WHAT WE'RE PREVIEWING
We have started our screening process with some strong candidates. Our preference this year is for films that make us feel good about our past and present. In that vein, we've already screened three documentaries, one on a Chabad outpost in Vietnam, one on Jews in Cuba, and another on the celebrated New Yorker short story writer and activist Grace Paley. It's much too early to know whether these films will make the cut. Still, it's heartening to have such interesting subjects among which to choose. Stay tuned for more info on what we're previewing.
SCREENERS LOOK PROMISING
Screeners are starting to pour in to the Santa Barbara Jewish Film Festival for the sixth event, April 7-10, 2011. We are aiming as always for a varied slate of films in the following areas: Current Mideast, Jews in far-flung countries, American Jewish history, Holocaust, youth issues, and great shorts and animation. We're on target to fill those slots in accordance with this year's theme, "The Joy of Jewish."
SBJFF VOLUNTEER BRUNCH
Preparations for the 6th annual Santa Barbara Jewish Film Festival got under way recently with a highly successful volunteer brunch. Twenty volunteers met to find out what the committees do and see where they would fit in. There was a lot of spirit and anticipation is great for the April 7-10, 2011 event.
The delicious bagels and lox spread put everyone in a good mood. President Barbara Greenleaf retold the story of the festival's origins and recounted highlights of its five previous seasons. Then volunteer chairs Susan Kohl and Linda Schwartz detailed the various jobs that are needed to make the festival a reality.
"It was heartening to see so many new faces among our longstanding workers," said Barbara. "If this is any indication of the mood of the community, not only have people not forgotten us during our one-year hiatus, they are looking forward with great enthusiasm to our return."
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MAKING OUT OUR LIST
Although the Santa Barbara Jewish Film Festival won't be held until April 7-10, 2011, our volunteers are already hard at work scouting out the best potential films for our lineup. As usual, Holocaust-themed films dominate the offerings. Since we only show one World War II film per festival, it is quite a challenge both to pick the best one and to find Jewish-themed films on other subjects. We are always seeking product that features Jews in other countries, for example. It's been fascinating to see how people follow Jewish rituals in Africa, the Amazon, India, and Ireland. This year we already have a line on a fine film about Jews in Argentina in the early part of the last century, but we'd like to have more for our "Jews Around the World" section. We have plenty of time, so we'll keep on looking!
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IT'S OFFICIAL!
After taking a year off, the Santa Barbara Jewish Film Festival will be back as good as ever next spring. Please mark your calendar for the weekend of April 7-10, 2011. Plans are already under way for a sterling selection of Jewish-themed feature films, documentaries and shorts. When Jon and Barbara Greenleaf are in Israel, they will be meeting with several people who either make or distribute fine Israeli films. This should give the festival a leg up on the screening process. Speakers, too, are already being approached to block out the dates of our festival.
Stay tuned for additional information.
SBJFF SHINES AT JEWISH FESTIVAL
Hundreds of people stopped by the SBJFF booth at the Santa Barbara Jewish Film Festival on 4/25, and we made lots of new friends. More than 20 people signed up to volunteer and 150 added their names to our e-mail list for information about the festival. A very successful day!
We held a free raffle for a $50 gift certificate to the Metropolitan Theatres in Santa Barbara which turned out to be a great draw. Barbara Mintzer was the lucky winner! Many thanks to Susan Kohl and Linda Schwartz for both manning the booth and contributing the raffle prize.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara outdid itself in bringing back this wonderful, community event at Oak Park. The Jewish Festival is one of the few remaining events that make Santa Barbara seem like a small town once more.
SBJFF #6 RECEIVES KICK-OFF GRANT
Although the fund-raising campaign for the sixth Santa Barbara Jewish Film Festival won’t officially get under way until fall, Claudia Chotzen and Hap Freund have already stepped up with a wonderful contribution to kick off the effort.
According to Claudia, “We’ve been attending the SBJFF since its inception, and we have always had a great time at this unique event. Seeing the films at the SBJFF has expanded my awareness and my understanding of Jewish culture and issues. The films have been fascinating, thought-provoking, and inspiring. We love it! That’s why it’s our sincere pleasure to help bring back the festival in 2011.”
SBJFF president Barbara Greenleaf was equally effusive. “We are so appreciative of every gift, but a first donation is like a first love—unforgettable!”
ABOUT THE JEWISH FILM FOUNDATION
The Jewish Film Foundation, a nonprofit public benefit corporation, seeks to promote understanding of the Jewish experience through film. It has pursued this mission locally by mounting the highly successful Santa Barbara Jewish Film Festival. It has also done so nationally, by publishing Jewish Film World, the only magazine devoted solely to this field, blogging and maintaining its website, www.Jewishfilmfoundation.org. Finally, it sponsored the Jewish Film Festival Poster Contest, which drew entries and voters from every corner of the United States.
Let us help you attract a wider audience through a unique and popular event, the Jewish Film-Festival-to-Go. For further information, contact:
Barbara Greenleaf, President
Jewish Film Foundation
PO Box 30057
Santa Barbara, CA 93130
(805) 964-5577; bgreenleaf@jewishfilmfoundation.org
www.jewishfilmfoundation.org
The Jewish Film Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit California public benefit corporation formed to promote understanding of Jewish life through film.
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