Jewish Film Fest offers diverse slate

How to Go

What: The 12th annual Dayton Jewish International Film Festival

When: Tuesday, April 24-Thursday, May 10; screenings vary

Where: Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park N, Dayton; Neon Movies, 130 E. Fifth St,, Dayton; Little Art Theatre, 247 Xenia Ave., Yellow Springs; Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture and Education, 525 Versailles Drive, Centerville

Cost: Single tickets: $9; Student tickets: $8; Season pass (all films): $65

More info: (937) 853-0372 or www.jewish dayton.org

Nine films bridging the past and present by emphasizing diversity and multicultural relationships will be featured in the 12th annual Dayton Jewish International Film Festival, which opens Tuesday at the Dayton Art Institute.

Spanning 17 days and four venues, the DJIFF, presented by the Dayton Jewish Community Center, supplies high quality, award-winning films from around the globe spotlighting Jewish culture yet containing a broader appeal to the masses. A yearlong, meticulously detailed selection process by the festival committee has resulted in a promising array of comedies, dramas, thrillers and documentaries, consisting of American and foreign films

“An attempt is always made to create a festival that is characterized by both depth and breadth in its offerings,” said festival chairman Alan Chesen. “The selection committee is always very cognizant of providing an effective mix. We strive to have something for everyone.”

The festival will open with “The Matchmaker,” a dramatic account of life, love and loyalty nominated for seven Israeli Academy Awards including Best Picture. Set in the summer of 1968, the film sets the tone for the entire festival as reflections of the old and new world arise as seen through the eyes of an impressionable teenager.

“Careful deliberation goes into selecting the opening film,” said Jane Hochstein, cultural arts and active adult program director for the Dayton Jewish Community Center. “A good experience on opening night is the best advertising for the rest of the festival.”

Equally noteworthy among this year’s slate are “Kaddish for a Friend,” which received Audience Awards from Jewish Film Festivals in Pittsburgh, Boston and Washington, D.C.; the thought-provoking “Berlin 36,” based on the true events of two athletes in the 1936 Summer Olympics; and the gripping “Eichmann’s End: Love, Betrayal, Death.”

“’Kaddish for a Friend’ is family-friendly, a good tragi-comic story about friendship, trust and the art of forgiveness,” Hochstein said. “ ‘Berlin 36’ is a powerful must-see. ‘Eichmann’s End’ is an edge of your seat docudrama that tells the story of the capture in Argentina of Adolph Eichmann, the notorious Nazi despot. While many in the audience may be familiar with the story as it occurred, the intense details of the story unraveled in this film will intrigue you.”

Remaining selections are “David, “Dolphin Boy” (to be screened on Israel Independence Day), “Reuniting the Rubins,” “Salsa Tel Aviv” and “Sholem Aleichem: Laughing in the Darkness.”

As the festival continues to evolve, organizers are proud of the progress that has been made over the years, particularly the collaborations formed with the Neon Movies in Dayton and the Little Art Theatre in Yellow Springs. Although more partnerships and community involvement would bolster efforts, Hochstein remains pleased with the festival’s insightful impact.