Running on Sand
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- The Rutgers Jewish Film Festival's 25th anniversary year will feature fourteen thought-provoking and entertaining films, dynamic discussions with filmmakers and special guests, and numerous New Jersey premieres on dance, music, the LGBTQ+ experience, American Jewish history, and Israeli society. Twelve films will be screened at the Regal Cinema Commerce Center, North Brunswick (November 7–17, 2024), and five films will be available virtually (November 15–21, 2024).
In-theater and virtual tickets are $15; Discount passes are available. Sponsored by Rutgers’ Allen and Joan Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life, the festival is made possible by a grant from the Karma Foundation. For information or to purchase tickets, visit BildnerCenter.Rutgers.edu/film. (See full schedule below.)
Opening day, November 7, features two Israeli narrative films. Running on Sand, which has its New Jersey premiere at the festival, is a lighthearted look at healing racial divisions in contemporary Israel; Seven Blessings, winner of 10 Israeli Academy Awards in 2023, unlocks secrets of a large Moroccan Jewish family as they observe the traditional week of sheva brachot (seven blessings), celebratory meals after a wedding. Guest speaker TBA.
Closing Day, November 17, will feature two special events at the Regal Cinema. Renowned singer-songwriter Janis Ian and director Varda Bar-Kar will speak at the New Jersey premiere of the documentary about Ian’s life, Janis Ian: Breaking Silence. In the evening, professional dancer Manish Chauhan will speak at the screening of Call Me Dancer, which tells his story, from his early years as a street dancer in Mumbai, India, to training with an Israeli ballet master and following his dreams.
In-Person Event Highlights -- All NJ Premieres: On Sunday, November 10, Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie and film director Sandi Dubowski will speak about Sabbath Queen, the powerful documentary about Lau-Lavie’s journey from radical drag queen to influential Rabbi of a God-optional, artist-driven New York synagogue. Later that day, director Lex Gillespie will speak about his charming film The Catskills, about the beloved Jewish vacation destination that also served as a refuge from antisemitism. On the 14th, director Daniel Robbins will speak at the screening of his dark comedy Bad Shabbos, which premiered at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival and won the Audience Award in the narrative category.
Virtual Cinema Highlights (Nov. 15–21): Colleyville, a heart-pounding documentary about the 11-hour hostage crisis that rocked a synagogue in the quiet town of Colleyville, Texas, in 2022, will feature a live Zoom discussion with film director Dani Menkin. The Glory of Life, a moving love story about the relationship of Franz Kafka and Dora Diamant, will also be screened only virtually. Three additional films will both be screened at the Regal Cinema and also available virtually.
The Allen and Joan Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life connects Rutgers University with the community through public lectures, symposia, Jewish communal initiatives, cultural events, and teacher training in Holocaust education. For twenty-five years, the Center’s annual Rutgers Jewish Film Festival has brought Central New Jersey diverse award-winning international films and dynamic discussions on Jewish history, culture, and identity.
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
Thursday, November 7
3:30pm - Running on Sand. Omari is an Eritrean refugee living in Israel whose home is raided by immigration officers. During an attempt to escape deportation at the airport, he is mistaken for a talented Nigerian soccer player, the latest acquisition by Israel’s Maccabi Netanya. Despite zero soccer skills, Omari hides his identity, enjoying his new lavish lifestyle. He helps to heal racial divisions between his own teammates and a tender romantic bond develops with the charming daughter of the team owner. Anchored by a diverse ensemble cast, Running on Sand is a charming antidote to our polarizing times. Country: Israel; Year: 2024; Director: Adar Shafran; Run Time: 104 minutes; Language(s): Hebrew with English subtitles
7:00pm - Seven Blessings. In early 1990s Jerusalem, a boisterous Moroccan family reunites for a cross-cultural wedding, and the traditional week of “seven blessings” celebratory meals hosted by family members following a wedding. Over sumptuous tables, painful family secrets and lies are revealed. With humor and pathos, this engrossing film delves into complex relationships, culture and the path to forgiveness. Inspired by true events. Country: Israel; Year: 2023; Director: Ayelet Menahemi; Run Time: 108 minutes; Language(s): Hebrew, Arabic, and French with English subtitles
Saturday, November 9
7:00pm - Seven Blessings. (see November 7 for description)
9:30pm - Bad Shabbos. You’ve never been to a Shabbat dinner quite like this. David and Meg, a newly-engaged interfaith couple, have brought their families together for a Friday night dinner. However, an accident injects chaos into an already nerve-wracking evening. Featuring hilarious performances from a host of stars like Kyra Sedgwick, David Paymer, and Cliff “Method Man” Smith, this darkly funny comedy takes family dysfunction to new, hilarious heights. Country: USA; Year: 2024; Director: Daniel Robbins; Run Time: 84 Minutes; Language(s): English
Bad Shabbos
Sunday, November 10
12:30pm - Sabbath Queen. Amichai Lau-Lavie is a descendant of an Orthodox rabbinic dynasty. He’s also gay, an interfaith minister, and a drag queen. Filmed over 20 years, this expansive, creative, and funny documentary follows his lifelong quest to radically reinvent religion and ritual for contemporary Jews. Country: USA; Year: 2024; Director: Sandi DuBowski; Run Time: 105 minutes; Language(s): English, Hebrew and Yiddish with English subtitles; Speaker: Sandi DuBowski, Director, and Amichai Lau-Lavie
3:00pm - The Catskills. This charming documentary pays tribute to the collection of summer resorts and bungalow colonies that became Jewish-American vacation destinations across the 20th century. Lovingly nicknamed the Borscht Belt, this nostalgic look back at a once-thriving community portrays the Catskills not only as hot-spots of lavish meals and hilarious entertainment, but as a way for New York Jews to escape a world rife with antisemitism. This trip down memory lane has a wealth of stunning archival videos with appearances from numerous American icons, from Buddy Hackett and Mel Brooks to Eleanor Roosevelt and Jackie Robinson. Country: USA; Year: 2024; Director: Lex Gillespie; Run Time: 86 minutes; Language(s): English and Yiddish with English subtitles; Speaker: Lex Gillespie, Director
5:30pm - The Performance. Based on a short story by Arthur Miller, The Performance follows Harold May, a talented tap dancer in 1937 New York City. An acculturated American Jew, he embarks on a European tour and is soon recruited by a German talent scout who pays handsomely for his troupe to perform a private show in Berlin. When the guest of honor turns out to be Adolf Hitler himself – May is put in a deep moral dilemma. Led by an astonishing turn from Golden Globe winner Jeremy Piven – who performs all of his own tap dancing – this compelling film explores hard truths about identity and moral complacency. Country: USA; Year: 2024; Director: Shira Piven; Run Time: 112 minutes; Language(s): English
Tuesday, November 12
12:30pm - The Performance. (see November 10 for description)
3:30pm - Call Me Dancer. An Israeli ballet master teaching in India discovers Manish, a talented and athletic street dancer with no formal training. Impressed by Manish’s talent and passion for dance, he takes him under his wing arranging scholarships and an internship with the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company in Israel. Facing competition from a younger more talented dancer and against the wishes of his struggling parents, Manish pushes himself determined to become a professional dancer. Winner of over 10 Audience Awards at film festivals nationwide, this heartfelt documentary charts a unique artist’s perseverance against all odds. Country: India, Israel, UK, USA; Year: 2023; Director: Leslie Shampaine, Pip Gilmour; Run Time: 84 minutes; Language(s): English and Hindi with English subtitles; Speaker: Manish Chauhan
7:30pm - Of Dogs and Men. This film blends fiction and documentary to subtly explore the aftermath of the October 7th attack on Israel’s southern border. Sixteen-year-old Dar, who survived the attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz, returns home to look for her lost dog. As she walks through the scarred remains of the kibbutz, she encounters different people, and reveals their complex responses to the violence in both Israel and Gaza. Shot on location with most people playing themselves, this wholly unique account of the impact of October 7th is arresting in its humanity and gravity. Country: Italy, Israel; Year: 2024; Director: Dani Rosenberg; Run Time: 82 minutes; Language(s): Hebrew with English subtitles
Thursday, November 14
12:30pm - All About the Levkoviches. Set in present day Budapest, this moving family dramedy follows Tamás, a stubborn but caring boxing instructor who has cut off all contact with his son, Ivan, who moved to Israel and became Orthodox. When the family matriarch dies unexpectedly, Ivan comes to Budapest to sit a traditional shiva and brings his young son. Meeting his grandson for the first time, Tamás faces the past and father and son are forced to reconcile their differences. Though the film features plenty of laugh-out-loud moments pitting the religious and secular worlds against one another, it is a powerful story of reconciliation. Country: Hungary; Year: 2024; Director: Ádám Breier; Run Time: 85 minutes; Language(s): Hebrew and Hungarian with English subtitles
2:30pm - Of Dogs and Men. (see November 12 for description)
5:30pm - Telling Nonie. In 1956, Shin Bet official Geizi Tsafrir helped assassinate Lieutenant Colonel Mustafa Hafiz Darwish, a military mastermind of the Egyptian Military Intelligence. Now, over 50 years later, an elderly Geizi seeks redemption and contacts Darwish’s daughter, Nonie, who has since grown to become a voice against radical Islam and a supporter of Israel. Nonie agrees to meet with him in Israel, where she confronts her traumatic past through a new lens. This essential documentary sheds an unwavering spotlight on Israeli-Arab division while charting a path forward of reconciliation and forgiveness. Country: Israel; Year: 2023; Director: Paz Schwartz, Uriel Sinai; Run Time: 50 minutes; Language(s): Hebrew with English subtitles
7:30pm - Bad Shabbos. (see November 9 for description)
Saturday, November 16
7:00pm - Running on Sand. (see November 7 for description)
9:15pm - The Stronghold. Set during the Yom Kippur War in 1973, the film follows a group of IDF soldiers whose outpost in the Sinai Desert comes under siege by the Egyptian army. With no rescue plan in sight and casualties wracking up, the group is put at odds between the commander, who insists they put up one final fight against the Arabs, and the visiting doctor (Michael Aloni) who believes surrender is the only path to survival. Produced in commemoration of the war’s 50th anniversary and based on real-life testimonies from Jewish soldiers, this stirring drama recounts a rarely-portrayed period in Jewish history with intensity and humanity. Country: Israel; Year: 2024; Director: Lior Chefetz; Run Time: 113 Minutes; Language(s): Hebrew with English subtitles
Sunday, November 17
12:00pm - All About the Levkoviches. (see November 14 for description)
2:00pm - Janis Ian: Breaking Silence. This inspiring documentary chronicles the acclaimed American singer-songwriter Janis Ian’s epic life journey beginning with her Jewish childhood on a chicken farm in New Jersey; her youthful struggle with notoriety following her first hit “Society’s Child” about an interracial love affair; her ascent to fame with the single “At Seventeen” about body shaming; and her pathbreaking album Breaking Silence about her lesbian identity. The film features Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, Jean Smart and other stars. Country: USA; Year: 2024; Director: Varda Bar-Kar; Run Time: 114 minutes; Language(s): English; Speaker: Varda Bar-Kar, Director, and Janis Ian
4:45 - The Stronghold. (see November 16 for description).
7:30pm - Call Me Dancer. (see November 12 for description)
For tickets and more information visit https://bildnercenter.rutgers.edu/events/film
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