For over 30 years, the Jewish International Film Festival (JIFF) has been giving us a chance to connect with a comprehensive range of Israeli and Jewish themed movies. Think beyond the Holocaust: JIFF gives us the opportunity to really get to know the Jewish community, with movies exploring everything from whirlwind romances to sexuality to hummus.
Jez: A Letter for Life
There’s a lot of nuance and complexities in the available movies, with something for everyone. Going through the festival program, it was easy to select movies that I could see with my parents, friends, and partner – some of them, maybe at the same time!
Although JIFF has a wide variety of films to choose from, they haven’t compromised on quality. The movies, from opening night to closing night, are absorbing, well-researched and undeniably worth seeing on the big screen.
Asia
Add to that the comfort of the venues the films are being shown in. From Sydney to Perth, JIFF will be hosted at a number of gorgeous cinemas, including my favourites, Classic and Lido Cinemas. With plush chairs, arthouse environments and a thriving candy bar, it’s easy to see why Classic and Lido are so loved by the Melbourne cinema community.
Interested, and considering how to make it work? Well, here’s what I would do. Start off by going through the festival program and seeing what catches your eye.
Personally, I’m very much looking forward to the following: ‘Jez: A Letter to Life’, a film exploring the universality of death; ‘Shiva Baby’, a playful, sex-positive coming-of-age story involving sugar daddies and shivas; and ‘Breaking Bread’, a mouth-watering documentary following a unique food festival set in Haifa.
Breaking Bread
There’s also ‘The End of Love,’ a beautiful and sensitive love story that explores love, immigration, and how technology can play a role in both. For a story of resilience, you can’t look past ‘When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit,’ a moving perspective on childhood in 1933.
Once you’ve written a list, consider whether you’d prefer to pick up the tickets separately, or as part of a Festival Pass. The prices for both are available to see here.
Whether you’re going to see one movie or ten, we hope you have a great time. We might even see you there!
– Daniela
Daniela Koulikov is a freelance writer who loves going to the movies. You can follow her at @danikoul.
For more information on the festival, or to pick up tickets, take a look at the JIFF website.
