Knowledge is the Beginning

A chance encounter between renowned pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim and the late Palestinianborn writer and Columbia University professor Edward Said led to Barenboim’s creation of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, an ensemble of eighty young musicians from Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Tunisia. Part concert film and part documentary, Knowledge is the Beginning chronicles the orchestra from its beginnings, including unforgettable scenes of students from such diverse backgrounds creating music together. 115 minutes, In English, German, Hebrew, & Arabic. English subtitles.

Noodle

Miri, a twice-widowed, thirty-seven year old El Al fl ight attendant’s life is suddenly turned upside down by an abandoned Chinese boy whose migrant-worker mother has been summarily deported from Israel. Noodle is a touching comic-drama in which two human beings -- as different from each other as Tel Aviv is from Beijing -- accompany each other on a remarkable journey that takes them both back to a meaningful life. Winner of the Grand Prix of the Jury, Montreal World Film Festival. 100 minutes, in Hebrew/ Mandarin with English subtitles

Orthodox Stance

Orthodox Stance is a fascinating journey into the contradictory worlds of Orthodox Judaism and prizefi ghting. Dmitriy Salita is a 24 year-old immigrant and Orthodox Jew who prays daily, keeps kosher and is also an undefeated professional boxer who packs one heck of a wallop. This documentary fi lm takes us behind the scenes to experience Dimitriy’s grueling training, tense contract negotiations, as well as his pre-fi ght prayers before the North American Junior Welterweight title. Cheering him on are hundreds of Ultra Orthodox Jews. 83 minutes, in English.

Bad Faith

In this charming romantic comedy reminiscent of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”, Ismael and Clara are a happy, cosmopolitan Parisian couple. Neither of them is religious, and they’re not at all bothered by the fact that Ismael is an Arab Muslim and Clara a Jew. When Clara learns she’s pregnant the couple is faced with navigating the fear and disappointment of their family and friends. Middle East politics and religious differences threaten to destroy their relationship. Can love overcome all? 88 minutes, in French, with English subtitles.

Out of Sight

Ya’ara is an attractive, confident, and independent 24 year old who has just begun her PhD in Mathematics at Princeton University . Ya’ara is also blind. When she learns of the suicide of her cousin, and dearest childhood friend, Talia. Ya’ara rushes back to Israel. When Ya’ara joins Talia’s family to mourn her death she discovers the secrets of Talia’s life and embarks on an investigation to learn what led Talia to commit suicide. Out of Sight is a powerful story of secrets, lies, and betrayal. 89 minutes, in Hebrew with English subtitles.

Souvenirs

The winner of the Israeli Academy Award for Best Documentary, Souvenirs is a charming, funny and touching father-son journey in search of the ‘souvenirs’ the father may have left with two Dutch women during his service in the Jewish Brigade while stationed in Amsterdam during World War II. With humor and compassion, Souvenirs exposes a complex father-son relationship and raises universal questions about the myth of bravery and the gap between memory and historical truth. 75 minutes, in He brew with English subtitles.

The Forgotten Refugees

Last Jews of Libya

Employing the testimony of Jewish refugees along with dramatic archival footage of rescue missions, The Forgotten Refugees relates the history and destruction of Jewish communities throughout the Middle East. Compelling analyses by contemporary scholars explores how and why the Arab world’s Jewish population declined from almost one million in 1945 to only several thousand today. 49 minutes. In English

At the end of World War II 36,000 Jews resided in Libya; today, none remain. Using rare archival film and photographs, and a recently discovered memoir, The Last Jews of Libya traces the Roumani family from Turkish Ottoman rule to the fi nal destruction and dispersal of Libya’s Jews in the face of Arab nationalism. 52 minutes, in English, Hebrew, Italian, and Arabic.

The First Time I was Twenty

This charming comedy takes place during the Sixties in the suburbs of Paris. Sixteen-year old Hannah has a family who loves her. But she’s still unhappy. Gifted with musical talent, Hannah has chosen an instrument that resembles her, the bass, and dreams of joining her school’s jazz band. She passes the audition with fl ying colors, but her new colleagues, keen to maintain the group’s male line-up, stop at nothing in their efforts to discourage her. 93 minutes, in French with English subtitles.