By Ari Plotkin
In the world of Jewish cinema, there’s something truly special about a film festival that not only showcases exceptional movies but also connects viewers through shared experiences.
For more than three decades, the William and Irene Weinberg Family Baltimore Jewish Film Festival has been a highlight of Baltimore’s cultural calendar.
This year’s festival will be held from May 6-27 at the Gordon Center for Performing Arts with a lineup of films and interactive events. Each screening begins with a discussion at 6 p.m., with films following at 7.
All of the films will be presented in person at the Gordon Center at 3506 Gwynnbrook Avenue in Owings Mills, and curated by the Weinberg Family Baltimore Jewish Film Festival Committee.
“This year, each film is an immersive experience,” said Sara Shalva, chief arts officer at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore. “We are bringing together community in a new way, with film as the platform for gathering the broader community to have a variety of sensory experiences.
“In the world today, you can stay home and watch on streaming services, or you can come to the Gordon, make friends, eat delicious food, hear fantastic music and watch a film together,” she said. “Sometimes in a dark theater, hearing other people laugh or cry, sigh or exclaim can evoke deeper emotions in audience members who are in next door seats. This kind of shared experience cannot be replicated at home.”
The festival kicks off on Tuesday, May 6, with “Stella: A Life,” a 2023 biographical drama starring German actress Paula Beer. The film is based on the true story of Stella Goldschlag, who delivered hundreds of her fellow Jews to the Gestapo during World War II.
Dr. Catherine Lewis, associate vice provost for museums, archives and rare books, and professor of history at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, will speak before the screening.
On Tuesday, May 13, the Israeli comedy “Matchmaking 2” will be presented. Attendees will enjoy a special workshop hosted by Philadelphia-based culture writer and matchmaker Danielle Selber.
The German comedy “No Name Restaurant” will be screened at the festival on Tuesday, May 20. The German comedy explores the culinary world, and a food demonstration will precede the screening led by master Israeli chef and TV personality Nissimmi Naim Naor.
The festival will close on Tuesday. May 27 with the French comedy-drama “This Is My Mother,” about a middle-age woman who reunites with her 33-year-old son.
Benjamin Shalva, manager of Jewish care and rabbinic services for the New Gilchrist Center Baltimore, will lead a post-film discussion.
For information about the film festival, visit gordoncenter.com/program/baltimore-jewish-film-festival.
Ari Plotkin is a Jmore editorial staff intern.
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