Far North Jewish Film Festival

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The 12^th Annual Farthest North Jewish Film Festival is coming to Fairbanks. The films that will be showing are "A Matter of Size", "Waltz with Bashir", "Holes in my Shoes", "My Fuhrer", and "The Lemon Tree". A synopsis of each film, times, and showing locations is listed below.

A MATTER OF SIZE: Saturday, February 27 at 8:00 pm at the AK Coffee Roasting Co. on Geist Rd. Four overweight friends from the Israeli city of Ramle are fed up of dieting and the dieting club they belong to. When Herzl (340 lbs.) loses his job as a cook and starts working as a dishwasher in a Japanese restaurant in Ramle he discovers the world of Sumo where large people such as himself are honored and appreciated. Through Kitano (the restaurant owner, a former Sumo coach in Japan, he falls in love with a sport involving "two fatsos in diapers and girly hairdos". Herzl wants Kitano to be their coach but Kitano is reluctant - they first have to earn their spurs. "A MATTER OF SIZE" is a comedy about a ‘coming out’ of a different kind. The film was a breakout hit at the New York Tribeca Film Festival 2009; screened at Cannes 2009 and was the opening film for the Jerusalem International Film Festival 2009. Israel, 2009, 92 minutes, Hebrew, Japanese with English Subtitles, Comedy; Directed by: Sharon Maymon and Erez Tadmor, (mature content, some coarse language).

WALTZ WITH BASHIR: Sunday, February 28 at 7:00 pm at the AK Coffee Roasting Co. on Geist Rd.
 With guest panel and discussion following the film. One night at a bar, an old friend tells director Ari about a recurring nightmare in which he is chased by 26 vicious dogs. Every night, the same number of beasts. The two men conclude that there’s a connection to their Israeli Army mission in the first Lebanon War of the early eighties. Ari is surprised that he can’t remember a thing anymore about that period of his life. Intrigued by this riddle, he decides to meet and interview old friends and comrades around the world. He needs to discover the truth about that time and about himself. As Ari delves deeper into the mystery, his memory begins to creep up in surreal images. Waltz with Bashir premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival and has won and been nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, an NSFC Award for Best Film, a César Award for Best Foreign Film and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and an Annie Award for Best Animated Feature, among others. Israel, 2008, 89 min. Hebrew with English subtitles, Animated feature length documentary, written and directed by Ari Folman.

HOLES IN MY SHOES: Thursday, March 4 at 7:00 pm at the Pioneer Park Civic Center.
At 94, Jack Beer is not like any man his age. The film begins with an acknowledgement from Mayor Bloomberg for his contribution over a century to New York City. Jack was raised in severe poverty in the Lower East Side. He was known as New York City’s Strongest Boy.  He helped build Radio City Music Hall, and at The Manhattan Project, invented something that shortened WW2. He erected the Empire State Building spire (we see Jack at the top – via helicopter), he was a professional dog trainer, was a film actor in over 200 films, beat terminal illnesses, and, at 94, rides 3 miles per day on a stationary bike. This is a profound, inspiring and richly entertaining story for all ages. Winner of three documentary film awards. USA, 2006, 90 min. English. Documentary. Written and Directed by David Wachs.

MY FUHRER: Saturday, March 6 at 8:00 pm at the Blue Loon, Parks Hwy.
This dark comedy tells the story of Adolf Hitler and his preparation for a big New Year's speech, 1944. With the tides of war moving against him, Hitler is too depressed to speak, so a Jewish acting coach is called in to tutor him. The Führer’s is supposed to re-ignite the public’s fighting spirit but the problem is that the Führer can’t do it. Sick and depressive, he is avoiding the public. The only person who can now help is his former acting teacher, Adolf Grünbaum… a Jew. Goebbels spirits him and his family out of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp and sets them up in the Reich Chancellery. Time is running out - the Führer has only five days to return to top form. Levi’s Go For Zucker and The Giraffe were shown previously at the FNJFF. Germany, 2007,  89 min. German and Yiddish with English subtitles, Feature film (comedy). Written and Directed by Dani Levi.

LEMON TREE:  Sunday, March 7 at 7:00 pm at the AK Coffee Roasting Co. on Geist Rd.
Salma, a Palestinian widow, has to stand up against her new neighbor, the Israeli Defense Minister, when he moves into his new house opposite her lemon grove, on the green line border between Israel and the West Bank. The Israeli security forces are quick to declare that Salma's trees pose a threat to the Ministers safety and issue orders to uproot them. Together with Ziad Daud, a young Palestinian lawyer, Salma goes all the way to the Israeli Supreme Court to try and save her trees. Her struggle raises the interest of Mira Navon, the Defense ministers wife, trapped in her new home and in an unhappy life. Despite their differences and the borders between them the two women develop an invisible bond, while forbidden ties grow stronger between Salma and Ziad. Nominated for 'Best Actress' and 'Best Screenwriter' at the European Film Awards; winner of Audience Award, Berlin. Israel, 2008, 106 minutes, feature film, Hebrew, Arabic with English subtitles. Directed by Eran Riklis, written by Suha Arraf and Eran Riklis. Eran Riklis also directed Syrian Bride and Cup Final, shown previously at the FNJFF.


**Seating at the Alaska Coffee Roasting Company on Geist Road is limited. Please come early. Suggested donation: $10 adults, $5 students.**