This year, eight films have been selected for the Boston Jewish Film Festival’s annual FreshFlix Short Film Competition. The films range from funny to serious, linear to experimental, and follow the lives of remarkable characters and uniquely Jewish experiences.
“Edek”
A collaboration between 85-year-old Ukranian Holocaust survivor Janine Webber and rapper Kapoo details her harrowing story in a fusion of interviews, rap, music and film.
“Five Years After the War”
Tim was raised in Paris by a Jewish mother and has never met his Iraqi father. Directors Samuel Albaric, Ulysse Lefort and Martin Wiklund follow his journey through conflicts of identity and self-worth through candid interviews portrayed with dynamic, vivid animation.
“I’m From the Jews”
An Israeli man is visited by the spirit of his Arab grandfather and begins speaking Arabic, as do many other Jews. He is forced to choose between his Iraqi Jewish identity or conform to the expectations of the people around him.
“Offspring”
Thirty-two-year-old Ilana is struggling to get pregnant, and when her superstitious Bukharan Jewish grandmother drags her to a bris, she balks at the suggestion of eating the foreskin to induce pregnancy. However, as Ilana debates taking part in the superstition, her feelings about femininity and family begin to change.
“The Bris of Michael Moshe Solomon”
An intimate and funny slice of life as a group of women, including two sisters and their grieving mother, wait for a bris to take place next door.
“The Cheeseburger”
As three Jewish roommates of various observances bake challah, they debate the ethics of one very non-kosher decision: eating a cheeseburger.
“The Master of York”
A comedy set in 12th-century France, this film tells the tale of a scholar who builds a golem to satisfy his wife’s needs, but the golem soon becomes a valued member of the community. A quirky tale about what it means to be human.
“Travelogue Tel Aviv”
Swiss art student Samuel Patthey tours Tel Aviv and explores the dynamic and everyday lives of its citizens through his expressive, fluid drawings.
These films will be screened on Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. at Arts at the Armory in Somerville. JewishBoston is excited to be a media partner for this annual event. Find more information here.
