Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival

Through Nov. 14, $10-$12, Gershman Y, 401 S. Broad St., 215-545-4400, pjff.org.

by Shaun Brady

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Published: Oct 28, 2009

movies

Given how often a couple of hours at the movies fails to satisfy as even an accompaniment to stale popcorn, it may be asking a lot of cinema to "repair the world." That's the translation of the Hebrew phrase "tikkun olam," which Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival director Olivia Antsis holds up as the fest's guiding moral. "We feel that through the medium of film we can advance deference for the dignity of all people and promote human rights and social justice by featuring filmmakers that give voice to underrepresented, marginalized and misunderstood people," Antsis says. "We hope that we can overcome the alienation and indifference experienced daily by many people in our society and in places all over the world." Leave it to a Jewish festival to shoulder the burdens of the world before allowing itself to enjoy a little pleasure, but Antsis is quick to add, "We also show films that are entertaining and fun," and the fest did kick off last weekend with Circumcise Me (pictured), a documentary on Philly-born Yisrael Campbell, the "Matisyahu of comedy." This year's fest, the 29th season for the country's second-oldest Jewish film fest, compacts the usual six-month fest into three weeks, with a documentary series and new-filmmakers weekend to follow early next year.

Through Nov. 14, $10-$12, Gershman Y, 401 S. Broad St., 215-545-4400, pjff.org.

Great Migration
Save the Deli
The Good Puppet of Szechwan
The Weir
Kaleidoscope
On Pointe
New Edge Mix