The 2015 Kansas City Jewish Film Festival is set to celebrate the uniqueness of Jewish heritage and culture. (Logo property of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City-The J)
By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
Since 1997, the Kansas City Jewish Film Festival provides an opportunity for the Kansas City community to explore Jewish ideas and values through films that would otherwise not be shown in the Kansas City area.
I am very honored to announce Jake’s Take’s involvement with this year’s Kansas City Jewish Film Festival.
I want to thank the Kansas City Jewish Film Fest director Shawn Edwards for welcoming Jake’s Take with open arms!
Throughout the festival, Jake’s Take will give you the inside scoop on some of the hottest films that will be hitting the Kansas City Metropolitan Area.
Among some of the highlights of this year’s festivals include:
“A Blind Hero: The Love of Otto Weidt” will kick off the 2015 Kansas City Jewish Film Festival. (Photo courtesy of the Kansas City Jewish Film Festival)
A Blind Hero: The Love of Otto Weidt (Saturday, October 10 at 7 p.m.): The 2015 Kansas City Jewish Film Festival kicks off with the bio pic A Blind Hero: The Love of Otto Weidt. The film focuses on Otto Weidt, a man who saved countless members of his staff (who were either Jewish or blind) from the Nazi death camps. In addition to the film, audiences will be treated to a special performance from award-winning singer and Kansas native Karla Bauer at the White Theatre.
The Eichmann Show (Sunday, October 11 at 7 p.m.): The Kansas City Jewish Film Festival will partner up with the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education to screen The Eichmann Show. The film follows the journey of American TV director Leo Hurwitz (Anthony LaPaglia) and producer Milton Fruchtman (Martin Freeman) as they arrive in Jerusalem to film the testimony of one of the most dangerous men in the world: former Nazi Adolf Eichmann, the mastermind behind both the Final Solution and the massacre of 6,000,00 Jews.
Short Film Showcase (Tuesday, October 14 (7:00 p.m. in KC; 8:00 p.m. in LA)): Thanks to the assistance of one of our sponsors, Mini Cinema, the Kansas City Film Fest will be screening some of the shorts on the West Coast at Regal Cinemas LA Live. On a Technicality, Hannah Cohen’s Holy Communion, German Shepherd, What We Left Behind and Reverence are the five films that will be shown at both the White Theatre in KC and Regal Cinemas LA Live in the City of Angels. However, Kansas City festivalgoers will be treated to three additional short films: 70 Hester Street, Pur and Demeter’s Spring.
Audiences will have the opportunity to meet “Big Sonia” star Sonia Warshawski at a special VIP event on October 15. (Photo courtesy of the Kansas City Jewish Film Fest)
Big Sonia Special Event (Thursday, October 15 at 7:00 p.m.): Want to attend a VIP event? Moviegoers who attend Thursday, October 15’s film showing will learn about Sonia Warshawski, an almost 90-year-old Holocaust survivor, who will capture the hearts of audiences across the country. In addition to being featured in The Huffington Post, Closer Weekly and The Jewish Sound, Big Sonia won “IndieWire Project of the Month” and took part of last year’s IFP Filmmaker Conference. Sonia, filmmakers and co-directors Leah Warshawski and Todd Soliday and several cast members will be at the premiere to answer any questions and schmooze with guests.
KC Women in Film Night (Saturday, October 17): As the festival winds down, the Kansas City Women in Film & TV will present four films that will have audiences talking. Some Days are Bug Days, House Mother and Glow, a documentary made with a MAC grant, are among the films that will be screened. In addition, we will screen Just Like You and feature a film talk moderated by Jen Greenstreet.
Want to learn more about the KC Jewish Film Fest? Head over to their website!
Also, you can connect with the KC Jewish Film Fest on Facebook and Twitter.
