Contra Costa International Jewish Film Festival
Committee

Pearl Furman, Chair
Riva Gambert, Director

Hilary Balfour
Howard Bulos
Judy Carney
Steve Carney
Abbey Cook
Joyce Ellenberg
Marv Ellenberg
Myra Feiger
Seri Gomberg
Joyce Gross
Sharon Kantor
Mike Kurtzman
Debra Levin
Efi Lubliner
Elan Lubliner
Sergio Pinheiro
Ilana Revelli
Rayna Ravitz
Richard Ravitz
Linda Scotting
Barney Sherman
Norma Sherman
Beryl Silver
Ivor Silver
Gregory Van Buskirk
Evelina Villa

Tri-Valley/Tri-City Jewish Film Series
Committee

Charlotte Salomon, Chair
Riva Gambert and
Tanya Shore, Staff

Simon Cohen
Karen Holtz
Jim Holtz
Heidi Kaseff
Larry Lagin
Ronna Lagin
Leon Malmed

Welcome

Welcome to our 13th year of bringing outstanding international and independent films to the community! This Festival is a partnership between the Contra Costa Jewish Community Center and the Jewish Community Federation and Foundation of the Greater East Bay. We use the power of film to reflect the vitality of Jewish culture. Like the more than seventy Jewish film festivals around the world, our festival is a “cultural meeting ground” that builds community.

Our “Bar Mitzvah” (13th) year also coincides with the 90th anniversary of the Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay and the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel. Recently, Israeli films have won many prizes at international film festivals. Awards include the “Camera d’Or” at Cannes, the Best Director at the Berlin Film Festival (Beaufort), the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance (Sweet Mud), Best Narrative Film at Tribeca (My Father, My Lord), and the Grand Prix at the Montreal World Film Festival (Noodle). Four of these films—Beaufort, Sweet Mud, My Father, My Lord and Noodle—will be screened at the Pleasant Hill CineArts during our one-week run. Aviva My Love, which will play at both Vine Cinema and CineArts, won for best screenplay at the Shanghai Festival. We are thrilled to see that Israeli films are now garnering a much deserved reputation for excellence.

On a special note, one of our favorite directors, Dan Katzir, will be with us on Sunday, March 2 to introduce his new film, Yiddish Theater: A Love Story. Touted as one of the best documentaries of 2007, this warm, sometimes zany and always riveting film tracks eight days in the life of “Yiddish diva,” Zypora Spaisman. We hope that this amazing film will re-introduce a new generation to the importance of Yiddish culture.

This year, the Contra Costa International Jewish Film Festival has expanded to include The Tri-Valley/Tri-City Jewish Film Series. In addition, we will be enjoying 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. screenings at the CineArts in Pleasant Hill. The addition of afternoon performances will allow our “cinephiles” to see three movies a day instead of our usual two. We wish to thank CineMark, the parent company of CineArts, as well as Vine Cinema and our other corporate sponsors. Please support the businesses and organizations that support the growth of cultural arts in our community.

Now, choose a film or two, or perhaps the entire line-up by becoming a Film Festival pass holder.

See you at the movies!

Pearl Furman	Riva Gambert

Introducing

The Tri-Valley/Tri-City Jewish Film Series!

We are excited to announce that the Contra Costa Jewish Film Festival has expanded into the Tri-Valley/Tri-City area. Please allow me to introduce the “Tri-Valley/Tri-City Jewish Film Series,” dedicated to offering Jewish-themed international and independent films in our East Bay neighborhoods. As part of our ongoing efforts to build community, our Film Series’ selections will offer East Bay residents the opportunity to explore our rich cultural heritage and to create bridges between our region’s diverse ethnic and religious communities.

Our March 4th film, Gloomy Sunday, is considered one of the past decade’s most engaging features and has been shown several times at a number of festivals due to popular demand. On the surface, this Hungarian-German production tells a story of love gone awry. However, the film also delves into humanity’s darker side and celebrates the strength of the human spirit. Our March 6th movie, Aviva My Love, is a definite crowd-pleaser that reveals the Israel “behind the headlines,” warmly telling the story of a woman who faces life’s challenges with dignity and courage. This year, the Tri-Valley/Tri-City Jewish Film Series is excited to offer a feature that is ideal for teens and their families. On Sunday evening, March 2, we will screen Wondrous Oblivion, a warm-hearted film that deals with such hard issues as racism and the plight of immigrants in working class, 1960s London.

You can see our line-up on page 17. Ticket information for both the Tri-Valley/Tri-City and Contra Costa Festivals can be found on page 19 of this brochure. If you’re interested in joining us, drop us a line at riva@jfed.org. We plan on sponsoring more film series during the next year, so stay in touch here at eastbayjewishfilm.org.

We hope you will visit us at Vine Cinema in Livermore (and many thanks to the folks at the award-winning Vine Cinema for their generous support) where we’re building community one fabulous film at a time.

Charlotte Salomon, Chairperson