In 1988, the festival hosted Israeli actress Gila Almagor, with “Summer of Aviya,” in which she played her own mother. In 1990, the SFJFF went to Moscow, as a satellite festival. They showed “Moscow on the Hudson,” starring Robin Williams and María Conchita Alonso. So much for off the beaten path.
1998 featured the first films on gay Jewish issues. 2004 showcased “Behind Enemy Lines,” a documentary about a Palestinian journalist and an Israeli settler who tour each other’s community. 2005 featured a documentary about Haredi lesbians, “Keep Not Silent.”
In 2009 all hell broke loose with the screening of the documentary “Rachel,” about a young American activist who was killed by an IDF bulldozer. Needless to say, it was explosive and raw nerves were exposed.
This year, look for “Mussa,” directed by Anat Goren, about refugees who fled violence and poverty in Darfur and seek asylum in Israel, to build a better life for their child.
