“I‘m loath to say it and I don’t necessarily like hearing it from other festival directors when they say ‘this is our best ever’, but [the program] is pretty good this year,” Eddie Tamir, JIFF festival director told The AJN, explaining that as well as the big films there are also plenty of niche offerings.
The 2024 Jewish International Film Festival will open with A Real Pain, featuring Jesse Eisenberg and Keiran Culkin as two Jewish cousins who reunite for a tour through Poland to connect with their family history.
Tamir said it was an easy choice.
“What’s interesting about it is the age of the characters,” he said. “It has refreshed the perspective again on exploring Jewish identity and Holocaust history, with big stars and a very nuanced, warm, funny and moving film.”
Tamir also said that it’s a great opportunity to open with A Real Pain considering it is slated for a Boxing Day release.
As for the closing film, Tamir revealed it’s always an interesting exercise choosing the right film. “You don’t want to be too down, you don’t want to be too trivial,” he explained, saying The Performance seemed to be the right mix. “It’s a powerful drama but it’s also entertaining because of the tap dance spectacle which is so well done. And again, with a star like Jeremy Piven, it just felt like a really interesting way to go out with a bang.”
As with every year, Tamir took The AJN through some highlights in the program.
This year’s centrepiece film is Between the Temples, which Tamir said was actually a toss-up for opening and closing slots as well. He refers to it as a “warm, wacky, original film” that is “really Jewish and provocative”, and certainly deserving of its centrepiece spot in the program.
Another stand-out film that is sure to interest audiences is Tatami. The film premiered to critical acclaim at the Venice International Film Festival and is historic in that it is the first film to be co-directed by an Israeli (Guy Nattiv) and Iranian (Zar Amir Ebrahimi) filmmaker.
Tatami follows Iranian judoka Leila who receives an ultimatum from the Islamic Republic to drop out from competition prior to taking on an Israeli opponent.
Tamir acknowledges that it is an arthouse film but says it has crossover appeal.
“It’s so well done,” he said, continuing to discuss its relevance in today’s world. “The whole notion of Iranian oppression of its own people for its political ends clearly translates into sport. And that whole notion of translating the anti-Israel vibe into not competing and doing whatever you can not to compete with an Israeli athlete is interesting – why not compete against an Israeli and beat them, rather than ignore them and let them progress?
“On top of it all, it’s an amazing story about female empowerment.”
One unique aspect of the 2024 program is the thousands of years of Jewish storytelling and indeed Jewish persecution, from Legend of Destruction right through to 06:30.
Legend of Destruction won four Israeli Oscars and took nine years to create, using thousands of hand-painted stills. Tamir explained that while it details the persecution that the Jewish people are familiar with, it also portrays the division within the Jewish people and the dangers that come with allowing this division to set in and play out.
06:30 is, as implied by the title, a documentary capturing the events of October 7 but in an exceptionally unique way. While Tamir acknowledged that there are so many films and documentaries covering October 7, 06:30’s point of difference is the use of miniature models.
“06:30 is one that we’ve particularly chosen because of its originality and this use of miniatures, to take us, the viewer, into these personal stories across the different areas during October 7,” he said. “It’s just an interesting device that works so well and does something that none of the other films that we had seen do. They’re all interesting, all special, and there’s a whole myriad of perspectives, but we thought that this one was stand-out.”
Tamir said that between the two movies there are also a range of Holocaust themed films, which are necessary to make and essential to include.
“[There’s an imperative] that seems to be driving screenwriters, filmmakers, actors and whole crews and funders to make a Holocaust-themed story. And it continues; it is obviously more resonant than ever and relevant, which makes sense because it’s questioned in the past. What’s the relevance and why do we need to show it? Can we move on? And all of those clichés about Holocaust fatigue. And yet, not only is there an imperative from filmmakers to make them, but there’s an urgent resonance.”
One Holocaust-themed film Tamir says stands out is Fuhrer and Seducer. Calling it incredibly provocative because it takes viewers into Goebbels and Hitler’s relationship, Fuhrer and Seducer also explores propaganda and its role in society.
“Arguably Goebbels is the originator of political propaganda and fake news. And the way that the film uses archival footage – that we are so familiar with and probably fatigued with – and through the storytelling, links the actual archival footage to Goebbels, his personal story and professional story through the Holocaust years, it creates an amazing frisson between what he’s doing and digging into it in a way that we can then understand the manipulation.”
Other films that Tamir said should definitely be on people’s radars include Seven Blessings, King of the Sephardim, Shoshana and Theodor which he said is “Theodor Herzl, warts and all”.
“It’s not a whitewash, painting this mythical character who’s glorious. He has personal issues and marriage issues; complexities with his identity,” Tamir said.
The program is teeming with documentaries including How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer, Janis Ian: Breaking Silence and The Road to Hope – which has Australian connections.
As for shorts, Tamir said they are a crucial part of the program. JIFF funds two shorts every year which Tamir explained tends to have a ripple effect. Filmmakers who have shorts that are premiered at JIFF have gone on to create feature-length films.
“It’s great for us to be part of the catalyst,” Tamir said.
And then there are the two TV series which will be shown in a “binge watch”. One of them is Kafka which is premiering in Australia in a two-part special.
As it is 100 years since the famous writer’s death, Kafka is special because it delves into Franz Kafka’s life story at the same time as delving into his creative process.
“It then goes into sections of his books and brings them to life in parallel with his life story,” Tamir commented. “It has these wild, surreal excursions into his actual output, and explores his creativity so well. And it’s wacky and funny and entertaining, which goes against the grain of the whole idea of Kafka being depressed and depressing; too heavy to be consumed. It’s fascinating, entertaining, and again, very Jewish.”
In a big coup for JIFF, the program will feature The Brutalist as a special one-off screening later this year.
“It’s one of the great films of the year,” Tamir said. “Oscar written all over it.”
Starring Adrien Brody and Australian actor Guy Pearce, The Brutalist tells the powerful story of Hungarian-Jewish architect László Toth as he rebuilds his life in post-war America.
When The AJN asked Tamir about JIFF’s role in community morale, Tamir acknowledged that the festival certainly has a place in addressing the question of what it means to be Jewish, Israeli and part of the Diaspora.
“The films obviously are about refreshing, realigning, exploring Jewish identity and Israeli identity, so it’s delivering and hopefully satisfying people’s journeys [into their Judaism],” he said.
“In terms of wanting to be in a safe environment to be Jewish and to explore being Jewish while being entertained as well, we feel privileged that we can deliver that to the community.”
Saying that we live in one of the great multicultural environments of the world, Tamir said JIFF also serves to “build bridges and foster understanding”.
“Hopefully JIFF can contribute to that most important aspect of Australian multicultural celebration, especially at this time.”
The Jewish International Film Festival will run from October 27 – December 22. For more information and tickets, visit jiff.com.au
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