SAN FRANCISCO - Showcasing LGBTQ stories with a Jewish perspective, The Jewish Film Institute (JFI) announces the following films. The 39th San Francisco Jewish Film Festival (SFJFF) returns to the Bay Area July 18th to August 4th, 2019. Tickets are now on sale for all programs.
Adam by Rhys Ernst
Directed by Transparent producer Rhys Ernst and adapted by Ariel Schrag from her novel of the same name, in Adam the titular teenage spends his last high school summer with his big sister, who throws herself into NYC's lesbian and trans activist scene. In this coming-of-age comedy, Adam and those around him encounter love, friendship and hard truths.
Army of Lovers in the Holy Land by Asaf Galay
The band Army of Lovers, famous for its mix of disco, camp, and queer music along with messages of sexual liberation, embarks on a new chapter when frontman Jean- Pierre Barda uproots his existence to emigrate from Sweden to Israel under the Law of Return.
Before You Know It by Hannah Pearl Utt
Rachel Gurner still lives in her childhood apartment-along with her actress sister, Jackie; eccentric playwright father Mel; and preteen niece Dodge-above the tiny theatre they own and operate. The level-headed lesbian Rachel is the only thing standing between her family and utter chaos. Suddenly, Rachel and Jackie learn their presumed-deceased mother is actually alive and thriving as a soap-opera star.
Latter Day Jew by Aliza Rosen
H. Alan Scott, a gay comedian from the Midwest, grows up Mormon, gets diagnosed with cancer at age 30, then shortly after converts to Judaism. He embarks on a spiritual journey to "become a man" and has a bar mitzvah at age 35 in this story about identity, belonging, and what it means to find out who you really are.
Entering its 39th year, the Festival is expecting an audience of over 40,000 moviegoers at the following theaters; the Castro Theatre in San Francisco, various locations in the East Bay, the CinéArts Theatre in Palo Alto, and the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael. For general and ticket information, visit jfi.org/sfjff and sfjff.org or email jewishfilm@sfjff.org. To contact the SFJFF Box Office directly, please email boxoffice@sfjff.org or call 415.621.0568. The full program for SFJFF39 will be revealed on June 18, 2019. For Festival logos, photos and press materials, visit jfi.org/press or sfjff.org/press. To request interviews or screeners, contact Larsen Associates.
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| Website: | www.jfi.org / www.sfjff.org |
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About the Jewish Film Institute
The Jewish Film Institute (JFI) is the premier curatorial voice for Jewish film and media and a leading arts and culture organization in the Bay Area. Presenter of the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, JFI catalyzes and inspires communities in San Francisco and around the world to expand their understanding of Jewish life and culture through film, media, and dialogue. Year round, the Jewish Film Institute promotes awareness and appreciation of the diversity of the Jewish people through multiple mediums - including original online programming that reaches a global audience of over 2 million views. All of these services, along with artists' support and educational initiatives, give audiences around the world even greater access to Jewish culture and the visionaries who shape it.
About the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival (SFJFF), presented by the Jewish Film Institute, is the largest and longest-running festival of its kind and a leader in the curation and presentation of new film and media exploring the complexities of Jewish life around the world. Presenting more than 65 films and 135 individual screenings, performances and events in five Bay Area cities (San Francisco, Palo Alto, San Rafael, Oakland, Albany), SFJFF attracts more than 40,000 filmgoers and industry professionals to its 18-day program.