WITHOUT PRECEDENT:
The Supreme Life of R. Abella

"an extraordinary life!"
Globe and Mail

3:00 PM Sunday, April 7th 2024 to 4:30 PM Sunday, April 7th
Center for Contemporary Arts

The late Ruth Bader Ginsberg once said: “If I have a sister, her name is Rosie Abella.” Without Precedent: The Supreme Life of Rosalie Abella. is the story of an exceptional woman who spent her entire life reminding us that we must never forget how the world looks to those who are vulnerable.

Born to Holocaust survivors, Abella studied law. At 29 years old, was appointed a judge, becoming both the youngest and the first pregnant judge in Canadian history. In 2004 she was appointed a Supreme Court Justice becoming the first Jewish woman and the first refugee to sit on the bench — and she’s probably the first Canadian justice that became a human rights phenomenon. Abella was at the forefront of major decisions on employment equity, gay marriage, constitutional law, and many more landmark cases.

Meet a fireball of a person who is curious, accessible and still ambitious at the age of 75 as she begins the next act of her life.

IN THE WINGS

Coming Soon

More Films to be Announced

Award-winning Films

12:00 PM Sunday, April 7th 2024 to 12:00 AM Sunday, June 9th
Center for Contemporary Arts

Stay tuned, we’ll be announcing more of our new season’s lineup in the weeks to come.  You’ll have a chance to see award winning films from some of the top film festivals making their New Mexico premiere at the Santa Fe JFF!

Among our upcoming films are LEONARD BERNSTEIN AND THE ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC, a terrific documentary that goes beyond the story of Maestro and explores the many other sides of this iconic figure,  and SEVEN BLESSINGS, winner of 12 Israeli Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. Stay tuned for more information about these and other upcoming screenings.

LEONARD BERNSTEIN –
The Other Side

A Two Part Program
A Film and Talk

Film: Leonard Bernstein and the Israel Philharmonic

Talk: Zoom discussion with Ivy Weingram, curator of "Leonard Bernstein - The Power of Music"

3:00 PM Sunday, March 10th 2024 to 5:00 PM Sunday, March 10th
Film & Zoom Talk with Ivy Weingram
Center for Contemporary Arts

Mention the name Leonard Bernstein and what likely comes to mind is West Side Story, the New York Philharmonic, and the biopic Maestro, but there is more to the life and times of this American great. Leonard Bernstein – The Other Side uncovers some of the lesser-known facets, revealing his many other sides.

In this two-part program, the documentary Leonard Bernstein and the Israel Philharmonic narrated by actor Hershey Felder, recounts Bernstein’s career trajectory and his lifelong relationship with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO)After the film, Ivy Weingram, curator of Leonard Bernstein – The Power of Music exhibit, joins us via Zoom to examine Bernstein’s early years, the influence of Judaism on his music, his social and political activism, and other parts of his life.

Judaism was one of the influences in his work. Born into an Orthodox Jewish family to parents who immigrated from Ukraine, the liturgical melodies of his childhood resonated deeply within him. His Jewish roots are reflected in many of his works, ranging from his Symphony No. 1 (Jeremiah) to West Side Story.

They also help explain his relationship with the IPO. That connection began in 1947 in pre-State Palestine where Bernstein first conducted what was then known as the Palestine Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra. Other than the New York Philharmonic, Bernstein “arguably devoted more of his time (to the IPO) than any other (orchestra).”

In addition to conducting some of the world’s greatest orchestras, Bernstein wrote music for ballet and Broadway and brought classical music to children with televised Young People’s concerts . He embraced jazz, blues, popular music, and Jewish music. Bernstein was also active in social and political causes, drawing the attention of J.Edgar Hoover and Joseph McCarthy.

Leonard Bernstein – The Other Side brings many of the other parts of Bernstein’s life to light. Throughout, his Jewish heritage, commitment to Israel and its national orchestra, and his refusal to conceal his religion were instrumental in defining the man and his music.

MEET IVY WEINGRAMIvy Weingram is an independent curator based in Philadelphia, PA. She founded IMW Independent Museum Works in the summer of 2019. In the years since, she has worked with a diverse client base that includes museums, higher education institutions, a documentary film producer, and a pharmaceutical company.

For over 10 years Weingram served in the curatorial department of the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia (NMAJH), most recently as Curator. Leonard Bernstein: The Power of Music is one of the many exhibits that she has curated.

 

MA’ABAROT at UNM

"... powerful ..."
Jewish Film Review

"... unsettling ..."
Movies with Abe

WINNER - Best Documentary
Israel Television Academy

5:00 PM Tuesday, February 20th 2024 to 7:00 PM Tuesday, February 20th
Dr. Amit Sadan with special guest Dr. Ron Duncan Hart
SUB on the UNM Campus

 

Beginning in 1948, hundreds of thousands of Jews from Arab/Muslim lands came to Israel along with Holocaust survivors and other refugees, resulting in a doubling of Israel’s population during its first four years. But how could such a young country absorb this enormous influx?

MA’ABAROT is the story of the controversial “transit” camps where many of these early refugees and immigrants, particularly those from Arab lands, were taken. This award-winning documentary unravels the many stories of the camp residents, discovering surprising new details, exposing prejudices, and revealing rifts among Israelis that exist until today. It is the first documentary to tell this little-known story.

MEET SPECIAL GUEST DR. RON DUNCAN HART

Ron Duncan Hart, Ph.D. is a cultural anthropologist from Indiana University, an author and filmmaker. He did postdoctoral work on Jewish history at the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies, University of Oxford. He is Director of the Institute for Tolerance Studies, and former President of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico.

His research includes the American South, South America, Spain, and North Africa with a focus on religion and race between Jews, Christians, and Muslims   He is an award-winning author, His most recent book, Jews and the Arab World: Intertwined Legacies was a Best Book Award Winner.

MEET AMIT SADAN, Ph.D.

Amit Sadan is a postdoctoral fellow in the International Studies Institute at the University of New Mexico. His fields of expertise are the modern and early modern Middle East, environmental history, and Israel Studies. As part of the Israel Institute’s postdoctoral teaching fellowship program, Amit teaches at UNM a variety of courses about Israeli society and culture, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and others.

International Studies Institute at UNM

BARREN

"... memorable ..."
Jerusalem Post

" ... excellent ..."
JHVonline.com

" ... veers into unusual territory..."
Forward

11:00 AM Sunday, February 11th 2024 to 1:00 PM Sunday, February 11th
Center for Contemporary Arts

What happens when faith, religion and sexuality collide in an ultra-Orthodox community? BARREN, a film nominated for Best Israeli Film at the Jerusalem Film Festival, tackles that question. Director/screenwriter Mordechai Vardi, who is a rabbi, Tel Aviv University film school graduate, and former head of the screenwriting department at one of Israel’s most prestigious film schools, provides a multi-layered perspective.

Praised by critics for its acting and photography, Barren is a unique look inside this insular community. Infertility is a taboo subject in many societies, but it is especially distressing among the ultra-Orthodox with its encouragement of large families and wariness of medical intervention. The biblical meaning of “barren” is “to uproot”, the opposite of “to plant” and conveys the idea of “emptiness”.

The story revolves around a young couple, Feigi and Naftali, who live with Naftali’s parents. They have been married for five years and are unable to conceive. Putting his faith solely in prayer, Naftali flies to Uman in the Ukraine to pray for a child at the grave of Lubavitcher rabbi Nachman at Rosh Hashanah. At the same time, Naftali’s father invites an itinerant rabbi to his home for dinner. He claims to be a healer and tells Feigi that he can perform a ritual to make her fertile. He says that the ritual must occur before Rosh Hashanah. That night he goes into Feigi’s bedroom and convinces her to let him have sex with her.

The consequences of the encounter are at the heart of the film which is based on actual cases. The husband’s reaction, Feigi’s inner struggle, and a ruling by a rabbinical panel sharpen the issues that women in the ultra-Orthodox community face in dealing with infertility and faith.  But it’s also a story of faith within contemporary society and the challenges in balancing the two.

SH’MA – A Story of Survival

"... deeply beautiful ..."
Susan Jaffe, Artistic Director American Ballet Theater

"a very rare telling"
Rabbi Michael Bernbaum

"A moving and honest work of art."
Joey Chavez, San Francisco Director and Playwright

11:00 AM Sunday, January 21st 2024 to 1:00 PM Sunday, January 21st
Special Guest - Director/Choreographer Dr. Suki John
Center for Contemporary Arts

Sh’ma tells the moving story of Dr. Veronka John-Steiner, a Santa Fe High alum and beloved professor at the University of New Mexico. Recounting Veronka’s experience before, during and after the Shoah, it seamlessly weaves together the emotive languages of dance, music, and film. The story follows our heroine from her school days to the ghetto, deportation to Bergen-Belsen, and finally to immigration to the U.S.

Originally a choreodrama performed in the former Yugoslavia and New York, the international resurgence of fascism and anti-Semitism spurred the creation of Sh’ma as a film. “Sh’ma” means “listen” in Hebrew. It is a fitting title for a film whose story is a cautionary tale, but one that ultimately celebrates resilience, connection, and hope.

With a cast of extraordinary dancers, including Dance Theater of Harlem and Texas Ballet Theatre professionals, and a haunting original score, the film is part of the Sh’ma Project. This three-part arts and education initiative uses the power of the arts to engage and build understanding about the Holocaust and Human Rights.

Dr. Suki John, Veronka’s daughter, will join us in-person for a post-film discussion.

FLIX & CHOPSTIX

ON SALE NOW!

2:00 PM Monday, December 25th 2023 to 5:35 PM Monday, December 25th
Optional Chinese dinner
Center for Contemporary Arts

Our signature event, Flix & ChopStix, is back this year!  It’s movies and Chinese food on Christmas Day, and this year we have two of Gene Wilder’s best films: The Producers and Young Frankenstein. Come to the movies and then stay for a Chinese dinner catered by LuLu’s. The films are at CCA and the dinner is just around the corner at Temple Beth Shalom.

See both films as a double feature or just see one. The dinner is optional.

REMEMBERING GENE WILDER

"... a wonderful tribute ..."
Mel Brooks

"Best Picture"
Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival

5:15 PM Monday, December 4th 2023 to 7:00 PM Monday, December 4th
CCA Studio

“ENCORE” SCREENING!

REMEMBERING GENE WILDER is a heartfelt tribute to the beloved star of such movie classics as “The Producers”, “Blazing Saddles”, and “Young Frankenstein”. His remarkable life is told through never-before-seen home movies and photographs, as well as the intimate insights of friends and colleagues including Mel Brooks, Alan Alda, Carol Kane, and Gene’s wife, Karen Wilder,

Born Jerome Silberman, his roots in comedy began as a child when his mother suffered a heart attack. Her doctor told him never to argue with his mother and, instead, try to make her laugh. And that he did as well as audiences throughout his prolific career.

But he also experienced tragedy with the pre-mature death of his wife, comedian Gilda Radner, and suffered the ravages of Alzheimer’s in his later years. Remembering Gene Wilder will make you laugh and make you cry, but most of all, make your remember his wonderful films and comedic genius.

NOTE THE CHANGE IN DATE TO NOV. 19.

MORE THAN I DESERVE

WINNER! Best Screenplay
Jerusalem International Film Festival

Nominated for 6 ISRAELI ACADEMY AWARDS

"... fresh and engaging ..."
Jerusalem Post

3:00 PM Sunday, December 3rd 2023 to 4:50 PM Sunday, December 3rd
Center for Contemporary Arts

Nominated for six Israeli Academy Awards and winner of Best Screenplay at the Jerusalem Film Fest, MORE THAN I DESERVE is finely-crafted coming of age drama. The story revolves around a mother (Tamara) and son (Pinchus) who are new immigrants from Ukraine. Pinchas spends most of his time alone, while Tamara works hard to put food on the table.

When Pinchas learns that his classmates ­­­are preparing for their Bar Mitzvah, he asks his neighbor, Shimon, for help.  Shimon, who still lives with his parents, is a religious bachelor, waiting to meet the right girl. The two form a strong bond, and Shimon treats Pinchas as he would be his own son.

Despite her initial disapproval of his religious influence, Tamara gradually falls in love with Shimon. Pinchas learns to accept his mother’s need for love and blends into the familial atmosphere.

Things get complicated when Shimon’s Rabbi pressures him to marry a woman from their community. Pinchas refuses to accept Shimon’s departure, blames his mother and seeks revenge.

GOLDA’S WAR DIARIES – Streaming

In her own words and those who were with her

with special guest, Prof. Meron Medzini

Golda's spokesperson during the Yom Kippur War

9:00 PM Monday, November 6th 2023 to 10:00 PM Monday, November 6th
Post Film Interview - Prof. Meron Medzini

Golda’s War Diaries is presented by the Santa Fe Jewish Film Festival in association with Temple Beth Shalom’s Israel Committee.

Streaming Now! In September 2023, the official protocols of Prime Minister Golda Meir’s office covering the Yom Kippur War were made public. Released by Israel’s National Archive to mark the 50th anniversary of the war, they contradict many of the myths of Golda’s shortcomings and provide a clearer picture of her contributions. Golda’s War Diaries, which is based on these archives, tells the story of those fateful days in the Prime Minister’s own words and those who were with her. It is a unique glimpse of the real story.

Following the film, David Shulman, Chair of Temple Beth Shalom’s Israel Committee, will be in conversation with Prof. Meron Medzini. Prof. Medzini was Golda Meir’s spokesperson at the time of the Yom Kippur War and also served as spokesperson for Prime Ministers Levi Eshkol and Yitzhak Rabin. HIs book, Golda – A Political Biography. won the Israel Prime Minister’s Prize.

The conversation is pre-recorded due to the time difference with Israel.

Meet Prof. Meron Medzini, Hebrew University Jerusalem

Professor (Emeritus) Meron Medzini was born in Jerusalem in 1932. After high school, he served as an infantry officer in the Israeli army and then traveled to the United States to obtain university degrees., including a Ph.D. from Harvard University in Asian Studies. Between 1962 and 1978, he served as director of the Israel Government Press Office and in that capacity was spokesperson for Prime Ministers Levi Eshkol, Golda Meir, and Yitzhak Rabin.

Prof. Medzini has pursued an academic career and is the author of nine books. His Golda – A Political Biography (De Gruyter Verlag, Berlin, 2016) won the Israel Prime Minister’s Prize.  In 2016, the Japanese Government awarded him the Order of the Rising Sun for promoting Israel-Japan Cultural relations.  More recently he served as a consultant to the film Golda which starred Helen Mirren.

Meet David Shulman

David Shulman is a retired Wall Street research executive (Salomon Brothers, Lehman Brothers) and a semi-retired academic in economics and finance. He served on the Board of Trustees of the Summit Jewish Community and is currently on the Board of Temple Beth Shalom where he chairs the Israel Committee. He organized a series of Santa Fe-wide events to celebrate Israel at 75.

GOLDA’S WAR DIARIES

In her own words and those who were with her

With special guest, Prof. Meron Medzini,

Golda's spokesperson during the Yom Kippur War

3:00 PM Sunday, October 29th 2023 to 5:00 PM Sunday, October 29th
Prof. Meron Medzini in conversation with David Shulman
Center for Contemporary Arts

Golda’s War Diaries is presented by the Santa Fe Jewish Film Festival in association with Temple Beth Shalom’s Israel Committee.

In September 2023, the official protocols of Prime Minister Golda Meir’s office covering the Yom Kippur War were made public. Released by Israel’s National Archive to mark the 50th anniversary of the war, they contradict many of the myths of Golda’s shortcomings and provide a clearer picture of her contributions. Golda’s War Diaries, which is based on these archives, tells the story of those fateful days in the Prime Minister’s own words and those who were with her. It is a unique glimpse of the real story.

Following the film, David Shulman, Chair of Temple Beth Shalom’s Israel Committee, will be in conversation with Prof. Meron Medzini. Prof. Medzini was Golda Meir’s spokesperson at the time of the Yom Kippur War and also served as spokesperson for Prime Ministers Levi Eshkol and Yitzhak Rabin. HIs book, Golda – A Political Biography. won the Israel Prime Minister’s Prize.

The conversation is pre-recorded due to the time difference with Israel.

Meet Prof. Meron Medzini, Hebrew University Jerusalem

Professor (Emeritus) Meron Medzini was born in Jerusalem in 1932. After high school, he served as an infantry officer in the Israeli army and then traveled to the United States to obtain university degrees., including a Ph.D. from Harvard University in Asian Studies. Between 1962 and 1978, he served as director of the Israel Government Press Office and in that capacity was spokesperson for Prime Ministers Levi Eshkol, Golda Meir, and Yitzhak Rabin.

Prof. Medzini has pursued an academic career and is the author of nine books. His Golda – A Political Biography (De Gruyter Verlag, Berlin, 2016) won the Israel Prime Minister’s Prize.  In 2016, the Japanese Government awarded him the Order of the Rising Sun for promoting Israel-Japan Cultural relations.  More recently he served as a consultant to the film Golda which starred Helen Mirren.

Meet David Shulman

David Shulman is a retired Wall Street research executive (Salomon Brothers, Lehman Brothers) and a semi-retired academic in economics and finance. He served on the Board of Trustees of the Summit Jewish Community and is currently on the Board of Temple Beth Shalom where he chairs the Israel Committee. He organized a series of Santa Fe-wide events to celebrate Israel at 75.

BELLA ! THIS WOMAN’S PLACE IS IN THE HOUSE

"... (a) riveting portrait ..."
LAist

"... beautifully crafted ..."
Cinema Citizen

"... illuminating ..."
NYC Guru

3:00 PM Sunday, October 15th 2023 to 5:00 PM Sunday, October 15th
Post Film Deli Reception
Center for Contemporary Arts

In 1970, Bella Abzug entered Congress ready for a fight. With her trademark hat and Bronx swagger, the first elected Feminist upended the Washington patriarchy, battling for women’s equality, civil rights, and LGBTQ protections

But, the most recognizable woman in politics also became the target of a Washington establishment resistant to change. With her eyes set on breaking the boys’ club of The US Senate or becoming New York’s first female mayor, Bella battled mounting forces from both the right and the left, and the powers of the Nixon Administration, the CIA, FBI, even The New York Times.

Using never-before-seen home movies, audio diaries, and a vast trove of newly-discovered news footage, Bella! delves into a colorful and gritty era where one woman sacrificed her own political ambitions for future generations of female leadership.

Join us after the film for a New York “deli” reception after the film. We’re having a sampling of New York deli specialities to celebrate Bella, one of the best known New Yorkers. Reception is at Temple Beth Shalom.

THE DEVIL’S CONFESSION – Streaming

"... riveting ..."
TheWrap.com

"... a dramatic coda ..."
New York Times

"... An event of major importance for the field of Holocaust research ..."
HaAretz

6:00 PM Saturday, April 1st 2023 to 10:00 PM Saturday, April 1st
Post-film Talk with Prof. Hanna Yablonka
Virtual Screening

The Devil’s Confession: The Lost Eichmann Tapes unearths secret recordings of Adolf Eichmann recorded in Buenos Aires in 1957 by Dutch journalist and former SS-Officer Willem Sassen. A few weeks before the opening of the Eichmann trial in 1961, transcripts of these recorded conversations were mysteriously handed over to prosecutor Gideon Hausner. But could Hausner use them as evidence? Did the Israeli government want the contents revealed in their entirety? Where were the actual tapes and how would our understanding of Eichmann changed had they been heard at the trial? .For the first time, we will confront Eichmann with himself in full color, revealing his inner thoughts and the hidden factors and motives that succeeded in hiding these recordings.

JUDAS – Streaming

"... a beautiful film ..."
Cinema with a Clear Mind

"... a modest film about big ideas that leaves an echo…"
Yael Shuv, Time Out

" Doron Tavori ... delivers ... an outstanding chilling performance ..."
Shmuel Duvdevani, Ynet

10:00 PM Saturday, March 4th 2023 to 10:00 PM Saturday, March 4th
Post film talk with Prof. Ranen Omer-Sherman
Streaming

Based on the best-selling novel by one of Israel’s most critically acclaimed authors, Amos Oz, JUDAS explores the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot in a multi-layered story that touches on the roots of anti-Semitism, the origins of the Jewish-Arab conflict, and the complex reality in Israel. It raises the question of when is a traitor a visionary.

Dan Wolman , director, is a veteran Israeli filmmaker whose films have been presented at Cannes, Venice, Berlin, and many other film festivals, winning awards and prizes. Wolman received a “Life time achievement award” at the Jerusalem International film festival and “The Silver Hugo” award at the Chicago International Film Festival for “Unique vision and innovative work”.

JUDAS premiered at the Haifa International Film Festival. Prof. Ranen Omer-Sherman joins us after the film for a pre-recorded talk about Amos Oz, the novel, and the film.

MEET RANEN OMER-SHERMAN

Ranen Omer-Sherman is the  JHFE Endowed Chair in Judaic Studies at the University of Louisville. In addition to dozens of journal articles and reviews, he is the author or editor of six books including the soon to be released Amos Oz: The Legacy of a Writer in Israel and Beyond. 

Professor Omer-Sherman made aliyah to Israel when he was 17, lived on a kibbutz and served in the IDF as a paratrooper. He brings both an American and Israeli perspective to this multi-layered film adaptation of Oz’s novel.

JUDAS has been made possible by Season Underwriters Linda Schoen Giddings and Daryl Giddings, Film Underwriters Audrey Goldings and Barry Schrager, and Film Sponsors Gloria Abella Ballen and Ron Duncan Hart.

KARAOKE – Streaming

WINNER! Best Actor & Actress
Israeli Academy Awards

"Lior Ashkenazi spreads magic ..."
HaAretz

"... a fascinating story about an ordinary couple ..."
Broad Street Review

7:00 AM Saturday, February 11th 2023 to 10:00 PM Saturday, February 11th
Streaming - New Mexico Only

An offbeat, comedic journey that delights and surprises, KARAOKE follows Tova and Meir, a standard aging couple with 46 years of marriage and two grown daughters. They live a comfortable life, with Meir currently on sabbatical from his academic professorship, and Tova running a boutique shop. Their lives get a jolt of excitement from their neighbor from above, Itzik, who invites them to his penthouse for karaoke nights. Tova and Meir fall hard for Itzik’s energetic lifestyle. They enter into a competition amongst their other neighbors and soon themselves, trying to win Itzik’s attention.

KARAOKE – at CCA

WINNER! Best Actor & Actress
Israeli Academy Awards

"Lior Ashkenazi spreads magic ..."
HaAretz

"... a fascinating story about an ordinary couple ..."
Broad Street Review

3:00 PM Sunday, February 5th 2023 to 4:50 PM Sunday, February 5th
Subtitled
Center for Contemporary Arts

An offbeat, comedic journey that delights and surprises, KARAOKE follows Tova and Meir, a standard aging couple with 46 years of marriage and two grown daughters. They live a comfortable life, with Meir currently on sabbatical from his academic professorship, and Tova running a boutique shop. Their lives get a jolt of excitement from their neighbor from above, Itzik, who invites them to his penthouse for karaoke nights. Tova and Meir fall hard for Itzik’s energetic lifestyle. They enter into a competition amongst their other neighbors and soon themselves, trying to win Itzik’s attention.

RECKONINGS – Streaming

"Blood mone" or a nation's lifeline?
You decide

"... a forceful story ... remarkable footage ..."
MorningStar Online

2:00 PM Sunday, January 8th 2023 to 10:00 PM Friday, January 13th
Streaming

They met in secret to negotiate the unthinkable – compensation for the survivors of the largest mass genocide in history. Survivors were in urgent need of help, but how could reparations be determined for the unprecedented destruction and suffering of a people?

RECKONINGS explores this untold true story set in the aftermath of the Holocaust. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Roberta Grossman, RECKONINGS recounts the tense negotiations between Jewish and German leaders. Under the constant threat of violence, they forged ahead, knowing it would never be enough but hoping it could at least be an acknowledgement and a step towards healing.

We will be joined after the film via Zoom by Karen Heilig who has participated in the Claims Conference negotiations.

MEET KAREN HEILIG

Karen Heilig serves as the Claims Conference Assistant Executive Vice President and General Counsel.  Since 1999 she has participated in negotiations between the Claims Conference and the German government, the Austrian government and negotiations on unpaid Holocaust era insurance policies. She broke ground as the first female representative for the Claims Conference in negotiations. Ms. Heilig is also co-producer of RECKONINGS.

FILMMAKERS FOR THE PROSECUTION (streaming)

"... must see viewing ..."
caroleditosti.com

"... a real-life history more unsettling than any saga Hollywood could manufacture ..."
The Forward

2:00 PM Sunday, November 20th 2022 to 10:00 PM Friday, November 25th
Streaming

FILMMAKERS FOR THE PROSECUTION retraces the hunt for film evidence that could convict the Nazis at the Nuremberg Trial. The searchers were two sons of Hollywood – brothers Budd (What Makes Sammy Run) and Stuart Schulberg – serving under the command of OSS film chief John Ford.

The Nuremberg Trials were the first time a cinema screen appeared in a courtroom, and the footage the Schulbergs compiled – mostly shot by the Nazis themselves – became part of the official record. These images shape our understanding of the Holocaust to this day.

Seventy-five years after the trial, the French journalist and filmmaker Jean-Christophe Klotz returns to the German salt mine where films lay burning, uncovers never-before-seen footage and interviews key figures to unravel why the resulting film about the trial – Nuremberg: Its Lesson for Today by Stuart Schulberg – was intentionally buried by the U.S. Department of War.

Klotz’s riveting film fills in the gaps of how these groundbreaking materials were sourced, and poses still-pertinent questions about documentarians’ obligations to posterity. It is a story of the power of cinema in the pursuit of justice but also raises questions of the power of media in the world today.

Harvard University’s Professor Eric Rentschler will join us for a Zoom discussion about propaganda in German cinema during the Nazi era.

MEET ERIC RENTSCHLER

Eric Rentschler, professor of Germanic Languages and Literatures, is a faculty member of Harvard University’s Film and Visual Studies Program and the convener of the monthly Film and Visual Studies Colloquium. He has served as director of the annual Berlin Film Program offered by the Harvard Summer School (in cooperation with the Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin). He is also  co-director of the German Film Institute held most recently at the University of Michigan.

Professor Rentschler is the author of many books including German Film and Literature (Methuen, 1986), West German Filmmakers on Film (Holmes & Meier, 1988), The Ministry of Illusion (Harvard UP, 1996), ), and The Use and Abuse of Cinema: German Legacies from the Weimar Era to the Present (Columbia UP, 2015).  He is also the recipient of the Joseph R. Levenson Memorial Teaching Prize for Senior Faculty at Harvard (2001) and the Walter Channing Cabot Fellowship (2003).

LET IT BE MORNING (streaming now)

"... a sly provocative darma ..."
Screen Daily

"... a gentle but pointed comedy ..."
Variety

"... elegantly crafted ..."
48 Hills

9:00 PM Thursday, October 20th 2022 to 10:00 PM Thursday, October 20th
Streaming

Winner of 7 Israeli Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director, LET IT BE MORNING is an up close look at the inner tensions and outer challenges of Israel’s Arab community. Told through the eyes of Sami who is brought back to a small Arab village where his brother lives, viewers see a microcosm of Sami’s world and the dry comedy that unfolds.

Directed by Eran Kolarin (The Band’s Visit) and based on a book by Sayed Kashua who wrote the hit Israeli TV series Arab Labor, LET IT BE MORNING is a non-political portrayal of Israeli-Palestinian tensions at a very human level.