If audiences were to rely solely on Hollywood for a comprehensive depiction of Jewish culture, history and religion, they would see and hear a mere fraction of the stories that deserve to be told.
To compensate for this shortfall and provide a window for films with Jewish themes that you won’t necessarily find at the multiplex, the Victoria International Jewish Film Festival was launched last year.
“Cultural film festivals promote differing viewpoints, foster greater cultural understanding and encourage the production of independent artistic projects that help to move our society in a positive direction,” said festival director Sandra Glass.
“The goal of the Victoria International Jewish Film Festival is to foster an appreciation of film that serves as both an esthetic expression and cultural understanding.”
The objective of the festival that receives funding from the Victoria Foundation includes uniting disparate groups to learn about and reflect on fundamental and universal themes as expressed in Jewish-themed films.
Its mandate is to present films that are not necessarily religious in nature, but showcase “secular cultural experiences” for both Jewish audiences and the wider moviegoing community in the capital region.
The festival fare, described by organizers as “artistic expressions of broadly shared human values,” aims to increase awareness of Jewish culture and provide an opportunity for community engagement.
The volunteer-run event, which takes place this year from Nov. 12 to 15 at Cineplex Odeon, 780 Yates St., is presented by the Jewish Community Centre of Victoria.
“We are gratified that the Victoria Foundation chose to support our [festival] this year,” said Glass.
“Support from the foundation contributes to a robust arts and culture environment in this region.”
This year’s opening night showcase pairs Ave Maria, Basil Khalil’s offbeat short about a group of Palestinian nuns and a family of Israeli settlers forced to set aside their religious differences on the Sabbath and work together, with Robert Sherman’s documentary In Search of Israeli Cuisine.
Other festival entries include Fire Birds, Baba Joon, Moos, Who’s Gonna Love Me Now, Midnight Orchestra and Short Cuts, a quartet of short films.
The Jewish Community Centre of Victoria has provided programs and services in Victoria and other Vancouver Island communities since 1987.
For more information, go to vijff.ca
