Over the next two weeks, the 28th annual Tucson International Jewish Film Festival will screen 15 full-length films, a TV show and three short films from filmmakers around the globe.
The festival, which opens Sunday, Jan. 6, with the Holocaust drama 鈥淒isobedience: The Sousa Mendes Story,鈥 will feature films that explore Jewish life, from the father-son comedy of 鈥淗umor Me鈥 to the female-empowering 鈥93 Queen,鈥 and social issues from abortion (the 2018 American film 鈥淎sk for Jane,鈥 that recounts a group of college women who created an underground network pre-legalized abortion to help women find safe abortion alternatives) to health care (the 2018 Israeli documentary 鈥淚n Her Footsteps鈥 about a Muslim family鈥檚 journey to bury their mother in a Jewish cemetery in their hometown of Omer).
In addition to full-length films, the event, which will take place in a various Tucson venues including the Jewish Community Center and SaddleBrooke鈥檚 DesertView Performing Arts Center, will show a trio of short films and will feature guest speakers including:
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- A family member of Aristides de Sousa Mendes will take questions following 鈥淒isobedience鈥 on Sunday, Jan. 6.
- A Hungarian Holocaust survivor will speak after the Loft screening of 鈥淏udapest Noir鈥 on Jan. 10.
- The family from the film 鈥淭he Caborca Jew: A Mexican Story鈥 will be on hand for the screening Jan. 18.
- 鈥淎sk for Jane鈥 actress and coproducer Cait Cortelyou will lead a discussion following the Jan. 19 screening.
- Just what鈥檚 an egg cream? See how one鈥檚 made following the festival-closing short films event Jan. 20.
And here鈥檚 a first for the Tucson Jewish Film Festival: a TV show.
The festival will screen the first four episodes of the popular television drama 鈥淐ommandments鈥 (鈥淜ipat Barzel鈥) about young Orthodox men who join the Israeli Defense Force.
The series made its American premiere at the 2018 Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival last April.
Contact reporter Cathalena E. Burch at cburch@tucson.com or 573-4642. On Twitter @Starburch
Cathalena E. Burch
Reporter
