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Getting a movie into the Denver Jewish Film Festival is anything but easy. This year, more than 200 independent filmmakers and well-known distributors submitted their flicks for consideration to a panel of 30 judges, who meticulously rated each entry. Then, a 13-person selection committee reviewed the highest scorers to winnow the list to just over 20. The result is a lineup of diverse and compelling films, all with one common thread: poignant reflections on Jewish identity and culture. But you don’t need to know the Torah to attend.
“This year we’ve got thought-provoking films, comedies, documentaries, and narratives,” says Tim Campbell, program director at the Mizel Arts and Culture Center. “There are Jewish themes in these films, but at their core they’re human stories, and they’re for everyone.” Ahead of this year’s festival, which runs from January 23 to February 2 at the Elaine Wolfe Theatre, we asked Campbell to share five films you won’t want to miss.
1. Running on Sand
When: Thursday, January 23 at 7:30 p.m.
The opening night screening of Running on Sand tells the story of Aumari, an Eritrean refugee on the verge of deportation from Israel who is mistaken for a Nigerian soccer player. To save himself, Aumari assumes that new identity and unexpectedly finds himself trying to rescue a struggling soccer team. “It’s definitely a dramedy,” Campbell says. “It tackles tough themes like deportation and immigration—but it’s got heart.” Opt for the VIP ticket ($58) for access to a pre-film reception featuring Eritrean hors d’oeuvres.
2. I Dance But My Heart Is Crying
When: Sunday, January 26 at 4:30 p.m.
“In the Holocaust, a lot of Jewish art and music were destroyed,” Campbell explains. “But in the past 10 years, musicians [have] found recordings of this lost music.” In I Dance But My Heart Is Crying by German director Christoph Weinert, viewers follow the efforts of modern musicians to rerecord these songs while honoring their original composers. After the screening, enjoy a live performance by Festo Festo bands, who specialize in Jewish Klezmer and Balkan music, in the theatre’s social hall.
3. For the Living
When: Tuesday, January 28 at 4:30 p.m.
In 1945, 10-year-old Marcel Zielinski trekked 60 miles from Auschwitz-Birkenau to Krakow, Poland, after surviving two years in the concentration camp. Today, people retrace his steps on two wheels during Ride For The Living, an annual fundraising bike ride. In this documentary, Colorado-based directors Marc Bennett and Tim Roper follow the cyclists who are pedaling in honor of Holocaust survivors to discover the true definition of empathy and warn of what can unfold when society slips into dehumanization. Stick around after the screening for a special Q&A with the filmmakers.
4. Torah Tropical
When: Sunday, February 2 at 4:15 p.m.
Religion in Colombia skews heavily Christian (81 percent of the population is either Catholic or Protestant), but executive producer of Torah Tropical Heidi Paster noticed an interesting trend: an increasing number of Colombian Christians converting to Orthodox Judaism. That’s what led Paster and her fellow producers to document the journey of one recently converted Colombian family as they work to relocate to Jerusalem. Following the screening, grab Colombian food and chat with Torah Tropical filmmaker Ezra Axelrod.
5. Centered: Joe Lieberman
When: Sunday, February 2 at 7:15 p.m.
The late Senator Joe Lieberman, remembered as the first Jewish vice presidential nominee under Al Gore, is also known for what Campbell calls “a colorful Senate life.” This documentary reflects on his Senate career, from advocating for bipartisan collaboration to his notable five-mile walk to the Capitol on Shabbat for a critical vote in 2009. Following the screening, stay for a talk with the Colorado-based producers and a kosher reception.
The Denver Jewish Film Festival runs from January 23 through February 2 at the Elaine Wolfe Theatre at 350 S. Dahlia Street. Ticket prices vary and can be purchased online.
