You might be interested to know that 11 days of jewish film fest attracts film buffs from nook and corner of the US to the Washington, DC in January each year. The Washington Jewish Film Festival takes place at multiple venues in DC including the JCC of Greater Washington and the Avalon Theatre along with the promptbuscharters.com
You might be knowing that since 1990, the Washington Jewish Film Festival has screened feature films, documentaries, and shorts along with inspiring dialogues with regard to various issues focusing on the Jewish experience like lude Thierry Binistri’s A Bottle in the Gaza Sea, Sophie Lellouche’s Paris Manhattan, and Peter Sillen’s I Am Secretly an Important Man.
At the Centerpiece Evening, cast and crew from the screened film share their stories and answer questions about the film. And at the Two Jews Walk Into a Bar event, movie lovers enjoy a series of shorts and a bar crawl through popular DC watering holes like Local 16, Tropicalia, and Bistro La Bonne.
Tickets to the Washington Jewish Film Festival screenings cost about $11 each. Tickets to the Centerpiece Evening cost around $20 per person.
Opening and Closing Night tickets to the Washington Jewish Film Festival cost about $25 each, and tickets to the Two Jews Walk Into a Bar event cost around $30.
SCREEN GIANTS SUMMER SERIES
August 22-30, various times
Step out of the heat and cool down with four inimitable classics from top Jewish directors – Mel Brooks, Sidney Lumet, Elaine May, and Billy Wilder. Films included: The Apartment (1960), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), A New Leaf (1971) and Young Frankenstein (1974). Each film screens multiple times.
THE APARTMENT
Multiple Screenings (August 22-30)
Winner of five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay.
Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine and Fred MacMurray star in Billy Wilder’s tale of an insurance company middle man who lets management use his apartment for extramarital affairs.
DOG DAY AFTERNOON
Multiple Screenings (August 22-30)
The true story of a bank robbery gone haywire. One hot August day two optimistic losers–the frantic master-mind Sonny, and his slow-witted buddy Sal–rob a Brooklyn bank, with a surprising motive. Featuring Al Pacino, John Cazale and Penelope Allen.
A NEW LEAF
Multiple Screenings (August 22-30)
Elaine May’s first film is a hilarious fantasy about an aging and endlessly pampered Manhattan aristocrat shocked to discover that he has burned through his inheritance. The supercilious misanthrope (Walter Matthau) fixes on the unlikely scheme of finding a wealthy bride (May).
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
Multiple Screenings (August 22-30)
Mel Brooks’ monstrously crazy tribute to Mary Shelley’s classic pokes hilarious fun at just about every Frankenstein movie ever made. Summoned by a will to his late grandfather’s castle in Transylvania young Dr. Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) discovers the scientist’s manual explaining how to bring a corpse to life.
TO LIFE
Tuesday, September 1, 7:30pm
Fate has taken its toll on the aging cabaret singer Ruth and the young but terminally ill Jonas. Yet despite their great age difference and their entirely opposite experiences in life, they form an intense bond and give each other a reason and purpose to live.
FAMOUS NATHAN
Tuesday, September 8, 7:30pm
Thirty years in the making, Famous Nathan chronicles the personal and public history of Nathan’s Famous of Coney Island, the iconic hotdog eatery founded in 1916 by director Lloyd Handwerker’s grandfather Nathan Handwerker.
LABYRINTH OF LIES (sneak preview)
Thursday, September 10, 7:30pm
Based on true events of the investigations that lead to the Frankfurt Auschwitz trials in the 1960’s.
washingtondcjcc.org/center-for-arts/film/WJFF
