Thank you to everyone who supported and took part in this year’s
2021 Virtual Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival!
From building bridges through food, to the American convert who took Israel to basketball victory, to a Holocaust movie like you’ve never seen before, this year’s Festival included thought-provoking films designed to entertain us while bringing us together and creating dialogue.
View 2021 Post-Film Livestream Interviews and Talks
We can’t wait for next year and we look forward to seeing you then.
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Archive • 2021 Virtual Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival!
OPENING NIGHT!
Here We Are
Aharon has devoted his life to raising his son Uri. They live together in a gentle routine, away from the real world. Uri, who has autism, is now as a young adult and it might be time for him to live in a specialized home. On their way to the institution, Aharon runs away with his son and hits the road, knowing that Uri is not ready for this separation. Or is it, in fact, his father who is not ready?
A festival preview, welcome and Havdalah will precede the live broadcast, followed by a recorded conversation with the filmmaker
Drama | 94 min | Hebrew | English subtitles
The Two Lives of Rube Goldberg
Legendary cartoonist Rube Goldberg (1886-1970) was one of the great cultural icons of the 20th Century. His drawings of unwieldy fantasy inventions became a fixture of American popular entertainment, and cemented his reputation as one of the most astute and prescient satirists of The Machine Age. In “The Two Lives of Rube Goldberg,” director Geoffrey George (Goldberg’s youngest grandchild,) explores Rube’s life, as well as the influence of his legacy, which continues to inspire new generations of creative thinkers, today.
The program will include a Q&A with Geoffrey George, as well as selected shorts from “Joseph’s Machines,” featuring modern “Rube Goldberg Machines” constructed by kinetic artist Joseph Herscher.
Documentary | 40 min | English | Directed by Geoffrey George
Visit the Sabes & Capp Center Galleries to view accompanying exhibitions on display from Oct 14 – Dec 20, 2021.
Kindertransports to Sweden
Recount the fate of four Jewish survivors, who were sent to Sweden during the Third Reich, with the so-called “Kindertransports”, in order to save them from the Nazi terror. Their stories depict the tragic fate of a winner, who is at the same time the loser, of his own salvation. Trauma, which exists even today, as well as feelings of loss, loneliness, uprooting and a sense of guilt, is was the reality of the children, most of whom never saw their parents again.
Documentary | 90 min | Swedish, German | English subtitles
Kindertransport exhibit on view now through October 31st, 2021 at the American Swedish Institute.
Presented in partnership with the American Swedish Institute, JCRC and Beth El Synagogue.
They Ain’t Ready For Me
The story of Tamar Manasseh, the black rabbinical student who leads the fight against gun violence on the south side of Chicago. Tamar’s identity and personality combine to make her a force to be reckoned with.
Film screening followed by discussion with filmmaker Brad Rothschild and doc’s subject Tamar Manasseh.
Documentary | 89 min | English | English subtitles | Violence
If You See My Mother
Thirty-year-old Max is a single ophthalmologist and mama’s boy who appears to be coping well with his mother’s death—because he still sees her and talks to her all the time. Her constant presence is comforting at first, but once Max meets and falls in love with Ohiana, his mom’s ongoing role in his life becomes problematic—to say the least. What follows is an enchanting comic fantasy marked by outstanding performances, and an honest and bittersweet depiction of the dynamics of relationships.
Comedy, Drama, Romance | 90 min | French | English subtitles | Sexual Content, Mature Language.
Persian Lessons
1942. Gilles, a young Belgian man, is arrested by the SS alongside other Jews and sent to a concentration camp in Germany. He avoids execution by swearing to the guards that he is not Jewish, but Persian. This lie temporarily saves him, but then Gilles is assigned a seemingly untenable mission: to teach Persian to Koch, the officer in charge of the camp’s kitchen, who dreams of opening a restaurant in Persia (Iran) once the war is over.
Drama | 127 min | German, French, Persian, English, Italian | English subtitles | Brief nudity, moderate violence, gore, and frightening images, mild smoking and alcohol use, mild profanity
Sublet
A New York Times travel writer comes to Tel Aviv after suffering a tragedy. The energy of the city and his relationship with a younger man brings him back to life. The two men face a generational gap that puts their personal and clashing life philosophies into perspective.
Followed by a panel moderated by community partner JPride
Drama, Romance, Comedy | 89 min | English, Hebrew | English subtitles | Smoking/use of alcohol, sexual content
WALTER’S PICK!
Aulcie
Recruited from the courts of Harlem, Aulcie Perry became one of Israel’s greatest athletes after joining Maccabi-Tel Aviv in 1976. He captured the spirit of the nation and under his inspiring leadership, the team won its first European Championship. Shortly after, Aulcie converted to Judaism and moved to Israel, but the dark side of fame led to his downfall. Aulcie shares his story of redemption, while game footage and interviews complete this emotional profile of a superstar who put Israeli basketball on the map.
Join us after the film for a live broadcast followed by a discussion between filmmaker Dani Menkin and local Israelis who witnessed Aulcie’s rise to fame. Moderated by Festival Volunteer/Curator Walter Elias.
Sports Documentary | 75 min | English, Hebrew | English subtitles
Post-film event sponsored by the Minneapolis Jewish Federation.
Breaking Bread
Dr. Nof Atamna-Ismaeel – the first Muslim Arab to win Israel’s MasterChef – is on a quest to make social change through food. And so, she founded the A-sham Arabic Food Festival, where pairs of Arab and Jewish chefs collaborate on exotic dishes. With hope, synergy and mouthwatering fare, Breaking Bread illustrates what happens when people focus on the person, rather than her religion, on the public, rather than the politicians.
October 28 • 2PM:
Film screening with pre-recorded interview with Mizrahi feminist Hadar Cohen, who will share her family’s story of 200+ years living in Jerusalem as well as her journey of reclaiming her Arab identity alongside her Jewish identity.
October 31 • 11 AM:
Live cooking and history session with Israeli-American culinary artists Dor & Ophir Haberer
Documentary | 85 min | Hebrew, Arabic, English | English subtitles
Film Shorts
Two extraordinary shorts blocks, from a family Zoom gone awry to the Bar Mitzvah boy who won’t come out of his room, to an artist’s creation to honor the resilience of Holocaust survivors.
Narrative Shorts • October 20 • 7PM:
Narrative special broadcast followed by “virtual lobby hours” where festival attendees can discuss the films they’ve watched so far.
Documentary Shorts • October 27 • 7PM:
Documentary special broadcast followed by “virtual lobby hours” where festival attendees can discuss the films they’ve watched so far.
Thank you to our generous Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival Sponsor
Randi Winston and Barry Wolfish
Thank you to our generous The Two Lives of Rube Goldberg Sponsors
The Mary and Julius Pertzik Jewish Cultural Arts Fund
Rimon: The MN Jewish Arts Council
St. Louis Park Friends of the Arts
Brin Jewish Arts Endowment Fund
Boston Scientific
Phil & Tammie Rosenbloom
Edward Ratner and Mark Ratner
Katherine and Jeffrey Tane
Karee & Brad Lehrman
Thank you to our generous Aulcie Sponsors
Amy Taswell & Jim Moscowitz
The Israel Center of the Minneapolis Jewish Federation
Thank you to our generous Kindertransports to Sweden Community Partners
Jewish Community Relations Council
American Swedish Institute
Beth El Synagogue