19th Annual New York Sephardic Film Festival – PROGRAM

Schedule of Events:

March 10, 2016:

7:00 PM: Opening Night: Ensemble

Director by Mohammad Fekrane
France | 2009 | 17 min
Languages: French with English subtitles

In 1942, Ahmad, an Imam from Paris, makes a life-changing decision to help save as many children as possible after Isaac, a young Jewish boy escaping a Nazi concentration camp, finds refuge in his mosque. Inspired by a true story.

Performance, reception, and screening of Ensemble with Director in attendence for Q&A.

March 12, 2016:

9:00 PM: How to Win Enemies

Director by Gabriel Lichtmann
Argentina | 2015 | 78 min
Languages: Spanish with English subtitles

Lucas is a young and handsome lawyer with a penchant for detective stories. Barbara is a lustful and smart lawyer who also loves literature. After a night together, Lucas awakes to find Barbara has gone, along with his savings. Determined to solve this mystery, Lucas finds himself in a captivating, twisted, romantic comedy plot.

March 13, 2016:

2:00 PM: Prince of Egypt

Director by Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner, and Simon Wells
United States | 1998 | 99 min
Languages: English

In this animated retelling of Shemot (Exodus) accompanied by the soulful singing of Israeli-Yemeni legend Ofra Haza, Egyptian Prince Moses discovers his roots as a Jewish slave and embarks on a quest to free his people from bondage.

Free film screening, kids party, and special prize awarded for best costume. Ages 8+.

5:00 PM: Oro Macht Frei

Director by Jeffrey Bonna
United States | 2014 | 70 min
Languages: Italian with English subtitles

In 1943, the Nazi-allied Italian Social Republic issued an order of arrest for all Jews, who had already suffered under Mussolini’s Racial Laws, in its territory. This riveting documentary explores the aftermath through the testimonies of nine Roman Jews, archival footage, family photos, and the perspectives of renowned historians. Filmmakers will be in attendance for Q&A.

7:00 PM: Beqassor

Director by K. Amaranth
India | 1950 | 120 min
Languages: Hindi with English subtitles

Bollywood Night Journey through the glory days of Bollywood, when Pramila, Sulochana, Nadira and other Jewish stars and scriptwriters dominated silver screens across India. Kenneth X. Robbins, author of a multi-volume history of the Jews of India and the curator of ASF’s Baghdadis & the Bene Israel in Bollywood & Beyond exhibition, will present an interactive lecture Beqassor In this Bollywood classic featuring musical interludes, Pramila (aka Esther Abraham), a Baghdadi Jewish star and the First Miss India (1947), plays a young, naïve girl caught in the cross-fire of a deep-rooted sibling rivalry between her upright husband and her scheming brother-in-law. The brother-in-law exploits the girl’s trusting nature to falsely implicate her husband in a corruption case, and turns husband against wife by wrongly defaming her character.

Bollywood classic preceded by presentation by Jews of India Scholar Ken Robbins.

March 14, 2016:

4:00 PM: Shattered Rhymes

Director by Sami Shalom-Chetrit
United States | 2014 | 63 min
Languages: Hebrew with English subtitles

A cinematic portrait of Algerian-born Moroccan-Israeli poet Erez Bitton, recipient of last year’s Pomegranate Award for Lifetime Achievement and the first Sephardi to win the Israel Prize in Literature. The film explores the social, cultural, and political experience of Moroccan and other immigrants to Israel through Bitton’s poetry and life milestones, especially his tragic loss of eyesight at age 11. Filmmaker in attendance for Q & A.

6:00 PM: A Song of Loves

Director by Rafael Balulu
Israel | 2015 | 60 min
Languages: Hebrew Arabic with English subtitles

Why was risqué Arab pop music in the synagogue? Because the Moroccan-born rabbi, David Buzaglo, took inspiration from every source. Considered the greatest Hebrew liturgical poet of the 20th century, Buzaglo’s poetry was innovative yet faithful to a musical tradition dating back to Andalusian Spain, and had a major impact on Maghrebi Jews. This film is an intimate look at his life and legacy, from his prolific period in the Diaspora through the piyyut revolution in Israel today.

8:00 PM: Midnight Orchestra

Director by Jérôme Cohen Olivar
Morocco | 2015 | 100 min
Languages: Arabic with English subtitles

Starring Gad Elmaleh, Hassan El Fad, and Jade Chkif, this cross-generational, interfaith comedy, follows the son of a once famous Jewish musician as he returns home to Morocco for the burial of his father. Aided by an eccentric cab driver, his search for the former members of his father’s band unexpectedly transforms his life forever.

Followed by an after-party hosted by ASF’s Young Leadership Board.

March 15, 2016:

6:00 PM: My Emo Life

Director by Rafael Attias
USA | 2015 | 45 min
Languages: English

In this introspective, historical and contemplative narrative, Rafael Attias creates a poetic exploration of place and belonging, weaving together themes of generational and geographical displacement, family continuity, fatherhood, marriage, and aging.

Work-in-progress screening with director in attendance for Q&A.

8:00 PM: Carvalho’s Journey

Director by Steve Rivo
United States | 2015 | 85 min
Languages: English

A real life 19th century American Western adventure, Carvalho’s Journey tells the extraordinary story of Solomon Nunes Carvalho (1815–1897), a Sephardic Jew born in Charleston, South Carolina, who became a ground-breaking photographer, artist, and pioneer in American history. Filmmaker in attendance for Q&A.

March 16, 2016:

6:00 PM: Arabic Movie

Director by Eyal Sagui Bizawe Sara Tsifroni
Israel | 2015 | 60 min
Languages: Hebrew Arabic with English subtitles

Back in the day, when there were only a few television channels to choose from and when Israel and Egypt were at war, families across Israel would gather in their homes on Friday nights to watch old Arab-language classics. How did Israeli television obtain these films? Why were they shown? This unexpected documentary brings us the stars, the stories, and takes us directly into living rooms brimming with nostalgia.

7:30 PM: Shore of Love

Director by Henry Barakat
Egypt | 1950 | 105 min
Languages: Arabic with English subtitles

Layla Mourad, the widely popular Egyptian film diva whose Sephardi (and Ashkenazi) Jewish roots have largely been forgotten, stars in this musical romance as a beautiful, penniless girl with a voice from the heavens. She marries Adel, a rich young bachelor while their scheming families try to break them up. Released in 1950 and considered a masterpiece of the Golden Age of Cinema in Egypt, this classic includes many of Mourad’s most memorable songs.

March 17, 2016:

7:00 PM: For Sabbath

Director by Oron Cohen
Israel | 2015 | 11 min
Languages: Hebrew with English subtitles

Filmmaker Oron Cohen deftly films his Iraqi grandmother, Malka, while she teaches him how to make the traditional dish shes been perfecting since’50, kubba. A scented tribute to the women we all hold dear to our hearts our talented grandmothers.

7:15 PM: On the Banks of the Tigris

Director by Marsha Emerman
Australia | 2015 | 79 min
Languages: Arabic with English subtitles

When Majid Shokor escaped from Iraq he discovered that the songs he loved as a child in Baghdad have a hidden history.  To find out more, Majid makes a bold journey from his home in Australia to Israel, countries in Europe, and Iraq to meet Iraqi musicians, hear their music and stories, and unite them in a concert celebrating coexistence.

Dates: March 10 – 17, 2016

Ticket Prices:

Single Film: $15
Midnight Orchestra: $25 with After Party
Opening Night: $100 Includes Festival Pass
Festival Pass: $50 Includes all the films.

More information about the films and purchase ticket here

Fuente: nysephardifilmfestival.org &  americantowns.com