Sunday, January 11, 2009
A+E, In this Issue..., Movies

10 to watch

SP’s highlights of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival

By Rachael Mason

So you won’t be attending Sundance this year, for whatever reason (budget shortfalls, hatred of snow, fear of celebrities in puffy coats). We totally understand. But even if you lack the means or the motivation to make the trip to Park City, you can still take in a wide variety of independent film a lot closer to home.

The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, which opens Wednesday and continues through Jan. 25, showcases features and documentaries from around the world. And while all 48 films do address issues related to Jewish life and culture, the topics range far beyond bar mitzvahs and Hanukkah celebrations. In addition to seeing a range of films, you’ll also have a chance to serve as a judge when you cast your vote for the audience award, which recognizes the best narrative and best documentary films.

Though we don’t want to manipulate your vote, we do want to point you toward some of the best films being shown this year. Here are our recommendations for 10 worth checking out:

BART GOT A ROOM
In this laugh-out-loud teen drama that perfectly captures the angst and agony of adolescence, an awkward kid named Danny hopes to find the perfect prom date. While advice from his newly divorced dad (William H. Macy) doesn’t really help his cause, it definitely adds to the film.
7 p.m. Jan. 24 at Regal Medlock Crossing; 8 p.m. Jan. 25 at Lefont Sandy Springs.

THE BEETLE
There’s something endearing about this iconic Volkswagen model that will make you feel sympathy for the subject of this documentary, an Israeli man who goes to extreme lengths in an attempt to repair his aging Beetle.
7:05 p.m. Jan. 19 and 2:20 p.m. Jan. 20 at Lefont Sandy Springs.

DIAMOND ROAD
This Canadian documentary traces the history and politics of the well-loved stone, with a focus on the roles of Jewish merchants and master cutters. You’ll see bling in a whole new way.
7:45 p.m. Jan. 21 and noon Jan. 22 at Lefont Sandy Springs.

GOOD
This engaging period drama, which opens in Berlin in 1937, stars Viggo Mortensen as an unassuming college professor who becomes an officer in the Nazi Party after writing a novel about mercy killing. Though he’s told his position is strictly honorary, things change when he puts on his uniform. The film was screened at the 2008 Toronto Film Festival.
7 p.m. Jan. 17 at Regal Atlantic Station; 9:10 p.m. Jan. 18 at Lefont Sandy Springs.

HELLO GOODBYE
This French romantic comedy follows a husband (Gérard Depardieau) and wife (Fanny Ardant) who live in Paris. After a vacation to Israel, they decide to move there, only to find their new lives aren’t quite what they expected.
Opening night screening: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 14 at Regal Atlantic Station.
Additional screenings: Noon Jan. 16 at Regal Atlantic Station; 9:20 p.m. at Lefont Sandy Springs.

LEMON TREE
In this moving narrative, a Palestinian widow fights for her lemon grove after an Israeli defense minister moves next door and decides it must be cut down due to security risks. The film was well-received at the 2008 Berlin International Film Festival, where it won an audience award, and was nominated for seven Israeli Academy Awards.
9:10 p.m. Jan. 17 at Regal Atlantic Station; 8:50 p.m. at Lefont Sandy Springs.

THE SECRETS
When the rebellious daughter of an ultra-Orthodox rabbi is sent to an all-female Jewish seminary, she makes friends with a kindred spirit, and the two girls begin to explore forbidden mystic rituals. The film was nominated for eight Israeli Academy Awards.
9:05 p.m. Jan. 18 at Regal Atlantic Station; 2 p.m. Jan. 19 at Lefont Sandy Springs.

SKIN
This haunting Dutch feature follows the son of a Holocaust survivor, who becomes involved in neo-Nazi activities after his mother is diagnosed with cancer. The film was based on a real-life hate crime that took place in 1983 in the Netherlands.
7:30 p.m. Jan. 19 and noon Jan. 20 at Lefont Sandy Springs.

STRANGERS
Two soccer fans from dramatically different worlds—she’s a Palestinian woman; he lives on a kibbutz in Israel—fall for each other after they meet on the way to the World Cup finals in Berlin. The film won the grand jury prize in the world cinema competition at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.
7:30 p.m. Jan. 15 (as part of Young Professionals Night) and 2:35 p.m. Jan. 16 at Regal Atlantic Station; 6:50 p.m. Jan. 17 at Lefont Sandy Springs.

WILL EISNER: PORTRAIT OF A SEQUENTIAL ARTIST
This documentary will give you a new appreciation for the work of this comic artist, whose projects includes “The Spirit,” created in 1939. The film includes interviews with Art Spiegelman, Frank Miller (who directed the recent big-screen “Spirit” movie) and author Michael Chabon.
4 p.m. Jan. 19 at Lefont Sandy Springs. SP