Red Road
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RED ROAD Opens Fri. Apr. 20
Andrea Arnold. 2007. 113 min. NR. UK/Denmark.
"A spellbinding, intelligent thriller that takes its time to get where it's going but is well worth the trip." (Los Angeles Times)
Developed at the Sundance Screenwriters Lab and winner of a Special Jury Prize at Cannes, Red Road is a bristling, atmospheric thriller set in the squalor of urban Glasgow. Jackie (Katie Dickie) works at a video-surveillance firm that is in charge of protecting people who live on a single block of Red Road. One day a man she hoped she'd never see again (Tony Curran) appears on her monitor. Andrea Arnold's highly anticipated feature debut, was constructed within the framework of Lars von Trier's experimental Advance Party project. It's the first of three films set in Scotland, by three different directors, using the same nine characters. Masterfully crafted, Red Road gets the project off to a stirring start.

YEAR OF THE DOG Sun. Apr. 15 at 2:00
Mike White. 2007. 97 min. PG-13. US.
"...both light humor and dark insights." (Hollywood Reporter)
A dark comedy drama featuring Molly Shannon as Peggy, a happy-go-lucky secretary who lives alone with her beagle, Pencil. When Pencil unexpectedly dies, Peggy must embark on a journey of personal transformation that is hilarious, poignant, and heartbreaking. Also starring Laura Dern, Regina King, Josh Pais, Peter Sarsgaard and John C. Reilly.
Q&A with actor Josh Pais (Law & Order) and JBFC Board President Janet Maslin.
Tickets: $9/members; $13/nonmembers

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THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY
Opens Fri. Mar. 30
Ken Loach. 2006. 127 min. NR. Germany/Italy/Spain/France/Ireland/UK 
"As alive and as troubling as anything on the evening news, though far more thoughtful and beautiful" (New York Times)
In 1920 Ireland, two brothers (Cillian Murphy, Padraic Delaney) find themselves on opposing sides in Ireland's struggle for freedom from Britain. Palme d'Or winner, 2006 Cannes Film Festival.
Click Here for the New York Times review.

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Perfect Stranger

Giovanni Ribisi

Preview with Special Guests
PERFECT STRANGER
Thurs. Apr. 12 at 7:00
James Foley. 2007. 110 min. R. US.
An investigative reporter becomes caught up in the world of obsessive love online, after going undercover to investigate her friend's murder. Starring Halle Berry, Bruce Willis & Giovanni Ribisi.
Q&A with actor Giovanni Ribisi (Saving Private Ryan, Friends), producer Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, screenwriter Todd Komarnicki and New York Times critic Janet Maslin.
Tickets: $12/members; $16/nonmembers.

Members with Priority Purchase benefits may purchase tickets beginning Mon. Mar. 19 online or at the box office. Remaining tickets will go on sale to the public on Tues. Mar. 27. Membership ticket limits apply.

This event sold out during the Priority Purchase period. Click Here for more info about JBFC Membership with priority purchase benefits.

BEST OF CURRENT CINEMA

Best Of Current Cinema

The Namesake Opens March 16
Killer Of Sheep March 30–April 5
After The Wedding Opens April 13

One-Nights
Becket March 6, 7
Copying Beethoven March 9
The Comedy Of Power March 16

THE NAMESAKE Opens March 16
Mira Nair. 2006. 122 min. PG-13. India/US, in Bengali/Hindi/English. Fox Searchlight.
"A richly compelling story of family and self-discovery." (Variety)
Mira Nair, the beloved director of Monsoon Wedding, Salaam Bombay, and Mississippi Masala, brings Jhumpa Lahiri's sensationally popular book to lush life on the screen. A tale of two generations of a Bengali family spanning Calcutta and New York, The Namesake is a dense, emotional tale that begins with the arranged marriage of an Indian couple and their life in the new world of America. Gorgeously shot by celebrated cinematographer Frederick Elmes.

KILLER OF SHEEP One Week Only
March 30-April 5
Charles Burnett. 1977. 83 min. NR. US. Milestone Films.
"A flat-out treasure, impervious to time." (Boston Globe)
"Heartbreaking and sublime" (IndieWIRE)
Finally, a new 35mm restoration of this nearly unseen modern masterpiece! Killer of Sheep was chosen as one of the 100 Essential Films by the National Society of Film Critics, but music licensing issues have meant that it's been very rarely screened and never available on DVD or tape. Now, on the 30th anniversary of this film by great African-American director Charles Burnett, Milestone Films has cleared all the rights. A very special one-week exclusive engagement.
Click Here for the trailer.
Click Here for the IndieWIRE review.

AFTER THE WEDDING Opens April 13
Susanne Bier. 2006. 120 min. NR. Denmark/Sweden, in Danish/Swedish/Hindi/English with subtitles. IFC Films.
"Solid, insightful, and supremely well made." (Time Out, London)
"A thrilling -- and harrowing, and beautiful -- celebration of the unpredictability of life." (Wall Street Journal )
Nominated for the Best Foreign Language Oscar, After the Wedding is another mesmerizing melodrama from the hugely gifted Danish director Susanne Bier. Starring Mads Mikkelson (Casino Royale) as the Danish manager of a struggling Bombay orphanage who is summoned home by a wealthy donor with an unusual, life-altering request. A gem by a "filmmaker who excels in peeling back those delicate layers of human frailty" (Hollywood Reporter).
Click Here for a recent New York Times article about director Susanne Bier.

Becket
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BECKET March 6, 7
Peter Glenville. 1964. 148 min. NR. UK/US, in English/Latin. Slowhand Cinema.
"A magnificent picture." (New York Times)
A stunningly filmed, deeply moving historical costume drama of the highest order. Becket is the true story of King Henry II (Peter O'Toole) and Thomas à Becket (Richard Burton), his lifelong friend and adviser whom Henry appoints as Archbishop of Canterbury, setting off a chain of events that culminates in tragedy. Recently rediscovered and beautifully restored, this lost masterpiece is not to be missed on the big screen. 12 Academy Award nominations.

COPYING BEETHOVEN March 9
Agnieszka Holland. 2006. 104 min. PG-13. US/Germany, in English. MGM.
"The movie is completely beguiling, and it delivers joy." (Washington Post)
The new film by Agnieszka Holland (Europa, Europa) starring the daring Ed Harris (Pollock) in full, roaring biopic mode as Ludwig von Beethoven. Set during the long, difficult composition of his great Ninth Symphony, the film reveals the growing involvement of the deaf, aging Beethoven with his young copyist, Anna (Diane Kruger), as they work to produce one of the greatest symphonic works of all time. A delight for music lovers.

THE COMEDY OF POWER March 16
Claude Chabrol. 2006. 110 min. NR. Germany/France, in French with subtitles. Koch Lorber.
"Isabelle Huppert...no French actress is as riveting to watch once the gloves come off." (New York Times)
The latest work from France's master of suspense, this tale of a ferociously dogged judge (Isabelle Huppert) investigating a corrupt French oil company is based on the Gallic Enron, the Elf Aquitaine corruption scandal surrounding the state-owned oil company in the 1990s. Chabrol uses wit and a light touch to skewer the French ruling class, and Huppert's performance is first rate - as always.

MOVIES FOR KIDS

Movies For Kids (And Their Families)
The Land Before Time (March 3, 4, 10, 11)
Babe (March 17, 18, 24, 25, 31, April 1)
The Three Stooges (April 7, 8, 14, 15)
The Miracle Worker (April 21, 22, 28, 29)

The Land Before Time
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THE LAND BEFORE TIME March 3, 4, 10, 11
Don Bluth. 1988. 70 min. G. US/Ireland. Universal Pictures.
Perfect for even the youngest child, this gentle, enchanting prehistoric adventure features Littlefoot, a young brachiosaurus, who is joined by several baby dinosaur pals on an epic animated journey.

Babe
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BABE March *17, 18, 24, 25, 31, April 1
Chris Noonan. 1995. 89 min. G. Australia/US. Universal Pictures.
The witty tale of a plucky little pig who behaves like a sheepdog and talks like a human. Seamlessly blending real animals and computer-animation, this Oscar-winner spins an irresistible tale about individualism and conformity.
*Sat. Mar. 17 at noon: BOOK CHAT FOR FAMILIES
After the screening of Babe, Anne Marie Santoro, acclaimed educator and founder of our third-grade visual literacy program, SEE•HEAR•FEEL•FILM, will lead a discussion about the movie and the book from which it was adapted, Dick King-Smith's The Sheep-Pig (also known as Babe, the Gallant Pig).
HEY KIDS! Show us your copy of the book and you'll receive a free child's ticket for this screening.

The Three Stooges
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THE THREE STOOGES April 7, 8, 14, 15
runs about 90 minutes. Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Moe, Larry, and Curly come to the Burns in all their eye-poking, shin-kicking, head-knocking slapstick glory. Our selection of shorts - with the Stooges throwing pies and masquerading as plumbers and bootleggers. Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk!

THE MIRACLE WORKER April 21, 22, 28, 29
Arthur Penn. 1962. 106 min. NR. US. Sony Pictures Entertainment.
The gripping true story of the young Helen Keller (Patty Duke) and her teacher, Annie Sullivan (Anne Bancroft). Can anything be more moving and inspirational than this beloved Oscar-winning classic?

SPECIAL EVENTS

Special Events
Cinema Cum Laude: Films From CCNY's 2006 Masters Program (March 23)
The Hal Roach Studios: Laurel & Hardy (and Friends) With Live Piano Accompaniment (April 1)

CINEMA CUM LAUDE Fri. March 23 at 7:30
Films from CCNY's 2006 Masters Program
What are young filmmakers up to these days? Well, the students in the media arts program at City College - the only masters-level film and video production program at a New York City public university and "one of New York's best-kept secrets" (New York Times) - have been busy. Please join us for an evening with CCNY student filmmakers and the best of their recent thesis films, award winners all.
Q&A w/student filmmakers, David Davidson & Andrzej Krakowski. After the screening the student filmmakers will discuss their work with David Davidson, director of CCNY's MFA in Media Arts Production, and filmmaker Andrzej Krakowski, chair of the Department of Media and Communication Arts.
Tickets: $6/Members & CCNY Students; $10/Nonmembers.

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Sun. April 1 at 2:00
THE HAL ROACH STUDIOS: LAUREL & HARDY (AND FRIENDS)
With Live Piano Accompaniment by Ben Model
Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, perhaps the greatest and most beloved comedy team of the 20th century, came together at the Hal Roach Studios in the late 1920s, quickly becoming Roach's biggest and most lucrative stars. But the studio also had other comedy geniuses - from the sadly underappreciated clown Charley Chase to the Our Gang/Little Rascals kids. We showcase four superb silent comedies made at Hal Roach's "laugh lot" in this hilarious program. Bring the kids! (Running time: approx. 80 min.)
The Finishing Touch (1928) Home construction (and deconstruction), with Laurel and Hardy.
Pass the Gravy (1928) One of the funniest films of all time, with Max Davidson, Spec O'Donnell, and Martha Sleeper.
Limousine Love (1928) A groom is surprised on the way to the wedding, with Charley Chase, Viola Richard, and Edgar Kennedy.
Saturday's Lesson (1929) The last of the silent Our Gang/Little Rascals movies, and one of the best.
Piano accompaniment by Ben Model, who has been performing his own scores for silent films at the Burns, the Museum of Modern Art, and other venues since 1984.
Q&A w/film historian Bruce Lawton and Ben Model will talk about the movies after the screening.
Tickets: $6/members; $10/nonmembers; $6.50/children under 12.

Matthew Barney: No Restraint
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WESTCHESTER CELEBRATES JEWISH FILM 2007
Sponsored by The American Jewish Committee

This year's JBFC Jewish film festival is alive with hot new dramas from all over the world, as well as a field of documentaries that is the strongest we've ever presented for this series. Many of these wonderful films transcend religion and culture, taking on subjects - from fundamentalism, to peace, to music, to art - that speak to us all. Enjoy!

MARCH 8 - 29 Sponsored By FILM FESTIVAL SELECTION COMMITTEE
STEVE APKON Executive Director
BRIAN ACKERMAN Programming Director
KAJ WILSON Artistic Director The Boston Jewish Film Festival

ISponsored By
          

In Association With


With Support From
AIX Restaurant and Bar; Cuddy & Feder LLP Attorneys at Law; Ganer, Grossbach & Ganer, LLC Certified Public Accountants; Robison Oil, Gas, Air Conditioning; and Two's Company
        

Sponsors
Andrew and Froma Benerofe
Marvin Israelow and Dorian Goldman
Richard and Heidi Rieger
Silverweed Foundation
Michael Sonnenfeldt and Katja Goldman
Howard and Mindy Unger

Westchester Celebrates Jewish Film 2007 (March 8–29)
Three Mothers (March 8, 10, 11)
Who Killed Walter Benjamin? (March 10, 12)
2 Or 3 Things I Know About Him (March 10, 12, 28)
The Last Fighters (March 10, 15)
Ira and Abby/The Pity Card (March 11, 13)
Nuremberg: The Nazis Facing Their Crimes (March 11, 14)
Sisters (March 14)
Frozen Days (March 15)
The Rape of Europa (March 17, 18, 20)
Nina's Home (March 17, 19)
First Lesson In Peace (March 17, 20)
KZ (March 17, 22)
51 Birch Street (March 18)
Wide Awake (March 18, 21)
Lonely Man of Faith: The Life and Legacy of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (March 19)
Between Two Notes (March 21, 25)
Family Law (March 22, 24)
Blues by the Beach (March 24, 26)
Close To Home (March 24, 26)
The Yiddish Theater: A Love Story (March 25, 27)
Toots (March 25, 27)
In Treatment (March 29)

All events are $6 (members), $10 (nonmembers) except where noted.

Three Mothers
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THREE MOTHERS March *8, 10, 11
Dina Zvi-Riklis. 2006. 106 min. NR. Israel, in Hebrew with subtitles.
Nominated for a stack of Israeli awards, Three Mothers is a gripping, beautiful melodrama about a set of Egyptian-Jewish triplets whose lives are shrouded in secrets and regret. Rich in colors, characters, striking twists and turns, and even some terrific singing, the film traces six decades of history from 1943 Alexandria, where the sisters were born into wealth, to the contemporary Tel Aviv apartment where they coexist uneasily in a tangle of unresolved history. Written and directed by Dina Zvi-Riklis, whose mother was one of the real-life triplets.
*Opening Night Thurs. March 8 at 7:00: Q&A and reception. Join filmmaker Dina Zvi-Riklis for a discussion after the screening, to be followed by a reception upstairs in the Jane Peck Gallery.
Tickets: $12/members; $16/nonmembers

WHO KILLED WALTER BENJAMIN...
March 10, *12
David Mauas. 2005. 73 min. NR. Spain/Netherlands, in Spanish with subtitles. Ruth Diskin Films.
Walter Benjamin, one of the giants of 20th-century philosophy, melding influences from Marx, Brecht, Adorno, and Jewish mysticism, killed himself on September 27, 1940. This act, committed while he was in flight from the Nazis - of whom he was a fierce critic - subsequently became inseparable from his work. But did he really commit suicide? Or was he actually murdered? An elegant and exciting reinvestigation of Benjamin's precious last days, and an inquiry into time and history that is finally, and unexpectedly, exhilarating.
*Mon. March 12 at 7:15: Q&A w/Michael Taub. Michael Taub is adjunct professor of Liberal Studies at Purchase College and the author of Films about Jewish Life and Culture.

2 OR 3 THINGS I KNOW ABOUT HIM March 10, 12, *28
Malte Ludin. 2005. 89 min. NR. Germany, in German with subtitles. National Center for Jewish Film.
This knockout of a documentary - just off its run at the Film Forum - is about the filmmaker's father, Hanns Ludin, a prominent, unapologetic Nazi who was tried and executed as a war criminal in 1947 for his role as German ambassador to Slovakia. He's easy to damn - except, of course, if he's your father and you're one of six children, all of whom have a very different sense of just what to make of the family heritage. Filled with fascinating exchanges among exasperated family members and terrifically put together with wartime "home movies" of "Dad" addressing the Brown Shirts, this film is a must-see.
*Wed. March 28 at 7:30: Q&A w/ Deidre Berger and reception. Deidre Berger, director of the American Jewish Committee's Berlin office, promotes transatlantic dialogue, advocates for Israel, handles Holocaust memory issues and German-Jewish relations, and develops anti-bias education programs.
Tickets: $9/members; $13/nonmembers

The Last Fighters
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NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
THE LAST FIGHTERS March 10, 15
Ronen Zaretzky/Yael Kipper Zaretzky. 2006. 76 min. NR. Israel, in Hebrew/English/Yiddish/Polish with subtitles. Ruth Diskin Films.
The six remaining survivors of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising describe their experiences in this powerful documentary. Their memories of the 1943 event - in which hundreds of ill-equipped Jewish fighters were able to hold off the Nazi war machine for a month - are far more complex than the version that has come down in history. The whole heroic moment, rich in detail, is brought to life through the voices of these tough, resilient, and philosophical survivors.

Nuremberg: The Nazis Facing Their Crimes
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NUREMBERG: THE NAZIS FACING THEIR CRIMES March 11, 14
Christian Delage. 2005. 90 min. NR. France, in English/German/Russian/French with subtitles. Delphis Films.
Christian Delage's new documentary on the Nuremberg Trial is gripping from its very first moments, when we watch rare footage of Hermann Göring, Rudolf Hess, Julius Streicher, Albert Speer, and others entering the dock and taking their seats. From there we're immersed in a quiet, procedural drama of such monumentality that it threatens to burst the confines of the room. And when the commandant of Auschwitz is asked if he killed two million Jews, and he answers, simply, Yes, it has a cumulative impact beyond description. A story we think we have seen, but haven't.

Ira and Abby

The Pity Card
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Robert Klein

IRA AND ABBY March 11, 13
Robert Cary. 2006. 100 min. NR. US. Brad Zions.
Winner, Best Film, U.S. Comedy Arts Festival.
A hilarious, sly, and snappy romantic comedy that plays like a hyper Seinfeld riff on New York love and marriage, and the impossibility of either - particularly when both your parents are psychiatrists. Starring and written by Jennifer Westfeldt (Kissing Jessica Stein) and with an ensemble cast that includes Robert Klein, Hayden Adams, Fred Willard, Jason Alexander, Frances Conroy, Judith Light, and others. The runaway Audience Award winner at the Boston Jewish Film Festival.
Shown With
THE PITY CARD (short)
Bob Odenkirk. 2005. 12 min. NR. US.
This politically incorrect, hilarious short film by Saturday Night Live and Mr. Show comedy writer Bob Odenkirk asks if the Holocaust Museum is really the best place for a first date. A staple of this year's Jewish film festivals, it's bound to score the most uncomfortable laughs in the series.

AN EVENING WITH ROBERT KLEIN
Tues. March 13 at 7:00
Actor/comedian Robert Klein presents his latest movie and his much acclaimed memoir. Join us for a discussion with Robert Klein and New York Times critic Janet Maslin after the screening. A book signing will follow.

When Robert Klein isn't acting in a film, appearing on Broadway, or hosting a television show, he's traveling the country performing his brilliant comedy for sold-out houses. He recently completed The Amorous Busboy of Decatur Avenue, a memoir in which his "provocative sense of irony gives his story a crazy-funny twist like his best stand-up work" (New York Times Book Review).
Tickets: $9/members; $13/nonmembers

This event was offered as a Priority Purchase opportunity to JBFC members at the Film Buff and up levels and sold out during the advance sales period. To receive the next advance notice, join or upgrade to Film Buff or above.

Sisters
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SISTERS Wed. March 14 at 7:30
Julia Solomonoff. 2005. 89 min. NR. Argentina, in Spanish with subtitles. Latido Films.
After almost a decade of separation, two Argentine sisters - a dogged journalist and a suburban Texas wife and mother - reunite. One hopes to come to terms with the effect on their family of the brutal 1970s Argentine "dirty war," while the other just wants to move on. When unanticipated secrets come to light, this "perceptive and beautifully acted" (New York Times) drama builds to a powerful finale.
Q&A w/Hector Timerman. Argentine Ambassador and Consul General Hector Timerman is a writer and journalist and the son of author Jacobo Timerman (Prisoner Without a Name, Cell Without a Number).

Frozen Days
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FROZEN DAYS March 15 at 7:15
WINNER BEST FILM, HAIFA FILM FESTIVAL.
Danny Lerner. 2005. 90 min. NR. Israel, in Hebrew with subtitles. Bleiberg Entertainment.
Frozen Days is the story of Meow (Anat Klausner), a mysterious young loner roaming the streets and nightclubs of Tel Aviv, living in empty apartments and hanging out in Internet chat rooms. The night she goes to meet an online buddy in person, everything goes completely awry - a suicide bomb hits, identities shift, and reality itself is called into question. Edgy, moody, and mind-bending.
Q&A w/actress Anat Klausner. "Wow is the word," reported Variety, calling Anat Klausner "a magnetic presence" in this role, her first in a feature film.

The Rape of Europa
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THE RAPE OF EUROPA March 17, 18, *20
Richard Berge/Nicole Newnham/Bonni Cohen. Co-Producer: Robert M. Edsel. 2006. 116 min. US. Menemsha Films.
One of the most talked-about new films is this epic documentary on the Nazi's colossal theft and destruction of European art during World War II. An incredibly timely film, beginning with the struggle to repatriate the famous Klimt paintings to their rightful Jewish heirs, and scanning the vast panorama of the World War, the film takes the viewer on a journey that goes deeply to the power of art - and the power that resides in its possession. If you missed this in our "FrameWorks" series, here's a last, precious chance to see it.
*Tues. March 20 at 7:00: Q&A w/Lynn Nicholas and Linda Wolk-Simon; book signing. Lynn Nicholas is the author of the acclaimed The Rape of Europa: The Fate of Europe's Treasures in the Third Reich and the Second World War. Her latest book is Cruel World: The Children of Europe in the Nazi Web. Linda Wolk-Simon is Associate Curator, Department of Drawings and Prints, and Coordinator of Provenance Research at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Nina's Home
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NINA'S HOME March 17, 19
Richard Dembo. 2005. 107 min. NR. France, in French with subtitles.
Starring the wonderful Agnes Jaoui (Look at Me, The Taste of Others), this somber, moving French film is a "quietly magnificent" (Variety) drama about two groups of young refugees during World War II who clash at an orphanage outside Paris. One group is composed of children left behind during the war, while the others are bedraggled, haunted survivors of the camps.

First Lesson in Peace
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FIRST LESSON IN PEACE March 17, 20
Yoram Honig. 2005. 56 min. NR. Israel, in Hebrew with subtitles. Ruth Diskin Films.
An exploration of the Jewish-Arab conflict through the experience of the director's six-year-old daughter, who is enrolled at the mixed Arab-Jewish primary school in the Israeli village of Neve Shalom/ Wahat al-Salam. As it delves into the school's search for lasting solutions to the conflict between the two peoples, the film also reveals the parents' tortured second thoughts, especially when the celebration of Israeli Independence Day - which means diametrically opposite things to the two groups - throws the complexity of this ambitious venture into relief.

KZ March 17, *22
Rex Bloomstein. 2005. 88 min. NR. UK. Films Transit International.
Clean, airy, brightly lit, Mauthausen now waits for its tourists. Without a shred of archival footage, this powerhouse documentary relives the memories of that notorious death camp through the non-Jewish Austrian tour guides who have taken it upon themselves to act as the keepers of its dark history. Why do they do it? Under the bright blue skies of this quaint Austrian village, they guide us on a journey through the strange world of Holocaust tourism and the deep and increasing toll this work takes on their psyches.
*Thurs. March 22 at 7:30: Q&A w/Rabbi Andrew Baker & Hannah Lessing, reception. Rabbi Andrew Baker is the AJC's director of International Jewish Affairs. He is a leading expert on anti-Semitism in Europe and on challenges facing Jewish communities, including Holocaust restitution issues.
Hannah Lessing is the head of the Austrian Fund for Nazi Victims, which compensates victims of the Nazi regime who had property and assets seized during World War II.
Tickets: $9/members; $13/nonmembers

51 Birch Street
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51 BIRCH STREET March 18 at 5:00
Doug Block. 2006. 90 min. NR. US. Dragomon Films.
Picked by the New York Times as one of the best movies of 2006, this revealing and unexpectedly funny documentary will glue you to your seat. Filmmaker Doug Block's first-person examination of his parents' lives and marriage brings his assumptions into clashing contrast with the truths he gradually uncovers. Using snapshots, two decades of home movies, and contemporary interviews, he constructs a timeless tale about what can happen when one's most fundamental certainties are called into question.
Q&A w/Doug Block & Rabbi Jonathan Blake. Filmmaker Doug Block produced, directed, wrote, and shot 51 Birch Street. Rabbi Jonathan Blake, the associate rabbi of Westchester Reform Temple, Scarsdale, appears in the film.
Sponsored by Westchester Jewish Chronicle

WIDE AWAKE March 18, 21
Alan Berliner. 2006. 79 min. NR. US.
An ultra-personal film exploring the lifelong struggle of celebrated independent filmmaker Alan Berliner's (Nobody's Business, The Sweetest Sound) crazy battle with insomnia and the toll it takes on him and his family. Everyone's pretty much had it with Alan's off-kilter waking hours, exacerbated by his determination to make this film documenting their annoyance and impatience, particularly since it's the very act of filmmaking that seems to keep him up at night. "A deliriously intimate portrait." (Sundance)

Lonely Man of Faith
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LONELY MAN OF FAITH: The Life and Legacy of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik Mon. March 19 at 7:15
Ethan Isenberg. 2006. 99 min. NR. US. Second Look Productions.
Soloveitchik was arguably the most influential rabbi of the 20th century, ordaining over 2000 rabbis (more than any figure in Jewish history). This brilliant documentary tracks the life and beliefs of "The Rav," the intellectual leader of Modern Orthodox Judaism, who performed a delicate balancing act, embracing modernity while clinging to tradition. He ultimately experienced a deep sense of isolation, especially as he confronted the advocates of a strict fundamentalism. A resonant dialogue about the coexistence of modernity and belief - in all religions.
Q&A w/Richard M. Joel & Ethan Isenberg. Richard M. Joel was inaugurated as Yeshiva University's fourth president in 2003. A nationally renowned speaker, he has traveled the globe giving talks at universities and Jewish federations on Jewish leadership and identity. Ethan Isenberg directed Lonely Man of Faith. This is his first feature film.

BETWEEN TWO NOTES March 21, 25
Florence Strauss. 2006. 85 min. NR. France/Canada, in Arabic/Hebrew/ French/English with subtitles. National Film Board of Canada.
An elegant and lyrically ecumenical documentary on the common musical roots that animate both Jewish and Arab culture. Traveling from Cairo to Tel Aviv to Beirut and Damascus, filmmaker Florence Strauss traces the origins of cantorial chant to its sources in ancient Arab music and illuminates the cross-cultural fusion that has nourished this deeply spiritual and timeless musical tradition. As she travels, the film becomes a kind of road movie paying tribute to the musicians who embody this poetic piece of common Middle Eastern history. An absolute feast for the ears.

Family Law
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FAMILY LAW March 22, 24
Daniel Burman. 2005. 102 min. NR. Argentina/Italy/France, in Spanish with subtitles. IFC Releasing.
In another moving and sprightly drama by Argentine director Daniel Burman (Lost Embrace), an underachieving Justice Department worker with a distant relationship with his larger-than-life lawyer father, begins the slow, invisible transition to adult understanding after marriage and a child. This "tragicomic celebration of an unassuming man's unsung goodness," says the Village Voice, "broadens into a meditation on secular-Jewish identity in a less-than-tolerant society."

Blues by the Beach
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BLUES BY THE BEACH March 24, *26
Joshua Faudem. 2005. 75 min. NR. Israel/US, in English.
Mike's Place was an easygoing Tel Aviv nightspot where people gathered to put aside their daily concerns. And then on April 30, 2003, in an instant, tragedy struck in the form of a suicide bomb - three were killed and more than 50 wounded. Both a testimony to the days before the attack and a chronicle of its aftermath, this powerful documentary asks what it's like to live in a place where one thin second separates normality from tragedy.
*Mon. March 26 at 7:30: Q&A w/ David Harris, reception. David Harris, AJC's executive director, is a widely recognized expert on Jewish communities worldwide, global anti-Semitism, Israel's quest for peace and security, and human rights.
Tickets: $9/members; $13/nonmembers
Sponsored by Aix Restaurant and Bar

Close to Home
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CLOSE TO HOME March 24, 26
Vidi Bilu/Dalia Hager. 2005. 90 min. NR. Israel, in Hebrew with subtitles. IFC Releasing.
Just off its N.Y. theatrical premiere! Two young female Israeli Defense Force recruits - a real odd couple - are supposed to patrol the streets of Jerusalem in a state of perpetual vigilance. One is a diligent soldier, but the other is far more interested in meeting hot guys, and their youthfulness is pitted against a danger that may or may not emerge. A compelling movie that's yet another example of an Israeli film industry producing first-rate dramas. "A very impressive feature bow by writer-directors Vidi Bilu and Dalia Hager," says Variety.

The Yiddish Theater: A Love Story
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THE YIDDISH THEATER: A LOVE STORY March *25, 27
Dan Katzir. 2006. 80 min. NR. Israel/US, in English/ Yiddish, with subtitles.
A delightful, touching documentary about an aging but tenacious Yiddish theater star, Zypora Spaisman, her young, spirited troupe, and their determination to preserve a 1000-year-old culture by reviving a 1916 Yiddish play in circa 2000 New York. When the production receives surprisingly glowing reviews, hope turns into a desperate search for money to take the show "uptown." A warm and wonderful little film you're guaranteed to love - no matter how you feel about Yiddish theater.
*Sun. March 25 at 5:30: Q&A w/David Romeo & Stefan Kanfer, book signing, reception. David Romeo was general manager and producer of the Yiddish Public Theater's production of Grine Felder (Green Fields), featured in the film. Stefan Kanfer is the author of Stardust Lost: The Triumph, Tragedy, and Mishugas of the Yiddish Theater in America, which traces the rise and fall of the Yiddish theater and its lasting impact on American culture.
Tickets: $12/members; $16/nonmembers

TOOTS March 25, *27
Kristi Jacobson. 2006. 84 min. NR. US. Menemsha Films.
"One of the most compelling, yet forgotten tales of the 20th century." (Walter Cronkite)
A friend to the famous and a crook to the feds, most of all Toots Shor was the owner of America's greatest saloon, a place where celebrities - from Sinatra to Gleason to DiMaggio to Ruth - could relax and exchange wisecracks. Directed by Shor's granddaughter, this wonderful portrait "brimming with quips and stories from a cavalcade of quintessential New Yorkers" (Variety) features Walter Cronkite, Bert Sugar, Mike Wallace, Frank Gifford, Yogi Berra, and Gay Talese, among many others. A jazzy and nostalgic love song to the dazzling New York nightlife of the '40s and '50s.
*Tues. March 27 at 7:15: Q&A w/director (Toots Shor's granddaughter) Kristi Jacobson and boxing's "living logo" (NY Times) Bert Sugar. Bert Sugar, sportswriter and author of more than 50 books, was a regular at Toots Shor.

In Treatment
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Closing Night Thurs. March 29 at 7:00
IN TREATMENT
In Treatment is the most celebrated Israeli television series of all time, but never seen in this country. A journey into the world of psychotherapy, each episode is a 30-minute session between therapist and patient. It's conceptually brilliant, dazzlingly written (by the show's creator, Hagai Levy), and superbly acted. We've assembled five shows for this very special evening, and we guarantee that these two and a half hours will fly by. You'll leave moved, a bit wiser - and eager for the American remake, which HBO has just signed on to create. In Hebrew with subtitles.

JOONG-HOON PARK

JONATHAN DEMME HOSTS

Jonathan Demme Hosts

This April, one of Asia's biggest stars - South Korean movie idol Joong-hoon Park - will be coming to the Burns for a unique and unprecedented mini-retrospective of his work. A household name in Asia, Park started out in dramas in the mid-'80s but hit it big in comedy and action films as part of the huge South Korean cultural rebirth that's stretched its influence across the continent. As Variety recently put it: "In terms of pop culture, perhaps no country in the world has ever experienced a greater renaissance than South Korea."

Park has armloads of awards and several of the highest grossing Korean feature films of all time to his credit. He made The Truth About Charlie, his first Hollywood movie, with the celebrated American director Jonathan Demme. We're thrilled that the two of them will join us for a first-ever American screening of Joong-hoon Park's latest, the award-winning drama Radio Star, as well as his jaw-dropping thriller Nowhere to Hide.
Special thanks to the Korean Film Council for their invaluable assistance.

Joong-Hoon Park (April 11–17)
Radio Star (April 11)
The Truth About Charlie (April 12)
Two Guys (April 14)
Nowhere To Hide (April 15)
My Love, My Bride (April 16)
Rules Of The Game (April 17)

Joon Hoon Park

Radio Star
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Opening Night with Joong-hoon Park
RADIO STAR Wed. April 11 at 7:00
Jun-ik Lee. 2006. 115 min. NR. South Korea, in Korean with subtitles.
Megastars Joong-hoon Park and Sung-kee Ahn come together for the fourth time in this award-winning, moving film about friends who stick together through thick and thin. Park plays a has-been rocker with an attitude problem who can't seem to stay out of trouble. His faithful manager (Ahn) bails him out time and again, finally pushing him onto an unlikely path for a new kind of success - as a radio DJ in a small town.
Q&A w/Joong-hoon Park, Sung-kee Ahn & Jonathan Demme.
Tickets: $12/members; $16/nonmembers.
This evening is made possible with support from the Korean Cultural Service in New York.

THE TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE Thurs. April 12 at 7:15
Jonathan Demme. 2002. 104 min. PG-13. US/Germany, in English/French. Universal Pictures.
Exhilarating romance and suspense ignite against the backdrop of an edgy, modern Paris in Jonathan Demme's "dazzlingly nimble" (Variety) modern take on Charade, filled with nods to the French New Wave, including cameos by Annie Karina, Charles Aznavour, and Agnès Varda. Joong-hoon Park appears in his first American role as one of many bad guys out to relieve the heroine (Thandie Newton) of her money.

Two Guys
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TWO GUYS Sat. April 14 at 7:45
Hun-su Park. 2004. 116 min. NR. South Korea, in Korean with subtitles.
A playboy named Hun has racked up so much debt that the enforcer (Park) who comes to collect threatens dismemberment if he doesn't cough up the dough. But the tables are turned in this fast-paced drama, after the two witness a murder and suddenly find themselves being hotly pursued by foreign spies and Korean intelligence agents alike.

Nowhere to Hide
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NOWHERE TO HIDE Sun. April 15 at 6:00
Myung-se Lee. 1999. 112 min. R. South Korea, in Korean with subtitles.
An athletic, macho Park leads a group of detectives in hunting down the head of a massive drug cartel in this adrenaline-filled, violent manhunt. Racing from one jaw-dropping set piece to the next, Nowhere to Hide boasts "enough visceral appeal to rival Hong Kong's John Woo" (L.A.Times). The villain is played by Sung-kee Ahn, who also costarred with Joong-hoon Park in his latest, Radio Star. A big hit at Sundance.
Q&A w/Joong-hoon Park, director Myung-se Lee & host Jonathan Demme.

MY LOVE, MY BRIDE Mon. April 16 at 7:15
Myung-se Lee. 1990. 111 min. NR. South Korean, in Korean with subtitles.
A pair of starry-eyed sweethearts wed in a sea of romantic bliss - and almost immediately things take a dramatic turn for the worse. This sumptuously filmed comedy of errors kicked off the sex-war comedy genre that took Korea by storm in the 1990s. It earned Park the Best Actor award from the Asian-Pacific Film Festival, where Myung-se Lee (Nowhere to Hide) won Best New Director for his unconventional use of sets, animation, and a clever soundtrack.

RULES OF THE GAME Tues. April 17 at 7:15
Hyeon-su Jang. 1994. 110 min. NR. South Korea, in Korean with subtitles.
Yong-dae (Park) works at a car wash in a small town, dreaming all the while about one day becoming a hero. He and his beautiful girlfriend head for the big city in search of the sweet life together - and trouble meets them halfway. A violent, hard-bitten tale of swindling, prostitution, and crime, this consummate action movie caps off our series with a bang.

Live Radio THE NIGHT KITCHEN RADIO THEATER THE NKRT AT THE JBFC.
JANE EYRE Sun. April 22 at 1:00
The Night Kitchen Radio Theater is back with another modern take on an old classic. Extremely talented actors, with no costumes and no scenery - nothing but a bare stage and their voices, and a little bit of music and sound effects - create before your very eyes the intensely compelling theater of radio drama. For more information about the Night Kitchen Radio Theater visit www.nightkitchenradio.com.
"Jane Eyre" is an original radio play based on Charlotte Brontë's first published book, the passionate tale of a spirited young woman who captures the heart of her fiery employer, a man with a mysterious secret. Written and directed by Arthur Yorinks. (Approx. 60 min.)
Q&A after w/artistic director Arthur Yorinks & the NKRT cast.

changed to:

THE NIGHT KITCHEN RADIO THEATER Presents
IT'S A MIRACLE Live Family Event Sun. April 22 at 1:00
The Night Kitchen Radio Theater is back with a new performance: "It's a Miracle," an original radio play by Arthur Yorinks. In the manner of Preston Sturges, this screwball comedy follows the antics of a dysfunctional family business.  After the untimely death of the family patriarch, his simple school teacher son is forced to take over and... well, sheer wackiness reigns!  Scheming siblings, a madcap mom, and even the mob all lead to the makings of...A Miracle.
For more information about the Night Kitchen Radio Theater visit www.nightkitchenradio.com.
"Jane Eyre," which was previously scheduled, has been replaced with "It’s A Miracle."
Q&A after w/artistic director Arthur Yorinks & the NKRT cast.

JONATHAN DEMME'S
RARELY SEEN CINEMA

Jonathan Demme Presents Rarely Seen Cinema
Blackboards (March 4)
Nowhere To Hide (April 15)

Blackboards
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BLACKBOARDS Sun. March 4 at 6:00
Samira Makhmalbaf. 2000. 84 min. Iran/Italy/Japan, in Kurdish with subtitles. Leisure Time Features.
A prizewinner at Cannes, this "indelible and ultimately moving vision of humanity" (New York Times) is a bold parable about teachers in search of students in remote Iranian Kurdistan. From one of Iran's most promising young filmmakers, the daughter of the legendary director Mohsen Makhmalbaf (Kandahar).
Q&A w/host Jonathan Demme.

Nowhere to Hide
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NOWHERE TO HIDE Sun. April 15 at 6:00
Myung-se Lee. 1999. 112 min. R. South Korea, in Korean with subtitles.
In a rare American appearance, South Korean movie star Park joins us with one of his best known films, Nowhere to Hide. He plays a detective hunting down the leader of a massive drug cartel in this fast-paced, violent thriller that boasts one jaw-dropping set piece after another. A big hit at Sundance.
Q&A w/host Jonathan Demme & actor Joong-hoon Park.
Nowhere to Hide is also being shown as part of a mini-retrospective of Joong-hoon Park's work.

THE WIDE WORLD OF ANIMATION

The Wide World Of Animation
Best Of Ottawa 2006 (March 27)
Tokyo Godfathers (April 18)

Carnival of the Animals

Dreams & Desires

Mr. Schwartz
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BEST OF OTTAWA 2006 Tues. March 27 at 5:00 & 7:00
The Ottawa International Animation Festival is the largest festival of its kind in North America and one of the most respected in the world. The 2006 winners were selected from a record 1,983 submissions from 66 countries. Showcasing 13 particularly noteworthy short films, this exciting program is a first look at the work that springs from the fertile brains, pens, and computers of innovative new artists around the world. Check www.ottawa.awn.com for more information on the Ottawa festival. NOT FOR KIDS. (Total running time: approx. 90 min.)

Tokyo Godfathers
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TOKYO GODFATHERS Wed. April 18 at 7:30
Satoshi Kon. 2004. 92 min. PG-13. Japan, in Japanese/Spanish with subtitles. Sony Pictures Entertainment.
This magical tale of three homeless people in snowy Tokyo is the third feature from rising star Satoshi Kon. New York Times critic Manohla Dargis says, "The triumph of Kon's work lies not just in its beauty and singularly sophisticated storytelling but in how that beauty and storytelling combine to give the films a sting so human you can forget you're watching a cartoon." It's tender, absorbing, and great fun. NOT FOR KIDS.

CELEBRATING WOMEN FILMMAKERS

Celebrating Women Filmmakers
Away From Her (April 28)

Away From Her

Sarah Polley
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Sarah Polley Presents
AWAY FROM HER Sat. April 28 at 1:30
Sarah Polley 2006. 110 min. NR. Canada, in English. Lionsgate.
With her stunning feature directorial and screenwriting debut, Sarah Polley adds an extraordinary achievement to her acclaimed work as an actor. She has appeared in more than 30 films, including The Sweet Hereafter, My Life Without Me, and Go, and has written and directed award-winning shorts since 1999. With a focus on her craft rather than on stardom, the 28-year-old Polley has gained the deep respect of her peers. An opening night gala film at the Sundance Film Festival, Away From Her is one of the most awaited movies this spring. With dazzling performances by Julie Christie and Gordon Pinsent, it's a "deep and sensitive" (Hollywood Reporter) love story that navigates a loving couple's journey through the intimacy of the later years of marriage and the fragility of memory. Adapted from an Alice Munro short story.
Q&A w/Sarah Polley & New York Times critic Janet Maslin.

JBFC CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF SUNDANCE INSTITUTE

JBFC Celebrates 25 Years of Sundance Institute
Smooth Talk (April 19)

Smooth Talk
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SMOOTH TALK Thurs. Apr. 19 at 7:15
Joyce Chopra. 1985. 92 min. PG-13. US/UK. MGM.
"Astonishing...almost uncanny in its self-assurance." (Roger Ebert)
Brilliantly adapted from a Joyce Carol Oates story, Smooth Talk was the surprise phenomenon and Grand Jury Prize winner of the 1986 Sundance Film Festival. Featuring a very young Laura Dern as the fetching, rebellious teenager newly alert to her sexual allure and Treat Williams as the strange young man who pursues her, played with perfectly calibrated charm and creepy magnetism. Critics were shocked and wowed by this drama's "almost uncanny self-assurance" (Roger Ebert) and razor-sharp dialogue that hints at daring, danger, and dark promise.
Q&A w/director Joyce Chopra & screenwriter Tom Cole.
Smooth Talk premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and received support through the Film Laboratory Workshop.

SPEAKERS AT THE BURNS

Blackboards (March 4, 6:00) host Jonathan Demme
Three Mothers (March 8, 7:00) filmmaker Dina Zvi-Riklis. reception
Who Killed Walter Benjamin... (March 12, 7:15) Purchase College professor Michael Taub
An Evening With Robert Klein (Ira And Abby) (March 13, 7:00) actor/comic Robert Klein & New York Times critic Janet Maslin Sold-Out
Sisters (March 14, 7:30) Argentine Ambassador & Consul General Hector Timerman
Frozen Days (March 15, 7:15) actress Anat Klausner
51 Birch Street (March 18, 5:00) filmmaker Doug Block & Rabbi Jonathan Blake
Lonely Man of Faith (March 19, 7:15) Yeshiva University president Richard Joel & filmmaker Ethan Isenberg
The Rape of Europa (March 20, 7:00) author Lynn Nicholas & Metropolitan Museum of Art curator Linda Wolk-Simon
KZ (March 22, 7:30) AIC Director of International Jewish Affairs Rabbi Andrew Baker & Head of the Austrian Fund for Nazi Victims Hannah Lessing. reception
Cinema Cum Laude (March 23, 7:30) student filmmakers, director of CCNY's MFA in Media Arts Production David Davidson, Department of Media
and Communication Arts chair Andrzej Krakowski
The Yiddish Theater: A Love Story (March 25, 5:30) Yiddish Public Theater producer David Romeo & Yiddish theater expert/Author Stefan Kanfer. reception
Blues By The Beach (March 26, 7:30) American Jewish Committee Executive Director David Harris. reception
Toots (March 27, 7:15) sportswriter/Toots Shor regular Bert Sugar
2 Or 3 Things I Know About Him (March 28, 7:30) Director of American Jewish Committee's Berlin office Deidre Berger. reception
The Hal Roach Studios: Laurel & Hardy (and Friends) (April 1, 2:00) live piano accompanist Ben Model & film historian Bruce Lawton
Radio Star (April 11, 7:00) actor Joong-Hoon Park & host Jonathan Demme
Nowhere To Hide (April 15, 6:00) actor Joong-