By Janet Arnold, October 2014
The 14th Annual Scottsdale International Film Festival runs Oct. 9-13 at Harkins Shea 14 at 7354 E Shea Blvd. in Scottsdale. This year’s festival features over 50 films in five days. The opening event on Oct. 9, at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, is the movie “Rudderless,” with a pre-screening reception included with the $35 ticket.
Festival Founder and Executive Director Amy Ettinger has included several films with significant Jewish perspectives in the impressive lineup. “Closed Season” (Germany/Israel) tells the story of a Jewish boy fleeing Nazi persecution during World War II. Told in flashback, it also includes the story of a German student’s search for his biological father in 1970s Israel. (Oct. 11 at 9:10 am and Oct. 13 at 10 am)
“The Outrageous Sophie Tucker” (United States) is a documentary focusing on the tumultuous early days of this iconic vaudeville superstar, who ruled the 1920s’ Flapper Era. (Oct. 10 at 2:15 pm and Oct. 13 at 11:45 am)
“Run Boy Run” (German/French/Polish) is the story of a 9-year-old boy escaping the Warsaw ghetto and passing as a Christian to survive. (Oct. 12 at 1:10 pm and Oct. 13 at 4:15 pm)
“Under the Same Sun” (Israel/Palestine) depicts an Israeli and Palestinian working together to create a new solar energy company. “What begins as a partnership for business becomes a partnership for peace.” (Oct. 11 at 4 pm and Oct. 12 at 11:25 am)
Festival organizers announced last month that they will join forces with the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts in January to establish an innovative new collaboration that will enable the nonprofit organizations to share resources and offer expanded film programs to the community. As part of the collaboration, Amy Ettinger will join the staff of the center as a film curator while she continues to direct the festival. The festival also will maintain its longstanding relationship with Harkins Theatres, which has served as its official home since 2001.
“Our partnership with the Scottsdale Cultural Council and Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is a natural fit in terms of combining their resources and facilities with our film programming expertise,” says Amy.
“When arts organizations come together in a spirit of collaboration, they can accomplish so much more,” says Scottsdale Cultural Council President and CEO Neale Perl. “We look forward to a productive partnership that will build on existing strengths, foster innovation and create new opportunities for the arts in Scottsdale.”
Individual tickets for this year’s films are $12; packages are also available. For the complete listing of films and to purchase tickets, visit scottsdalefilmfestival.com.
– See more at: https://azjewishlife.com/2014/oct/ae/check-out-jewish-films-scottsdale-international-film-festival#sthash.ZsubsUtR.dpuf
