Jewish Community News

News: February 2008

Film Festival changes name, expands programs

Now in its 17th year, the San Jose Jewish Film Festival is renaming itself the Silicon Valley Jewish Film Festival and forming partnerships with other groups such as Cinequest in order to obtain more high profile films.
   The SVJFF has also hired longtime president  Mark Levine as the festival’s part time executive director.

The strategic changes were made as a result of the festival’s growth and the fact that its day-to-day activities throughout the year require professional attention. One of these changes involves more Israeli film screenings throughout the year.

The board also approved  changes to the structure of the organization, transitioning from a purely volunteer group to a hybrid paid/volunteer organization. The SVJFF remains a major program of the Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center of Silicon Valley. For more information call (408) 357-7492.Y
The SVJFF is bringing two blockbuster Israeli films to two new venues this February.

THE BAND’S VISIT (Bikur HaTizmorret) (Sunday, Feb. 17, 7 p.m.)
“The Band’s Visit”  is a poignant comedy featuring an Egyptian Police Band in Israel that lands at the airport without anyone to meet them. The mishaps continue from there as the band ends up in an out-of-the-way desert town. “The Band’s Visit” won Best Film, Best Actor, and Best Actress of the Israeli Film Academy; the Un Certain Regard - Jury Coup de Coeur of the Cannes Film Festival; and numerous other international Film Festivals.
    This screening will be at  the CAMERA 7 Theater, Pruneyard Shopping Center, 1875 S. Bascom Avenue, Campbell.  Tickets cost $5 and may be purchased at  www.svjff.org   or by calling 1-800-838-3006.

BEAUFORT (Thursday, Feb. 28, 7 p.m.)
“Beaufort,” a 2007 film nominated as the Best Foreign Language Film by the Israeli Academy Award,  is a fictional story based on actual events focusing on  the dilemma of Israeli soldiers during their withdrawal from Lebanon and their post in the Beaufort Crusader stronghold in the southern region of the country.
     Ron Leshem, author of the book upon which the film is based, will be at the filming, which will be held at the historic California Theater in downtown San Jose.

Tickets to this Cinequest Film Festival event are available after January 30 from   http://www.cinequest.org/index.php.