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Our pick of what to see at the UK Jewish Film Festival
As the UK Jewish Film Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary, these are the stars and storytellers bringing laughter, drama and extraordinary Jewish lives to the screen
Tell Me Everything
A wonderfully nuanced coming-of-age story and the second feature from hotshot Israeli director Moshe Rosenthal). Boaz (Yair Mazor as a child, and Ido Tako as an adult) is a pop-music-obsessed 12-year-old, who idolises his father, Meir (Assi Cohen). But Boaz soon discovers a devastating secret about his dad that shakes the very foundations of his Iife.
Shalom
A film about the current state of Israel, told from the perspective of the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo. As war breaks out, the zookeepers must decide the fate of their ancient and ailing white rhino, Shalom. The zoo staff are a diverse group of Israelis and Palestinians whose discussions about the political situation take place within the peaceful island of the zoo. Is this a real utopia, or something manufactured for an audience?
The Last Concert
A thrilling cat-and-mouse psychological drama from legendary director Alexandre Arcady. Renowned but tyrannical orchestral conductor Alexandre Miller (Benoit Poelvoorde), performs a farewell concert at the iconic Opera-Comique in Paris. After the performance, a super-fan of Miller insists on a private audience with his hero. As he relentlessly pursues Miller through the labyrinthine corridors of the opera house, dark secrets from their past begin to emerge.
To Kill a Nazi
The thrilling true story of Michel Cojot, whose father was deported to Auschwitz during World War Two. His mother, who was a convert to Judaism, disguised herself and Michel as Catholics. After the war, Michel learned that notorious Nazi, Klaus Barbie had signed his father’s arrest warrant and planned a mission of revenge but fate had other ideas.
The Righteous Road Trip
An extraordinary emotional and physical journey, with Jewish humanitarian activist Jonny Daniels, directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Vanessa Roth. We follow Jonny as he travels around Poland, Slovakia and Hungary during Christmas time, bringing gifts to surviving members of the Righteous Among the Nations and encouraging them to recount their stories of bravery, courage and love.
Girls Like Us
A gritty, moving portrayal of life on the fringes of Israeli society. Shahar (Hili Yosef Zada) is 17. Her father has been committed to a psychiatric hospital and her mother is an alcoholic. Shahar must fend for herself and raise her younger sister alone. She attends a school for at-risk girls, and finds a sense of sisterhood amongst her classmates. When 19-year-old Perry (Hadar Dror), a soldier-counsellor, arrives at the school, she and Shahar develop a strong emotional bond through their shared trauma.
Lansky The Jewish Godfather
Documentary looking at notorious Jewish gangster Meyer Lansky — from his humble origins as a Jewish immigrant to New York, through his meteoric rise within the world of prohibition- era organised crime, up to his anti-Nazi street fighting activities in the lead up to World War Two. Featuring interviews with Lansky’s descendants, this is a captivating portrait of a complex Jewish man.
Where To
Hassan (Ehab Salami) is a Palestinian Uber driver in Berlin. One night, he picks up Amir (Ido Tako), a young gay Israeli man who has recently moved to the city. As Hassan’s and Amir’s paths cross again and again over the years, an unlikely and unexpected bond forms between them. This mesmeric, moving film was nominated for 11 awards at the Israeli Film Academy.
Cancelled
A shocking documentary exposing the horrific rise in violent antisemitism in Australia, particularly in the arts sector. Featuring interviews with Jewish -Australian artists who’ve found themselves cancelled, abused and attacked, the film offers a prescient warning about the consequences of letting such anti-Jewish hatred fester.
Oslo Court
A short film about the 1970s-style London restaurant Oslo Court and its cultural importance to the Jewish community, with waiter Neil at its beating heart.
Rose
Francoise Fabian (Call My Agent), Grégory Montel (Call My Agent), and Aure Atika (The Night Manager) star in this warm-hearted Parisian Jewish family drama. When Philippe dies his wife, Rose, feels that her life is over. A chance dinner party, however, re-ignites her joie de vivre, much to the discomfort of her three loving but somewhat dysfunctional children. Unsure how to deal with this new vivacious version of their mother, Rose’s children can’t stop her celebrating life again. Honest, beautifully observed, and laced with a treasure trove of Yiddish and Mizrahi songs, this is a life-affirming and accomplished debut feature from director Aurelie Saada.
The UK Jewish Film Festival runs 5-15 November in cinemas. Full programme and tickets at ukjewishfilm.org
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