdad–Jerusalem–Fez
Yair Dalal, singer, violonist and oud player, is a great artist who has dedicated himself to the preservation of the musical heritage of Iraqi Jews. This film documents Dalal's first performance with the group, "Baghdad Jerusalem," at the World Sacred Music Festival in Fez, June 2010.
Israel/Morocco, 2010, 40 mins. Hebrew, French with English subtitles.
Special Free Admission for Festival ticket holders!
Purchase Tickets
1:00pm Jubanos: The Jews of Cuba
shown with The Fig Tree (La Higuera)
Jubanos: The Jews of Cuba
The humbling story of the 1500 Jews struggling to sustain their community and faith, over the course of nearly three decades after the Cuban Revolution in 1961, when religious affiliation was banned. A journey of rediscovering and reviving Jewish life raises questions about faith, sustenance, strength and the future.
Cuba, 2010, 43 mins. Spanish with English subtitles.
Post-screening talk with the filmmaker.
Also shown at the JCC in Manhattan, Wednesday, March 16, 7:30pm
The Fig Tree (La Higuera)
There is a legend in the neighborhood of Albaicín (Granada), passed on from mothers to children for centuries. A strange old woman appears during the night and hidden in her orchard is a bewitched fig tree whose fruits are golden. Little Ariel learns this legend from her mother just before going to sleep and will live a dangerous adventure in her dreams.
Spain, 2010, 14 mins. Spanish with English subtitles.
Post-screening talk with the filmmaker.
The presentation of Jubanos: The Jews of Cuba is made possible through the generous support of the Ike, Molly and Steven Elias Foundation.
Purchase Tickets
3:00pm In the Beginning was a School...
A remarkable journey tracing 150 years of the Alliance Israelite Universelle, founded by French Jews in the19th century. Also known as Kol Yisrael Haverim, the Alliance Israelite Universelle has educated one million children and today has 25,000 students in 46 schools in Morocco, France and Israel.
France 2010, 90 mins. French with English subtitles.
Post-screening talk with representatives of the Alliance Israélite Universelle: Mr. Marc Eisenberg, new president of the Alliance Israélite Universelle; Mrs. Lucile Astel, Director of Harevim Foundation; Mr. Jean-Claude Kuperminc, Director of the Library and Archives of the Alliance Israélite Universelle.
Purchase Tickets
5:30pm Ronit Elkabetz: A Stranger in Paris shown with Zohra Elfassia
Ronit Elkabetz: A Stranger in Paris
With charming sincerity, world-renowned actress and filmmaker, Ronit Elkabetz, shares her personal life story of theater, film, family, childhood and future aspirations.
France/Israel, 2010, 50 mins. Hebrew and French with English subtitles.
Zohra Elfassia
Zohara Elfassia was born in Fez in 1908 and was one of the greatest singers among the Jewish singers that came out of Morocco. Her presence in every home in Morocco, Jews and Muslims, attests to her popularity. She sang both Jewish and Muslim songs, and her career extended over many years in Fez and other cities in Morocco and Algeria. After she emigrated to Israel in the 1960's, her voice was not heard on public stages and the radio, yet you can still hear her singing on old records and tapes in the homes of Moroccan Jews.
Israel, 2010, 20 mins.
Purchase Tickets
7:30pm Valley of Strength (Gei Oni)
In this historical epic, the love story between Fania, a young Russian immigrant and Yechiel, a native Jew of Iraqi descent, interweaves with the story of the first wave of Jewish European migration to Palestine at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the realization of the Zionist dream.
Israel, 2010. 105 mins. Hebrew with English subtitles.
Post-screening talk with the filmmaker and actor Yevuz Hekim.
The presentation of Valley of Strength is made possible through the generous support of Jay and Marci Halfon.
Purchase Tickets
2:00pm Valley of Strength (Gei Oni)
In this historical epic, the love story between Fania, a young Russian immigrant and Yechiel, a native Jew of Iraqi descent, interweaves with the story of the first wave of Jewish European migration to Palestine at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the realization of the Zionist dream.
Israel, 2010. 105 mins. Hebrew with English subtitles.
Post-screening talk with the filmmaker and actor Yevuz Hekim.
The presentation of Valley of Strength is made possible through the generous support of Jay and Marci Halfon.
Purchase Tickets
6:30pm Next Year in Bombay
Tough questions are raised in this contemporary story of the Bene Israel, a Jewish community settled in India for more than 2000 years, and who only count 4000 people still living in and around Bombay today. This unique Jewish culture is at risk of disappearing from the world within one generation, and many families are afraid they will have to choose between staying in India, their homeland, and realizing their Jewish faith.
India, 2010, 55 mins.
Post-screening talk with Nissim B. Reuben, Program Director, Indian-Jewish American Relations, American Jewish Committee, Washington, DC.
Presented in cooperation with Be'chol Lashon (In Every Tongue), the Indo American Arts Council and TiE Tri-State.
Purchase Tickets
8:00pm Yolande: An Unsung Heroine shown with Miracle Lady
Yolande: An Unsung Heroine
The heroic, riveting story of Yolande Gabai (de Botton), a beautiful, sophisticated Jewess from Alexandria, who became one of the most prominent Israeli spies in Egypt in 1948, risking her son's life and her own collecting intelligence in Egypt, undercover as a reporter for the Palestine Post.
Israel, 2010, 62 mins. English and Hebrew with English subtitles.
Post-screening talk with the filmmaker.
Miracle Lady
Fortuna is an old lady who waits in her wedding gown for her late husband to return home. Her neighbor, Marcela-Merkada, is the servant of the mean Rabbi Toledano, and she waits for death to come and take her away. When their fates connect they are both miraculously freed.
Israel, 2009, 10 mins. Hebrew with English subtitles.
The presentation of Yolande: An Unsung Heroine and Miracle Lady is made possible through the generous support of Vivian and Norman Belmonte.
Purchase Tickets
2:00pm Yolande: An Unsung Heroine shown with Miracle Lady
Yolande: An Unsung Heroine
The heroic, riveting story of Yolande Gabai (de Botton), a beautiful, sophisticated Jewess from Alexandria, who became one of the most prominent Israeli spies in Egypt in 1948, risking her son's life and her own collecting intelligence in Egypt, undercover as a reporter for the Palestine Post.
Israel, 2010, 62 mins. English and Hebrew with English subtitles.
Post-screening talk with the filmmaker.
Miracle Lady
Fortuna is an old lady who waits in her wedding gown for her late husband to return home. Her neighbor, Marcela-Merkada, is the servant of the mean Rabbi Toledano, and she waits for death to come and take her away. When their fates connect they are both miraculously freed.
Israel, 2009, 10 mins. Hebrew with English subtitles.
The presentation of Yolande: An Unsung Heroine and Miracle Lady is made possible through the generous support of Vivian and Norman Belmonte.
Purchase Tickets
6:30pm I Had a Dream
The extraordinary life story of Yona Bugale who worked ceaselessly as a teacher and community leader, promoting connections with the State of Israel and with Jewish organizations, in order to prevent the possible destruction of Ethiopian Jewry. Based on rare archival material, the film aims to preserve not only Bugale's story, but also to give expression to the complexity of the Ethiopian immigration to Israel.
Israel, 2009. 52mins. Hebrew, Amharic with English subtitles.
Post screening talk with representatives of our co-sponsoring organizations.
Presented in cooperation with BINA Cultural Foundation, Inc., Chassida Shmella Ethiopian Jewish Community of North America and the New Israel Fund.
Purchase Tickets
8:00pm To Take a Wife
The directorial debut of Ronit Elkabetz, who gives a breathtaking performance as Vivian, a Moroccan woman in Israel in the late 70's, who is stifled by her marriage to her traditional husband Eliahu. Once again, her brothers persuade her that her place is next to her husband and her children. When an old lover returns, Viviane's desperation reaches new heights.
Israel, 2004, 97 mins. Hebrew, French and Arabic with English subtitles.
Purchase Tickets
7:00pm Vidal Sassoon the Movie
Filmed over the course of three years with unprecedented access, this fun, fast-paced documentary traces the life of a self-made man whose passion and perseverance took him from a Jewish orphanage in London to the absolute pinnacle of his craft.
USA, 2010. 93 mins.
Post-screening talk with the filmmakers.
Followed by Closing Night Dessert Reception!
Purchase Tickets
Baghdad–Jerusalem–Fez
Yair Dalal, singer, violonist and oud player, is a great artist who has dedicated himself to the preservation of the musical heritage of Iraqi Jews. This film documents Dalal's first performance with the group, "Baghdad Jerusalem," at the World Sacred Music Festival in Fez, June 2010.
Israel/Morocco, 2010, 40 mins. Hebrew, French with English subtitles.
Special Free Admission for Festival ticket holders!
Showing: Sunday, March 13 at 12:00pm
Purchase Tickets
Five Brothers (Comme les cinq doigts de la main)
Themes of family and honor unfold in this fast-paced thriller, following five Algerian Jewish brothers living in France. Brought up by their widowed mother, one of them has gone his own way, only to reappear several years later, pursued by a gang of ruthless drug traffickers. Taking refuge amongst his siblings, this black sheep of the family reveals a terrible secret. The five brothers must now find the means and the energy to defend themselves and avenge the killing of their father.
France, 2010. 117mins. French w/ English subtitles.
Showing: Thursday, March 10 at 7:30pm
Purchase Tickets
I Had a Dream
The extraordinary life story of Yona Bugale who worked ceaselessly as a teacher and community leader, promoting connections with the State of Israel and with Jewish organizations, in order to prevent the possible destruction of Ethiopian Jewry. Based on rare archival material, the film aims to preserve not only Bugale's story, but also to give expression to the complexity of the Ethiopian immigration to Israel.
Israel, 2009. 52mins. Hebrew, Amharic with English subtitles.
Post screening talk with representatives of our co-sponsoring organizations.
Presented in cooperation with BINA Cultural Foundation, Inc., Chassida Shmella Ethiopian Jewish Community of North America and the New Israel Fund.
Showing: Tuesday, March 15 at 6:30pm
Purchase Tickets
In the Beginning was a School...
A remarkable journey tracing 150 years of the Alliance Israelite Universelle, founded by French Jews in the19th century. Also known as Kol Yisrael Haverim, the Alliance Israelite Universelle has educated one million children and today has 25,000 students in 46 schools in Morocco, France and Israel.
France 2010, 90 mins. French with English subtitles.
Post-screening talk with representatives of the Alliance Israélite Universelle: Mr. Marc Eisenberg, new president of the Alliance Israélite Universelle; Mrs. Lucile Astel, Director of Harevim Foundation; Mr. Jean-Claude Kuperminc, Director of the Library and Archives of the Alliance Israélite Universelle.
Showing: Sunday, March 13 at 3:00pm
Purchase Tickets
Jubanos: The Jews of Cuba
shown with The Fig Tree (La Higuera)
Jubanos: The Jews of Cuba
The humbling story of the 1500 Jews struggling to sustain their community and faith, over the course of nearly three decades after the Cuban Revolution in 1961, when religious affiliation was banned. A journey of rediscovering and reviving Jewish life raises questions about faith, sustenance, strength and the future.
Cuba, 2010, 43 mins. Spanish with English subtitles.
Post-screening talk with the filmmaker.
Also shown at the JCC in Manhattan, Wednesday, March 16, 7:30pm
The Fig Tree (La Higuera)
There is a legend in the neighborhood of Albaicín (Granada), passed on from mothers to children for centuries. A strange old woman appears during the night and hidden in her orchard is a bewitched fig tree whose fruits are golden. Little Ariel learns this legend from her mother just before going to sleep and will live a dangerous adventure in her dreams.
Spain, 2010, 14 mins. Spanish with English subtitles.
Post-screening talk with the filmmaker.
The presentation of Jubanos: The Jews of Cuba is made possible through the generous support of the Ike, Molly and Steven Elias Foundation.
Showing: Sunday, March 13 at 1:00pm
Purchase Tickets
Next Year in Bombay
Tough questions are raised in this contemporary story of the Bene Israel, a Jewish community settled in India for more than 2000 years, and who only count 4000 people still living in and around Bombay today. This unique Jewish culture is at risk of disappearing from the world within one generation, and many families are afraid they will have to choose between staying in India, their homeland, and realizing their Jewish faith.
India, 2010, 55 mins.
Post-screening talk with Nissim B. Reuben, Program Director, Indian-Jewish American Relations, American Jewish Committee, Washington, DC.
Presented in cooperation with Be'chol Lashon (In Every Tongue), the Indo American Arts Council and TiE Tri-State.
Showing: Monday, March 14 at 6:30pm
Purchase Tickets
Ronit Elkabetz: A Stranger in Paris shown with Zohra Elfassia
Ronit Elkabetz: A Stranger in Paris
With charming sincerity, world-renowned actress and filmmaker, Ronit Elkabetz, shares her personal life story of theater, film, family, childhood and future aspirations.
France/Israel, 2010, 50 mins. Hebrew and French with English subtitles.
Zohra Elfassia
Zohara Elfassia was born in Fez in 1908 and was one of the greatest singers among the Jewish singers that came out of Morocco. Her presence in every home in Morocco, Jews and Muslims, attests to her popularity. She sang both Jewish and Muslim songs, and her career extended over many years in Fez and other cities in Morocco and Algeria. After she emigrated to Israel in the 1960's, her voice was not heard on public stages and the radio, yet you can still hear her singing on old records and tapes in the homes of Moroccan Jews.
Israel, 2010, 20 mins.
Showing: Sunday, March 13 at 5:30pm
Purchase Tickets
There Were Nights
In this first cooperation between Israel's acclaimed actor Moshe Ivgy and his daughter Dana Ivgy, a troubled father-daughter relationship is examined in this melancholic drama. The film traverses two time periods in the lives of Yitzhak, a renowned Tel Aviv theater director, and his daughter Goni who idolizes him. An only child, Goni's world crumbles when her father is imprisoned for financial misconduct and her Russian mother succumbs to cancer. The loss and fall from grace are more than Yitzhak can bear. Seven year old Goni was her father's emotional support, and now, at 25, she must overcome the grip of her father's despair in order to begin her own life. Nominated for eight Israeli Ophir Awards, including Best Film.
Israel, 2010, 90 mins. Hebrew, Russian with English subtitles.
Showing: Saturday, March 12 at 7:30pm
Purchase Tickets
To Take a Wife
The directorial debut of Ronit Elkabetz, who gives a breathtaking performance as Vivian, a Moroccan woman in Israel in the late 70's, who is stifled by her marriage to her traditional husband Eliahu. Once again, her brothers persuade her that her place is next to her husband and her children. When an old lover returns, Viviane's desperation reaches new heights.
Israel, 2004, 97 mins. Hebrew, French and Arabic with English subtitles.
Showing: Tuesday, March 14 at 8:00pm
Purchase Tickets
Valley of Strength (Gei Oni)
In this historical epic, the love story between Fania, a young Russian immigrant and Yechiel, a native Jew of Iraqi descent, interweaves with the story of the first wave of Jewish European migration to Palestine at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the realization of the Zionist dream.
Israel, 2010. 105 mins. Hebrew with English subtitles.
Post-screening talk with the filmmaker and actor Yevuz Hekim.
The presentation of Valley of Strength is made possible through the generous support of Jay and Marci Halfon.
Showing: Sunday, March 13 at 7:30pm & Monday, March 14 at 2:00pm
Purchase Tickets
Vidal Sassoon the Movie
Filmed over the course of three years with unprecedented access, this fun, fast-paced documentary traces the life of a self-made man whose passion and perseverance took him from a Jewish orphanage in London to the absolute pinnacle of his craft.
USA, 2010. 93 mins.
Post-screening talk with the filmmakers.
Followed by Closing Night Dessert Reception!
Showing: Wednesday, March 16 at 7:00pm
Purchase Tickets
Yolande: An Unsung Heroine shown with Miracle Lady
Yolande: An Unsung Heroine
The heroic, riveting story of Yolande Gabai (de Botton), a beautiful, sophisticated Jewess from Alexandria, who became one of the most prominent Israeli spies in Egypt in 1948, risking her son's life and her own collecting intelligence in Egypt, undercover as a reporter for the Palestine Post.
Israel, 2010, 62 mins. English and Hebrew with English subtitles.
Post-screening talk with the filmmaker.
Miracle Lady
Fortuna is an old lady who waits in her wedding gown for her late husband to return home. Her neighbor, Marcela-Merkada, is the servant of the mean Rabbi Toledano, and she waits for death to come and take her away. When their fates connect they are both miraculously freed.
Israel, 2009, 10 mins. Hebrew with English subtitles.
The presentation of Yolande: An Unsung Heroine and Miracle Lady is made possible through the generous support of Vivian and Norman Belmonte.
Showing: Monday, March 14 at 8:00pm & Tuesday, March 15 at 2:00pm
Purchase Tickets
Zion & His Brother
A sensitive coming-of-age drama set in a gritty working-class neighborhood of Haifa, amidst the circumstances of an absent father and a single mother (Ronit Elkabetz). 14-year-old Zion would have never questioned his 17-year-old brother, Meir, until a tragic accident opens up a rift between them and Zion finally summons the courage to stand up for himself and take responsibility for his own life.
Israel/France, 2009, 84 mins. Hebrew with English subtitles. Some profanity.
Also shown at the JCC in Manhattan, Tuesday, March 15, 7:30pm
Showing: Saturday, March 12 at 9:30pm
Purchase Tickets
