Congregation Kneseth Israel to host its first Jewish Film Festival
Congregation Kneseth Israel in Elgin is sponsoring its first Jewish Film Festival. Many major U.S. cities have hosted similar film festivals, but this one is unusual for a "small town."
"February seemed like a perfect time for such a festival. Usually one has to travel to Chicago to see films of Jewish interest," said chairman Sue Johnson. "We think this is an interesting opportunity."
The festival is free and open to the public.
"The Women's Balcony," which has recently been shown in local theaters, will be shown at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3. "Fanny's Journey" will be presented at 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11, and "Dough will be shown at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24.
"The Women's Balcony" is a 2016 film by Emil Ben-Shimon and Shlomit Nehama. It was a Los Angeles Times Critic's "Pick of the Week," with Kenneth Turan calling it "A charming, warm-hearted comedy." Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter said it was "An entertaining, feel-good comedy. You don't have to be Jewish to love 'The Women's Balcony'." Alissa Simon of Variety said, "Viewers will leave the theater in a joyous mood."
"The Women's Balcony" is a comedy/drama about community, old traditions and values and the power of women to keep all of these together in the face of modern fundamentalism. An accident during a bar mitzvah celebration leads to a gender rift in a devout Orthodox community in Jerusalem, in this rousing, good-hearted tale about women speaking truth to patriarchal power.
When the women's balcony in an Orthodox synagogue collapses, leaving the rabbi's wife in a coma and the rabbi in shock, the congregation falls into crisis. Charismatic young Rabbi David appears to be a hero after the accident, but slowly starts pushing his fundamentalist ways and tries to take control. This tests the women's friendships and creates a rift between the community's women and men.
"Fanny's Journey" is a film by Lola Doillon, based on the true story of Fanny Ben-Ami. Variety called it "A handsome, compelling period piece, serving up a tour-de-force performance by Cécile de France" and Elle Magazine called it "The perfect feel good movie."
The 2016 French/Belgium production tells an incredible tale of bravery, strength and survival, a story of a daring young girl who will stop at nothing and fear no one. In 1943, 13-year old Fanny and her younger sisters were sent from their home in France to an Italian foster home for Jewish children. When the Nazis arrive in Italy, their caretakers desperately organize the departure of the children to Switzerland. Suddenly left on their own, these 11 children will do the impossible to reach the Swiss border in order to survive.
"Dough" is a film by John Goldschmidt starring Jonathan Pryce, Jerome Holder, and Pauline Collins. A curmudgeonly widower Nat Dayan (Jonathan Pryce) clings to his way of life as a Kosher bakery shop owner in London's East End. Understaffed, Nat reluctantly enlists the help of teenager Ayyash (Jerome Holder), who has a secret side gig selling marijuana to help his immigrant mother make ends meet. When Ayyash accidentally drops his stash into the mixing dough, the challah starts flying off the shelves and an unlikely friendship forms between the old Jewish baker and his young Muslim
apprentice. It is a warmhearted and humorous story about overcoming prejudice and finding redemption in unexpected places.
For more information about the film festival, contact the Congregation Kneseth Israel office, (847) 741-5656 or www.ckielgin.org.