Film festival celebrates Jewish culture
The festival, which concludes Sunday, May 11, features dozens of films, documentaries, shorts and panel discussions. The festival takes place at three Toronto venues -the Bloor Cinema, the Miles Nadal JCC (Al Green Theatre) and the Sheppard Grande in North York.
Let's take a look at a few of the great offerings available this weekend.
Arranged (Friday, May 9, 1 p.m., Bloor Cinema)
Are arranged marriages a thing of the past or is there still a place for such things in modern society? A sweet comedy about two young women - Rochelle, an Orthodox Jew, and Nasira, a Muslim, who meet as first-year teachers in a public school in Brooklyn.
Although they come from different cultures, they discover they have much in common. Both of them, for example, are going through the process of having marriages arranged by their families and are uncomfortable with the idea. This leads to a wonderful friendship as they share each other's family lives.
This film is an interesting look at the dilemma of cultural adaptation to new ideas in a new world.
The Goldbergs (Friday, May 9, noon, Al Green Theatre)
View two episodes of the immensely popular TV series starring Gertrude Berg as Molly Goldberg, the quintessential Jewish matriarch. Berg was the creator of The Goldbergs - its writer, producer and star - a remarkable feat for a woman at the time. From her Bronx tenement flat, the beloved Molly dispenses wisdom and advice while nurturing her Jewish family.
The First Basket (Sunday, May 11, 2 p.m., Al Green Theatre)
This film takes a look at the origins of basketball and its original Jewish influence. Little known facts about the sport, including its development by a Jewish sports enthusiast, the first game being played in Toronto and the first basket scored in the league that would become the National Basketball Association by a Jewish player, are explored.
Pete Seeger: The Power of Song (Sunday, May 11, 8:30 p.m., Bloor Cinema)
The festival closes out with a look at the life of Pete Seeger. There's magic in the air in this film about the folksinger, social activist and humanitarian. Seeger was not only an American original, he was also an innovator and a leading player in the struggle for equality in American society during the 20th century. Pete Seeger wrote the songs, he sang them and he encouraged an entire generation, including hundreds of thousands of Jews, to fight for their beliefs - whether it was to join labour unions, to fight for civil rights or to voice their opposition to the Vietnam War.
This year's Jewish Film Festival is sure to be another success in the tradition of this great event. Visit www.tjff.com to see the full schedule of screening times, venues and ticket prices.
Jon Sarpong is the Diversity Officer at Durham College and UOIT. He provides independent diversity training and consultation for various organizations. Contact Jon by e-mailing jsarpong@hotmail.com.
