The Boston Jewish Film Festival will celebrate our 25th anniversary festival from Nov. 6-18 at venues in the Greater Boston area with feature films, documentaries and the third annual Short Film Competition.

Festival passes are now on sale for $225 until Aug. 1 and $250 thereafter. The pass includes admission to all screenings and priority entrance. The schedule will be announced in September.

”I want to make our 25^th year a celebration for the heart, head and soul,” says Festival Artistic Director Amy Geller. “Like every year, there’ll be the best contemporary Jewish movies from all over the world that make you laugh and sometimes cry, that make you think, that touch your heart, that stir up passions, and that perhaps even move you to action.”

Our Mockingbird comes to Coolidge June 10

Our Mockingbird, by local filmmaker and Birmingham native Sandy Jaffe, is a film based on Harper Lee’s classic, To Kill A Mockingbird, and how it still resonates in our national discourse about race, class, gender and justice. Woven through the documentary is the story of two contrasting high schools – one white and one black – in present-day Birmingham, Ala. who stage a co-production of the adapted play with transformative results. The film is presented by the Roxbury International Film Festival and co-presented by the Boston Jewish Film Festival.

Click on photo to view trailer

Tal, a French teen, settles in Jerusalem with her family in the Israeli film A Bottle in the Gaza Sea, returning June 12 after a highly successful BJFF screening last November.  Tal puts a letter in a bottle, which is tossed into the sea near Gaza, expressing her dismay at the hatred that exists between Israelis and Palestinians.  Weeks later, Tal receives a response via e-mail from a mysterious “Gazaman,” a young Palestinian named Naim.  This modern day Romeo and Juliet tale is based on the award-winning novel by Valerie Zenatti. In French, Arabic and Hebrew with subtitles. Recommended for ages 13 and over.

A Bottle in the Gaza Sea screens at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 12 at West Newton Cinema.

The screening, which is part of the festival’s Encore series, which is generously supported by the Dorot Foundation.

Click on photo to watch trailer

How far should an Israeli soldier go to defend his/her homeland?  That depends whether you’re Anna, an idealistic military police interrogator, or her tough-guy commander boss, accused of brutality against a Palestinian, or a morally-conflicted whistle blower in the Israeli film, Room 514, which encores in June. This taut, thrilling, psychological drama filmed in claustrophobic, tight shots is inspired by real events. Fans of Hollywood’s A Few Good Men (1992) will be excited to see this Israeli counterpart.  Directorial debut of Sharon Bar-Ziv.  The film screened at Tribeca Film Festival in New York.  2012 Ophir (Israeli Oscar) Best Actress nominee. The film was a hit at our 2012 Boston Jewish Film Festival.

Room 514 screens at 7 p.m.Wednesday, June 26 at West Newton Cinema.

The screening, which is part of the Encore series presented by the Festival, is generously supported by the Dorot Foundation.

Denise Widman

The Boston Jewish Film Festival board of directors elected Denise Widman as its new president.

“I am honored to be associated with one of the world’s premier Jewish Film Festivals and one of New England’s largest cultural events,” says Widman. “I look forward to watching as the festival continues to engage and excite our community while celebrating the vibrancy of the Jewish experience.

Widman, a Wellesley resident, has been involved with the Boston Jewish Film Festival for more than 10 years, most recently as the Festival’s vice president. for 3 years As president, she oversees the Board of Directors. “The festival is a perfect fit for me as it combines my passion for film with my love of Jewish life,” says Widman.

An award-winning screenwriter, Widman also served on the Board of Women in Film/Video New England, is a past member of the Mass Media Alliance and is a current member of the Massachusetts Production Coalition. Widman previously headed the Screenwriting Competition for Women in Film Video/New England and has been a judge for this competition.

Widman takes over the position from Joyce Pastor, who remains on the Board of Directors.

Widman began her career in the Management Development Program at AT&T Information Systems, where she held several strategic planning, marketing and sales positions. She then worked in marketing and marketing communications for media and entertainment companies, including The New York Times Co., Bravo, Kurzweil Computers and Houghton Mifflin.  Widman, a native of Deal, N.J., is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Syracuse University and earned a masters degree in management from Drexel University in Philadelphia.