2014 Competition


2014 NON COMPETITION SCREENINGS
     Program 2014 Eng version

Narrative features

POLIN Museum, Warsaw: Nov. 8, Saturday 20:00 - 22:00
Pre-premiere screening.
The meetings with the authors.

CLOSER TO THE MOON
GANG ROSENTHALA
dir. by Nae Caranfil,
Poland, Romania, USA, France, Italy 2014, 110'

A film based on actual events. A true story of “virtuous” Jewish gangsters who in 1959 in Bucharest organized the greatest bank robbery in the history of Romania. To humiliate the perpetrators, the Communist government forces them to reenact the robbery in a fake propaganda film. Director Nae Caranfil exposes the mechanisms governing the oppressive communist system and at the same time spins a captivating story with a star-studded cast.

Off Plus Camera, JFF Boston, Montreal WFF.


LUNA Cinema, Warsaw: Nov. 9, Sunday, 14:30 - 16:30

FADING GIGOLO
CASANOVA PO PRZEJ¦CIACH
dir. by John Turturro,
USA 2013, 98'

An owner of a second-hand bookstore Murray Schwartz (Woody Allen) falls into debt. As a result, he decides to talk his friend, a timid florist Fioravante (John Turturro), into a meeting with his dermatologist (Sharon Stone). It is not, however, an ordinary doctor’s appointment… In this way, a lucrative business is set up. Unexpectedly, Fiorovante meets Avigal (Vanessa Paradis), an orthodox Jewess…

Berlin JFF, UK JFF.


LUNA Cinema, Warsaw: Nov. 6, Thursday, 21:30 - 23:15

GOD'S SLAVE
NIEWOLNIK BOGA
dir. by Joel Novoa
Argentina, Uruguay, USA, Venesuela 2013, 90'

1994. Buenos Aires. Ahmed Al Hassama, a terrorist covering as a young doctor, is slated to execute an attack. Meanwhile, David, a cold-blooded Israeli Mossad Agent is hot on his trail and will stop at nothing to put an end to the terrorist cell group.

LA JFF, San Francisco JFF, Atlanta JFF, UK JFF.


LUNA Cinema, Warsaw: Nov. 7, Friday, 19:00 - 21:00
The meeting with the authors.

RUN BOY RUN!
BIEGNIJ CHŁOPCZE BIEGNIJ
dir. by dir. by Pepe Danquart ,
Germany, France, Poland 2013, 107'

An incredible story which happened in real life. Directed by Academy Award winner Pepe Danquart, Run Boy Run is an adaptation of the bestselling novel by Uri Orlev, translated into 15 languages. The main protagonist of the film is a boy who despite adversities manages to survive the Holocaust. The movie’s international cast includes an array of Polish film stars.

Berlinale, Berlin JFF, NYC JFF, LA JFF, San Francisco JFF, UK JFF.


POLIN Museum, Warsaw: Nov 3, 19:30 - 22:00e
Opening of the 12th Edition of WARSAW JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL 2014
Pre -premiere screening

THE ANGRIEST MAN FROM BROOKLYN
CHOLERYK Z BROOKLYNU
dir. by Phil Alden Robinson
USA 2014, 83'

The last performance of Robin Williams. A curmudgeonly man is mistakenly told that he has 90 minutes to live by his doctor and promptly sets out to reconcile with his wife, brother and friends in the short time he believes he has left…

UK Jewish FF


LUNA Cinema, Warsaw: Nov. 6, Thursday, 16:00 - 17:45

THE GERMAN DOCTOR
ANIOŁ ¦MIERCI
dir. by Lucía Puenzo
Argentina 2013, 90'

An enthralling story of an Argentinian family which by pure chance meets one of the most wanted murderers of the 20th century – Josef Mengele. Unaware of the danger, they decide to take him in...

Argentynski kandydat do Oscarów 2014, Cannes, San Sebastian IFF, Berlin JFF.


Luna Cinema, Warsaw: Nov. 9, Sunday, 16:45 - 18:30

THE PIN
SZPILKA
dir. by Naomi Jare
Canada 2013, 85'

The first and only Yiddish feature ever produced in Canada, The Pin is a haunting love story about two young adults hiding out in a barn in Lithuania during the Second World War.

Toronto JFF, Golden Trailer Awards 2014


Luna Cinema, Warsaw: Nov. 4,Tuesday, 21:45 - 23:30

TSILI

dir. by Amos Gitai
Israel 2014, 88'

Inspired by Aharon Appelfeld’s novel. A film by acclaimed director Amos Gitai. Tsili, a young Jewish woman, hides in the forest after her entire family is deported to the camps. Escaping the savagery of the war zone, she finds refuge in nature and builds a nest for herself. One day, Marek discovers her nest...

Venice Film Festival 2014




Feature documentaries

POLIN Museum, Warsaw: Nov. 6, Thursday, 17:30 - 19:00
World premiere, the meeting with a director and charasters

A TOWN CALLED BRZOSTEK
BRZOSTEK: HISTORIA PEWNEGO POWROTU
dir. by Simon Target
Australia, Poland 2014, 45'

about 85% of Ashkenazy Jewish families around the world come from Poland, but most of them have no love for the country that gave them a home for centuries. When English professor Jonathan Webber rebuilt the cemetery in the tiny Polish town of Brzostek, where his grandfather was born, he invited fellow Jews from across the world to visit Poland and change their minds about their ancestral home. With appearances by Anne Applebaum, Norman Davis, Tad Taube, and Michael Schudrich.




POLIN Museum, Warsaw: Nov. 5, Wednesday, 18:30 - 20:30

ABOVE AND BEYOND
W PRZESTWORZACH
dir. by director,
USA 2014, 90'

In 1948, a group of World War II pilots, mostly from America, volunteered to fight for Israel in the War of Independence. Above and Beyond is their story.

San Francisco JFF, Sao Paulo JFF, UK JFF


LUNA Cinema, Warsaw: Nov. 4, Tuesday, 17:30 - 19:00
The day of German movies - patronage of ZDF

AN APARTMENT IN BERLIN
MIESZKANIE W BERLINIE
dir. by Alice Agneskirchner
Germany 2013, 83'

Young Israelis in Berlin are mostly attracted by its cosmopolitan and international atmosphere. Berlin was also the place from which the Nazis planned the systematic extermination of the Jews. Three generations after the Holocaust, does this fact matter to young Israelis?

Jewish FF Maine, DOK Munchen, Barcelona JFF


POLIN Museum, Warsaw: Nov. 6, Thursday, 19:30 - 21:30
The meeting with a director

L'CHAIM! - TO LIFE
LECHAIM: ZA ŻYCIE!
dir. by Elkan Spiller
Germany, Holland, Israel, France, Belgium, 2014, 93'

Chaim Lubelski is a Jewish scholar who moved to Antwerp at 63 to live with his mother – a concentration camp survivor. In his documentary, director Elkan Spiller introduces us to his eccentric and charismatic cousin, a second generation survivor, who is deeply affected by the Holocaust and its traumatic aftermath.

Munich Int FF, Berlin JFF


POLIN Museum, Warsaw: Nov. 4, Tuesday, 16:00-16:50

MURDERERS AMONG US: FRITZ BAUER'S LONELY STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE
MORDERCY W¦RÓD NAS
dir. by Peter Hartl & Andrzej Klamt,
Germany,2014, 44'

He was an exception within West German judiciary after 1945: Fritz Bauer, Attorney General in Frankfurt, confronted the Germans with the horror of Auschwitz in a spectacular trial that took place 50 years ago.




LUNA Cinema, Nov. 7, Friday, 15:00 - 16:30

NIGHT WILL FALL
GDY NASTAJE ¦WIT
dir. by André Singer
UK/ USA/ Israel /Denmark 2014, 75'

“Night Will Fall” tells the story of the liberation of the Nazi Concentration camps. Using remarkable archive footage and testimony from both survivors and liberators, it tells of the efforts made to document the almost unbelievable scenes that the allies encountered on Liberation. The film with the partcipation of Alfred Hitchcock and Billy Wilder; narrated by Helena Bonham Carter.

Berlinale, Jersualem FF


POLIN Museum, Warsaw: Nov. 7, Friday, 17:30 - 19:30
Meeting with authors of the movie.

SAMUEL
SAMUEL
dir. by Jan Kidawa-Błonski
Poland 2013, 78'

A film about the extraordinary life of Samuel Willenberg–a sculptor and painter, the prisoner and the last still living man of armed rebellion in Treblinka, a participant of the Warsaw Uprising, who was awarded Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland and the Order of Military Virtue. Willenberg recollects his childhood in Częstochowa, the turmoils of war, as well as contemporary Tel-Aviv.

Festivals selections


POLIN Museum, Warsaw: Nov. 4, Tuesday, 21:45 - 22:50

SOUND OF TORTURE
ODGŁOSY TORTUR
dir. by Keren Shayo
Israel 2013, 60'

The film closely follows Meron Estefanos, a Swedish-Eritrean radio host, who broadcasts a weekly radio program on the situation of the Eritrean hostages held in Sinai, during which she fields live calls from hostages and their relatives. It is a harrowing journey, leading Meron to Israel and the Sinai Desert.

2014 Ofir - The Israeli Academy Award for best short doc, 2014 Docaviv: the best debut


Luna Cinema, Warsaw: Nov. 7, Friday, 21:30 - 23:15

THE GREEN PRINCE
ZIELONY KSIĄŻĘ
dir. by Nadav Schirman
Germany, Israel, USA, UK 2014, 99'

A documentary about betrayal and service, conflicting interests and shame brought as a result of a collaboration with foreign intelligence. It is a real story of a father and son, who fought in opposing camps. Is loyalty more important than the obligation to save innocent lives? The Green Prince is a thriller which happened in real life.

Sundance 2014 – Audience Award, Docaviv Israel, San Francisco JFF, UK JFF


POLIN Museum, Warsaw: Nov. 5, Wednesday, 17:00 - 18:15

THE TRAM TO AUSCHWITZ
POCIĄG DO AUSCHWITZ
dir. by Elsa Kvamme
Norway 2013, 66'

Samuel Steinmann is the last living Norwegian Holocaust survivor. In The Tram To Auschwitz, Sammy makes that journey again, and the film follows him. A touching story about the will to survive, courage, luck and one very special man.

Berlin JFF, Norwegian Doc. FF


POLIN Museum, Warsaw: Nov. 4, Tuesday, 20:10-21:30

THEODORE BIKEL: IN THE SHOES OF SHOLOM ALEICHEM
THEODORE BIKEL: ¦LADAMI SZOLEMA ALEJCHEMA
dir. by John Lollos
USA 2014, 75'

Portraits of two beloved icons–Sholom Aleichem and Theodore Bikel–are woven together in this enchanting new documentary. The two men have much in common: wit, wisdom and talent. Now 90, Bikel has played Tevye the Milkman on stage more than 2,000 times.
Courtesy of The National Center for Jewish Film
Film provided by The National Center for Jewish Film

San Francisco JFF, Australia JFF
Film provided by The National Center for Jewish Film www.jewishfilm.org


POLIN Museum, Warsaw: Nov. 7, Friday, 19:45 - 21:45

UNEXPECTED LOVE
NIESPODZIEWANA MILO¦Ć
dir. by Paz Schwartz
Israel 2014, 50'

A real story that might seem impossible. The relationship between Anastasia and Doron is full of unexpected twists and turns. In the end, everything will end well although this tale features such contradictory emotions as lie, love, prejudice, forgiveness, and heartbreak.

2014 September: "Prize for best debut film" Saratov Sufferings International Film Festival of Documentary Drama; Docaviv 2014 Israeli Competition


POLIN Museum, Warsaw: Nov. 8, Saturday, 17:30 - 19:30

WATCHERS OF THE SKY
STRAŻNICY NIEBA
dir. by Edet Belzberg
USA 2014, 114'

Inspired by Samantha Power’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book, A Problem From Hell, Edet Belzberg’s documentary weaves together four modern stories while uncovering the forgotten life of Raphael Lemkin, the Polish-Jewish inventor of the word ‘genocide’.

Sundance 2014 – Award for edition, Jury Award for animation, Jerusalem FF Award for Best Doc.


POLIN Museum, Warsaw: Nov. 5, Wednesday, 20:45 - 22:30

WE ARE HERE
TĘSKNIĘ ZA TOBĄ ŻYDZIE
dir. by Francine Zuckerman
Canada/ Poland, 2014, 83'

What is the Jewish life like in a country where 90% of Polish Jews have been murdered during the Holocaust? The author and central figures of this documentary try to answer this question.

Jewish FF Berlin


Short fiction films and animations

LUNA Cinema, Warsaw: Nov. 4, Tuesday, 19:30 - 21:30
The day of German films - ZDF patronage

A GOOD STORY
CIEKAWA HISTORIA
dir. by Martin-Christopher Bode
Germany 2013, 20'

When Helga Landowsky discovers a broken jug in an antique store near the German/Polish border, she wants to have it at any cost. While bartering with the antiquarian who owns the jug, the two begin realizing their lives are wondrously interwoven.

Cannes, LA Shorts Fest, Toronoto Short FF, Shanghai IFF


LUNA Cinema, Warsaw: Nov. 4, Tuesday, 19:30 - 21:30
The day of German films - ZDF patronage

CALL HER LOTTE!
NAZWIJ JĄ LOTTE!
dir. by Annekathrin Wetzel
Germany 2014, 17'

In the wake of the dictatorship of Hitler and the Nazis, the friendship between young Maria and her Jewish friend Lea is stronger than terror and fear. However, it gradually starts to break as Maria’s husband Hans goes from being a young adventurer to a high ranking SS officer?

Cannes 2014, LA JFF, Potsdam FF, UK JFF


LUNA Cinema, Warsaw: Nov. 7, Friday, 17:00 - 18:30
The meeting with the authors.

GAMES
ZABAWY
dir. by Ana Feil
Croatia, 2014, 10'

The drama entitled Games takes place during the World War II in Zagreb and illustrates the dangers of then prominent propaganda. Despite mother’s orders Klara, aged 10, exits the apartment wanting to play with other kids...

International Festival of Tolerance Zagreb


LUNA Cinema, Warsaw: Nov. 4, Tuesday, 19:30 - 21:30
The day of German films - ZDF patronage

GLOOMY SABBATH
PONURY SZABAS
dir. by Amit Epstein
Germany 2013, 15'

When Christian reaches for his grandmother’s hand at her deathbed, she suddenly comes awake and takes him on a colorful, lighthearted jaunt through her eventful life.

TRAILER: GLOOMY SABBATH | 2013 | ENGLISH from Tamtam Film on Vimeo.

Berlin JFF, Interfilm FF for shorts in Berlin, Wiesbaden FF


LUNA Cinema, Warsaw: Nov. 7, Friday, 17:00 - 18:30

HAMMOCKS
HAMAKI
dir. by Joanna Polak
Poland 2013, 4'

Jews constituted an integral part of the town of Sejny and their Sabbath celebrations are well-remembered by their neighbors. However, WWII destroyed the Jewish world of Sejny and shattered its memory.

OFAFA 2014


LUNA Cinema, Warsaw: Nov. 7, Friday, 17:00 - 18:30

LONGING
POŻĄDANIE
dir. by Nadav Mishali
Israel 2014, 20'

Every month Michal bathes in the mikveh so that she can have sexual relations with her husband, but when the long awaited night arrives, nothing happens between them. The deterioration in the intimacy between the two, evokes her suspicions about his true identity.

Israeli Cinema South FF


LUNA Cinema, Warsaw: Nov. 4, Tuesday, 19:30 - 21:30
The day of German films - ZDF patronage

SALOMEA'S NOSE
NOS SALOMEI
dir. by Susan Korda
Germany, USA 2014, 23'

Salomea remembers the day her beloved brothers, Max and Karl, disfigured her and themselves for life. A tragicomedy about sibling rivalry.

San Francisco JFF, Los Angeles Short FF, UK JFF


LUNA Cinema, Warsaw: Nov. 7, Friday, 17:00 - 18:30
The meetings with authors

THE SHADOW FOREST
LAS CIENI
dir. by Andrzej Cichock
Poland 2014, 14'

While hunting a wolf, a man is startled by the sound of guns. Suddenly, people start running. One of them, a small boy, gets lost in the forest. Even the wolves sense the impending danger...

Nowe Horyzonty, Rhode Island Int FF, Montreal World Film Festival, Lagów Int. FF


LUNA Cinema, Warsaw: Nov. 7, Friday, 17:00 - 18:30
The meetings with the authors

THE VISIT
WIZYTA
dir. by Inbar Horesh
Israel 2014, 27'

Hagar comes to visit her father in a Jerusalem nursing home. Before entering his room she looks at him and chooses to escape, but a series of mishaps forces her to spend the day in the building, masquerading as a caretaker.

Cannes, Jerusalem FF


Short documentaries

POLIN Museum, Warsaw: Nov. 7, Friday, 19:45 - 21:45

RAQUEL: A MARKED WOMAN
RAQUEL: KOBIETA NAZNACZONA
dir. by Gabriela Bohm
USA, 2014, 30'

In early 20th century Argentina, an ordinary mother was torn from her children, and tricked into prostitution. Other women conceded their fate. But not Raquel. Thoughts about her sons gave her strength to fight back.

Toronto Jewish FF, LA Jewish FF, Palm Spring Int ShortFest.


POLIN Museum, Warsaw: Nov. 4, Tuesday, 20:10 - 21:30

VISHNEVA, BELARUS SOVIET UNION POLAND
WISZNIEW, BIALORU¦, ZSRR, POLSKA
dir. by Dr. Jacob J. Podber
USA 2013, 3'

Vishneva, Belarus Soviet Union Poland is grounded in the oral history testimony of a Holocaust survivor, which has been deconstructed by the interviewee’s son.