18 is for Life at the Austin Jewish Film Festival
Fest returns online and at the drive-in
By Richard Whittaker, 9:15AM, Sat. Nov. 7, 2020
Life. In Hebrew, chai, and under the numerology of Gemetria, forever associated with the number 18. That's why, in a time of so much death and sorrow due to the pandemic, the 18th Austin Jewish Film Festival is becoming a celebration of life streaming into your home.
That's also part of why this is the most jam-packed AJFF schedule ever. While many festivals that have gone online have cut back on the number of screenings, this year's virtual fest has swollen to 60 titles, including many premieres and a chance to catch some favorites form years past. Moreover, the streaming films are all available now until the end of the fest on Friday, including free screenings for a taste of what's on offer.
The schedule represents the broadest diversity of the Jewish experience and diaspora, and that premiere list includes the US debuts for The Prague Orgy (adapting Philip Roth's 1985 novella), and Bukra Fil Mish-Mish, a joyous rediscovery of a lost chapter of Arabic animation, and the surprising struggles faced by the man who tried to restore their creation to his family history.
As for the best of past fests, that includes a whole week's worth of programming presented with other Austin fests. AJFF has joined forces with Austin Polish Film Festival for The Neurosurgeon, the story of two doctors separated by geography but unified in their desire to overcome a terrible affliction; Indie Meme, the celebration of South East Asian cinema, co-presents Shalom Bollywood, a documentary about how a Jewish community was pivotal in the early growth of Indian cinema; and science fiction festival Other Worlds serves up a prelude to it own December event with the return of Abulele, the charming story of a boy and his monster.
The festival hasn't gone completely virtual, with opening and closing night drive-in screenings, courtesy of their partners at the Blue Starlite Mini Urban Drive-in. Tonight the fest kicks off at the Dell Jewish Community Center with the Texas premiere of The Crossing, a thrilling story of childhood bravery at the height of World War II. It will close out with another vehicular extravaganza and Texas premiere, also at Dell, of Aulcie, a new documentary about the rise, fall, and rise of Israeli basketball legend Aulcie Perry (warm up for that with a free virtual screening of On the Map, following Perry and his teammates in Maccabi Tel Aviv as they took the 1977 European Championship against all odds).
The 18th Austin Jewish Film Festival virtual and drive-in edition runs Nov. 7-13. Find passes, tickets, and info at www.austinjff.org.
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Austin Jewish Film Festival, Aulcie, Aulcie Perry, The Crossing
