Leichtag Foundation sponsored fest opens Feb. 9 in La Jolla
By Ashley Mackin | Downtown News
The 22nd annual San Diego Jewish Film Festival, sponsored by the Leichtag Foundation, will run Feb. 9 – 19. The Festival is presented by the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, Jacobs Family Campus.
As a highlight, the Festival will once again feature films as part of the Joyce Forum, a celebration of emerging and seasoned filmmakers. The Joyce Forum is on Feb. 13 at the Reading Cinemas 14, located at 4665 Clairemont Dr. and presents outstanding Jewish-themed short subject, documentary and feature films from around the world.
As part of the Joyce Forum, nine short films will be screened along with one full-length feature, starting at 2:30 p.m. The short films include “Flawed,” “Don’t Tell Santa You’re Jewish!,” “Ladies and Gentlemen: Biddie Schitzerman,” “Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest,” “David and Goliath,” “Miracle Lady,” “I Was a Child of Holocaust Survivors,” “Shira” and “A Reuben By Any Other Name.” These short films are all free to attend.
The full-length featured film in the Joyce Forum is “Kaddish for a Friend,” the story of an unlikely friendship between Ali, a fourteen-year-old Palestinian refugee who hates Jews, and an elderly Russian Jew, Alexander, who passionately wants to continue living independently. “Kaddish for a Friend” starts at 5 p.m. and regular tickets start at $13.75. It will also screen at the Reading Cinema 14.
At 7:30 p.m., the Joyce Forum will highlight a series of animated shorts, “Jewish Food for Thought,” which incorporates Jewish wisdom into conversations. Tickets for “Jewish Food for Thought” range from $11.75-$13.75.
In addition to the Reading Cinema, films in the San Diego Jewish Film Festival will be screened at the UltraStar Mission Valley Cinemas at Hazard Center, Edwards San Marcos Stadium 18, the Carlsbad Village Theatre in Carlsbad and the David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center in La Jolla.
Single ticket prices for most films are $10.75-$12.75 for seniors, $11.75 for JCC members and $13.75 for non-members, with varying ticket prices for opening and closing events. Festival passes, senior and student discounts and group rate discounts are available. For more information and specific ticket information, visit lfjcc.org.