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We're
back! Yes, the Hong Kong Jewish Film Festival is back for
an eighth great year! Can you believe it? This year's
theme is "Children" and we've got some fantastic films on
tap that feature stories about those little folk. Please note
that not all of our films about children are suitable for
children to watch and parental discretion is advised.
As is the case every year, our line-up of films comes from
all over the world. This year's we will be showing films from
Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Israel,
the Netherlands, the UK and the USA. Features and documentaries,
dramas and comedies -- there's something for everyone.
Here
are just a few of the great films that you can see at the
Festival running this November 17 - 25.
| Sweet Mud (Adama Meshuga'at) |
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Set in mid-1970s, 12-year-old Dvir is
entering his bar mitzvah year - a time for
many initiations and trials. Dvir's father
is dead, his brother is away in the army, and
his mother, Miri, suffers from emotional
instability. While the kibbutz handles the
practical needs of every family, the
intangible moral support one expects from a
close-knit community is scarce, and Dvir is
left to care for beautiful, fragile mother.
When her kindly boyfriend, Stephan, arrives
from Switzerland, it seems that Miri,
blissfully in love, may actually recover.
But the kibbutzniks, already resentful of a
"non-contributing" guest, cast Stephan out
after he tussles with another resident to
defend Dvir. The loss shatters Miri and Dvir
must pick up the pieces.
Parental discretion is advised.
Sweet Mud was Israel's Foreign Language entry
for the 2006 Oscars.
Best Picture and 3 other awards, Awards of
the Israeli Film Academy, 2006.
Crystal Bear (Generation 14plus - Best
Feature Film), Berlinale, 2007.
Grand Jury Prize (World Cinema - Dramatic),
Sundance Film Festival, 2007.
Audience Award, Miami International Film
Festival, 2007.
Filmmaker or actor will be in attendance.
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| The First Basket |
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Did you know that Ossie Schectman, a Jewish
kid from Queens, scored the NBA's very first
basket? For Jewish immigrants in the early
20th century, sports played an essential part
in becoming "American," a way of disproving
stereotypes of Jews as bookish and weak.
Basketball, which doesn't require open fields
or expensive equipment, proved a perfect fit
for urban Jewish kids, and by the 1920s,
nearly every Jewish urban neighbourhood,
school, and institution had a basketball
team. When these teams evolved into
professional leagues by the late 1940s,
Jewish players and coaches led the way.
Chock full of vivid anecdotes and distinctive
characters, THE FIRST BASKET does for
roundball what THE LIFE AND TIMES OF HANK
GREENBERG (HKJFF Audience Award Winner '01)
did for baseball. - Eddie Cockrell,
Filmfest DC
Director David Vyorst will be in
attendance.
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Did
you know that the Hong Kong Jewish Film Festival
costs almost HK$300,000 each year? Ticket sales
only account for 20 percent of the revenue. The
rest is made up through sponsorship and advertising.
If you believe in this great event, please support
the Festival with a generous donation so that
it can continue. Receipts for tax purposes are
available.
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Little Heroes
(Giborim Ktanim) |
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Erez, a young boy, struggles to cope with his
father's death and live up to his legacy, and
to make matters worse he also has to deal
with the bullies in his class. His life
changes when he meets Alicia, an immigrant
girl from Russia and together with her
brother and another boy, Lior, they form a
heroic team to overcome adversity. In the
process they learn a lot about themselves and
each other. LITTLE HEROES is an exciting
adventure story into the Negev desert where
even children can be heroes and make a
difference.
Best Feature Film for Children, Zlin
International Film Festival for Children and
Youth (Czech Republic), 2007.
This film will be presented in Hebrew and
Russian with English subtitles.
Visit the official website...
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