We are pleased to announce the winning film of JFI’s Second Youth Jury Award, MASEL TOV COCKTAIL, co-directed by Arkadij Khaet and Mickey Paatzsch. Congratulations to Arkadij, Mickey, and all the cast and crew for their amazing work and contribution to the future of Jewish film!
When we launched our call for entries for student films we received 300 titles from 35 countries- thanks to a number of conversations, and the invaluable work of our Youth Jury, MASEL TOV COCKTAIL was picked as the winning film. Here is the Youth Jury statement: “In a colorful and provocative manner, MASEL TOV COCKTAIL tackles almost every contemporary Jewish issue. Through the choreographed use of driving camera work, accented by fast-paced editing and punchy humor, we are introduced to the life of Dima, a Russian Jew living in Germany. The performances range from intense and serious to cartoonishly surreal. The film creates a subjective and complex internal world, which allows for it to be lifelike and nuanced. Ultimately, Dima’s unique take on Jewish stereotypes compels us to reexamine our worldview.”
RSVP now to receive a link to our free event! Join us September 17th, 6pm for the U.S. Premiere of the film, followed by a conversation between Arkadij, Mickey and the six high school students and members of JFI’s Youth Jury. The film will be accessible online until September 24th, 2020 at 6pm.
Arkadij Khaet and Mickey Paatzsch are 28 years old and met eight years ago during studies of Film at the Media Academy in Cologne. They have been writing screenplays as well as directing together ever since. Their short films were presented at more than 150 film festivals all over the world and won numerous awards, among them the German Human Rights Award 2016 that honors movies which deal with human rights in an extraordinary way. Since their graduation in Cologne, Arkadij has taken up his studies in Direction of Motion Pictures at the film academy in Ludwigsburg, while Mickey has finished his master of philosophy at the University of Cologne.
Additional support provided by the Jewish Teen Education and Engagement Initiative. The Jewish Teen Education and Engagement Initiative (Teen Initiative) is a project of the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund with generous support from The Jim Joseph Foundation and local funders.
