Five Jewish-themed, award-winning films produced in the United States, France and Israel will be shown in-person and virtually on five consecutive weeks beginning at Monday, August 22 and continuing through Friday, September 23.
Each in-person screening will begin at 7:15 p.m. and be held at the Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 North Terrace Road. Each virtual film screening will be available from noon on Sunday and conclude at noon on Friday.
To register to view the films in-person or virtually visit www.jewishchattanooga.com. Films are available for $12.
Virtual screenings must be pre-paid in advance. You will receive the login code the first morning of the screening and a link for recordings of discussions and interviews for specific films. Walk-ins for in-person screenings are available for those people who are vaccinated. Masks are optional.
All films in the Series have garnered international film awards and nominations, and have received recognition at film festivals throughout the United States, Europe and Israel.
The Jewish Film Series schedule is as follows:
Our (Almost Completely True) Story
In-person Monday, August 22 / Virtual noon Sunday, August 21 – noon Friday, August 26
Finding true love in Hollywood has always been challenging; it's even more difficult when you're no longer a young starlet, no matter how many movie-star friends you have. And, if you're a short funnyman with a face for radio, well, you can practically forget it. Still, true love can happen. This romantic comedy features Mariette Hartley, Jerry Sroka, Morgan Fairchild, John Rubinstein, Peter MacNicol, Sam McMurray and others. English, 92 minutes
Berenshtein
In-person Monday, August 29 /Virtual noon Sunday, August 28 – noon Friday, September 2
In an old house in the modest neighborhood of Kiryat Ata, Israel, neighbors did not imagine that the old man who lives next door is the last living commander of a partisan battalion in World War II. He is the man who located the secret facility where the Germans developed their last hope for victory - the V2 missiles. Russian, German, Polish, Subtitles 105 minutes
A Kaddish for Bernie Madoff
In-person Tuesday, September 6 /Virtual noon Sunday September 4 - noon Friday, September 9
A hybrid of memoir docudrama and narrative fantasy, the film tells the story of Madoff, seen through the eyes of musician/poet Alicia Jo Rabins, and the system that allowed him to function for decades. Fueled by her growing obsession and real-life interviews, she transforms them into music videos, and a vivid, vulnerable work of art reflective of her unique perspective. English, 75 minutes A recorded interview with Alicia Rabins (writer/actor), Alicia Rose (Director) and Lara Cuddy (Producer) facilitated by Chattanoogan Alison Lebovitz will also be available.
The Levys of Monticello
In person Monday, September 12 / Virtual noon Sunday, September 11 – noon Friday, September 16
This film is a documentary that tells the little-known story of the Levy family, who owned and carefully preserved Monticello for nearly a century – far longer than Jefferson or his descendants. The remarkable story of the Levy family also intersects with the rise of antisemitism that runs throughout the course of American history. English, 71 minutes A recorded interview with Steve Pressman (Director) with Chattanoogan, Alison Lebovitz will also be avialble.
Rose
In-person Monday, September 19 /Virtual noon Sunday, September 18 - noon Friday, September 23
In this film Rose, 78, has just lost her beloved husband. When her grief gives way to a powerful impulse of life that makes her realize that she can still redefine herself as a woman, the whole balance of the family is upset. French, Yiddish, 102 minutes
A committee of dedicated volunteers reviews an average of 25 documentary films each year in order to choose four films. Films screened at major national and international film festivals, those recommended by peers throughout the United States, and those brought to the committee’s attention by filmmakers are included in the selection process.
We appreciate our corporate sponsors: Chattanooga Allergy Clinic, Market Street Partners, Patton Albertson & Miller, Chambliss, Barnett & Company, First Horizon, and Kleen-A-Matic.
The Jewish Cultural Center, funded by the Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga, offers programs, classes and exhibits, social services, and a preschool—all rooted in Jewish values. The facility enables the Jewish community to raise its visibility, foster relationships, and strengthen its identity in the Chattanooga area.
Located at 5461 North Terrace, the Center and its programs are open to everyone regardless of religious affiliation.