Movies
Houston Jewish Film Festival Highlights
15 Days. 27 Films. 1 City.
The Houston Jewish Film Festival is back for its thirteenth year and the event organizers have put together quite an impressive line-up with the best Jewish and Israeli films from across the world. The festival, which had a sneak preview night at the end of February, is ongoing now through March 19th.
We at BackstageOL have selected a few that you should have on your radar to check out.
AN EVENING WITH HOWARD ROSENMAN
First, spend an evening with Howard Rosenman, a renowned Hollywood film producer, as he shares stories from his career in Tinseltown and how his Jewish upbringing has impacted his journey in the City of Angeles.
Among Rosenman’s credits are the films Father of the Bride, The Family Man, and the forthcoming release Call me by Your Name.
The speaking engagement takes place on March 8th at 7:00 PM at the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center (5601 S. Braeswood | Houston, TX 77096-3907).
ONE WEEK AND A DAY
One Week and a Day (Shavua Ve Yom), which comes to Houston following its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, is a story of how a married couple copes with the death of their son. And what does the husband, Eyal, do? Why smoke his son’s medical marijuana, of course. Can’t let it go to waste. Together with a young neighbor the two go on humorous misadventures in this life-affirming comedy.
One Week and a Day plays at the Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston (3400 Main Street) on March 9th at 7:30 PM.
PAST LIFE
Past Life comes from Avi Nesher (whose film The Wonders played at the HJFF in 2014), and is based on the wartime diaries of Holocaust survivor Dr. Baruch Milch. When his daughters Sephi and Nana begin to investigate the mystery of their father’s wartime experiences in Poland, the probe intersects with the life of German composer and conductor Thomas Zielinski, whose mother believes Dr. Milch to be a murderer.
Past Life will play at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston (1001 Bissonnet St.) on March 11th at 8:00 PM.
FANNY’S JOURNEY AND PRESENTING PRINCESS SHAW
The Museum of Fine Arts is offering a nice double bill with Fanny’s Journey and Presenting Princess Shaw on March 12th.
Fanny’s Journey (Le Voyage de Fanny) takes its inspiration from the memoir written by Fanny Ben-Ami who, at the age of twelve, led a group of children across occupied France during the Second World War.
Presenting Princess Shaw is a documentary that will have you singing. There have been odd musical pairings in the past but PPS takes it to a social media high when New Orleans-based singer Samantha Montgomery (writing and performing as Princess Shaw) posts her songs to her YouTube channel to have them be discovered by Israeli composer Kutiman.
Strangers 7,000 miles from each other, they begin to collaborate. Just wait until you see what happens when Princess Shaw travels to Israel to perform.
Fanny’s Journey will play at 1:00 PM. Presenting Princess Shaw follows at 3:00 PM.
ON THE MAP, WEINER AND LIFE, ANIMATED
The final day of the Houston Jewish Film Festival (Sunday, March 19th) offers three great documentaries, including one recently nominated for an Academy Award.
We begin with On the Map. In the tradition of the Miracle on Ice, On the Map is the story of Israel’s 1977 basketball team, the very first team to bring the European Cup to Israel just after the Olympics in Munich, Germany.
The documentary features interviews with some of the legendary players of this ragtag group as well as former NBA Commissioner David Stern.
On the Map plays at the Jewish Community Center at 11:00 AM.
Anthony Weiner is the subject of Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize Winner (and Houston Film Critics Society nominated) documentary Weiner. Filmmakers Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg get unfettered access to his 2013 campaign for New York City mayor. However, his past dalliances with a sex scandal find a way of repeating itself with new sexting allegations.
Weiner plays at the Jewish Community Center at 1:00 PM.
Life, Animated may just bring a tear to your eye. Based on Ron Suskind’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book, the documentary follows autistic child Owen Suskind from age three to twenty-three. When Owen stops speaking at three, his parents do their best to try to understand the condition. Working with therapists helps to a degree but the best approach in Owen’s case is with Mickey and Minnie, Donald, and Goofy.
Disney films are the means with which Owen reconnects with the world around him. Life, Animated incorporates home movies, film clips, and interactions between Owen and his family in showing how this once silent child becomes a spokesperson for those with autism.
Life, Animated will be presented at the Emery/Weiner School (9825 Stella Link Rd.) at 4:00 PM.