The 15th Annual Lenore Marwil Jewish Film Festival: Bringing 30 Films from All over the Globe

West Bloomfield, MI -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/22/2013 -- The Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit is set to host the 15th Annual Lenore Marwil Jewish Film Festival April 7–18, presenting 30 award-winning films that tell the stories of everyone from a talented songwriter to a famed Israeli war hero to those affected by the Holocaust. Audiences will be able to see films that break barriers and conquer social divides so they can better understand the world; they will be transported while they learn, relax and are entertained.

“Each year, hundreds of films have to be viewed in order to choose the very best in the largest Jewish film festival in the country,” said Film Festival Director Rachel Ruskin. This state-wide festival hosts events in West Bloomfield, Flint, Kalamazoo and Ann Arbor. “Each one of these films is like entering another world, a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, “said Ruskin as the final touches of the festival come together.

“This year’s remarkable festival features movies from around the world, including Israel, England, France, Germany and the Czech Republic,” said Eric Lumberg, Lenore Marwil Film Festival Director.

Among this year’s films:

- “Life In Stills,” is an inspiring documentary tells the story of Miriam Weissenstein’s “The Photo House” and beautifully portrays the relationship between the 96-year-old owner and her grandson, Ben. Miriam’s shop is slated for destruction when Ben comes into the picture. He is determined to save the building and its collection of nearly1 million negatives that document Israel’s birth, beginnings and most notable moments in history.

- How does one song become incredibly popular when so few people even understand the words? Who hasn’t heard Hava Nagila? On April 7, film goers will see why artists such as Bob Dylan and Elvis have tried to make “Hava Nagila” their own. It’s played at weddings and sporting events and at social clubs in Moscow. Everyone knows the tune. But where did “Hava Nagila” come from? With interviews from stars of today and yesterday, this film is a hilarious and thoughtful journey.

- From the moment he was born, Ali learned to hate the Jews. Now he wants to get in with a gang. But first he has to meet their challenge: vandalize the apartment of an older man named Alexander, the least likely person who might become Ali’s friend. Yet what starts out as hatred leads to a bond no one could have imagined in saying, “Kaddish for a Friend,” shown April 15.

- “The Price of Kings” takes a look into the life of the legendary and controversial Israeli leader Shimon Peres, a man who went from hawk to dove, from winning the Nobel Peace Prize to mourning the death of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Narrated by Helena Bonham Carter, this intriguing documentary also considers the many sacrifices Peres has made along the way. Shown April 16.

- “My Best Enemy,” shown April 17, Victor Kaufmann is the son of wealthy gallery owners and living a fairly comfortable life in Vienna. He has a loving girlfriend, Lena, and a best friend named Rudi. Suddenly things take a dramatic turn when the two men learn surprising information about each other. Then roles begin to reverse in this film that is both comic and suspenseful, all while centering around a time of man’s darkest hours.

Please find attached a pdf with a complete list of films and exclusive trailers.

The Lenore Marwil Jewish Film Festival April 7 – 18, 2013.

Tickets are $11 each to all films. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit http://jccdet.org or call The Berman Center for the Performing Arts box office at (248) 661-1900. Or purchase a patron pass, which allows guests to see all films, or a matinee pass (matinees only) for $40 for JCC members and $45 for non-members.

Media inquiries can be directed to:
Sari Cicurel Public Relations Specialist
The Berman Center for the Performing Arts
Box Office: 248-661-1900
http://www.theberman.org
Cell for Media: 248-766-0945