Sonoma County Jewish Film Festival resumes Tuesday with additional screenings and a venue consolidation–all shows now at Sixth Street Playhouse, Santa Rosa

The Argentinian film “The Camera Obscura” (2008), directed by María Victoria Menis, is set in the late 1800's in an agrarian Jewish colony in the scenic Entre Rios Province, Argentina. Nominated for 8 Argentinean Film Critics Association Awards. Image courtesy: SCJFF

After a three-week break, the 15^th annual Sonoma County Jewish Film Festival resumes its 2010 season this Tuesday with a venue consolidation and several schedule changes,  including a newly added  7:15 pm screening this Tuesday of “Camera Obscura” at the Sixth Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa.  All Petaluma shows have been cancelled due to projection issues at the Boulevard Cinemas and Petaluma tickets will be honored in Santa Rosa.  All shows for the remainder of the 2010 season will be at the Sixth Street Playhouse, 52 West 6^th Street, Santa Rosa.   The festival is sponsored by the Jewish Community Center of Sonoma County and is the main platform in Sonoma County for new independent and foreign films that otherwise get little exposure outside of the film festival circuit.  

Still left in the series—

Camera Obscura: Growing up in late 19th century Buenos Aries, Gertrud  is a disappointment to her mother from the moment of her birth. As the invisible ugly duckling, she is compelled to create beauty in everything she does, while remaining unseen. Married off to an older Jewish rancher, her husband hires an itinerant photographer for a family portrait. Through the photographer’s eyes, Gertrudis becomes visible for the first time. This luminous, artistic film uses archival and surrealistic photographs, black and white film, and hand drawn animation.  Drama, Argentina, 86 minutes, Spanish and Yiddish, English subtitles.  Tuesday, November 16, 7:15 pm, Wednesday, November 17, 1:00 p.m. & 7:15 p.m. (7:15 show sold out- waitlist)

 Yoo-Hoo Mrs. Goldberg:  For two and a half decades, Gertrude Berg, the creator of the wildly popular radio and TV show, “The Goldbergs” was the most famous woman in America, and the winner of the first ever Emmy Award for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. The Oprah of her day, Gertrude Berg’s blend of comedy and social commentary, with Jewish characters at the center, endeared her to audiences and made her an American cultural icon. This highly entertaining feature length documentary blends interviews with Ed Asner, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Norman Lear,and Susan Stamberg, among others.  Documentary, USA, 92 minutes, English.  Wednesday, November 17, 4 p.m., Sunday, November 21, 8:30 p.m.

Saviors in the Night:  Based on the true story of three German farm families who hid and saved a Jewish family during Nazi rule, the film reveals the complex relationships and emotional and physical hardships of saviors and saved. Ultimately hopeful, this example of a new self-reflective German film movement shows the potential for the heart to care for all humankind. The names of the farmers have been immortalized in Yad Vashem in Jerusalem.  JFF audience award winner.  Drama, Germany, 95 minutes, German, French and English, English subtitles.    Sunday, November 21, 6:30 p.m.

Hey Hey It’s Esther Blueberger: In this coming-of-age comedy, Esther, a feisty outsider at her posh private girls’ school, becomes desperate to fit in and discover her true self at the time of her Bat Mitzvah. Secretly, rebelling against her “perfect” upper middle class parents, Esther befriends Sunni, a public school bad girl and her super hip mom. Adopting a new identity, Esther becomes entangled in a web of lies, betrayal and bullying, ultimately finding a more honest self in the process. Actors include Keisha Castle- Hughes, Toni Collette and Danielle Catanzariti (winner of AFI Young Actors Award). Comedy, Australia, 103 minutes, English.  Tuesday, November 30, 7:15 p.m., Wednesday, December 1, 1:00 p.m. & 7:15 p.m. (7:15 show sold out—waitllist)

Nora’s Will:  Nora plots to reunite her family and friends by ending her life on the eve of Passover. In this dark comedy, her curmudgeonly ex-husband of 30 years propels the zany and poignant events forward, including hilarious burial plans, the expectations of several orthodox rabbis, answers to long held secrets and Nora’s meticulously pre-planned Seder. Winner of seven Ariel Awards (Mexican Academy Awards) including Best Picture, Best Original screenplay and Best Actor,  Comedy,  Mexico, 92 minutes, Spanish, English subtitles.  Tuesday, December 7, 7:15 p.m.

Tickets: $10 per matinee tickets, $12 per evening ticket. For further information on tickets, locations and times, contact the Jewish Community Center, Sonoma County (707) 528-4222 or Ellen Blustein (707) 526-5538  or ellenb@jccsoco.org or visit the JCC website www.jccsoco.org and click on Film Festival.