Based on a David Bezmozgis short story, Minyan is an absorbing coming-of-age tale set in 1980s Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. The son of Russian immigrants, 17 year old David struggles under the weight of religious tradition, familial expectations and his own sexual identity. In order to secure a room for his grandfather in an old age … Continue reading Minyan
USA 2023, 106 mins, English, Director Kelly Fremon Craig, featuring Rachel McAdams, Abby Ryder Fortson This coming-of-age comedy drama film, written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, is based on the 1970 novel of the same name by Judy Blume. Eleven year old Margaret Simon moves with her family from New York City to a New … Continue reading Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
In this conversation with Lisa Lipman, Viviane will discuss her childhood in Egypt and her memories of growing up in a Jewish community which at the time numbered 80,000 . They all left or were expelled between 1948 and 1967. The 1930s to early 1950s are considered Egypt’s golden era, when Cairo was known as … Continue reading Once upon a time in Egypt – Memories of a bygone era
Netherlands/UK 2022, 69 mins, English, Polish, German, Yiddish; Director Bianca Stigter, narrated by Helen Bonham Carter Three Minutes: A Lengthening presents a home movie shot by David Kurtz in 1938 in a Jewish town in Poland and tries to postpone its ending. As long as we are watching, history is not over yet. The three … Continue reading Three Minutes: A Lengthening
In this illustrated talk, Jenny King tells the remarkable story of her grandfather Sam King and his journey from an impoverished Jewish immigrant family to a cinema and property mogul. Together with his friend Alf Shipman, they fulfilled their dream of building a chain of magnificent Art Deco cinemas, starting in the First World War with … Continue reading Shipman and King Cinemas: a celebration of Jewish enterprise and family
Italy 2022, 128 mins, Italian (with English subtitles); Director Giuseppe Piccione, featuring Riccardo Scarmarcio, Benedetta Porcaroli The film is set in 1938 Italy. Like the majority of his fellow Italians, decorated war veteran and restaurant manager Luciano is a staunch supporter of the country’s fascist regime. Shortly after the Italian racial laws are introduced, Anna, a … Continue reading Shadow of the Day
Israel 2022, 98 mins, Hebrew (with English subtitles); Director Erez Tadmor, featuring Amit Rahav, Liana Ayun On the face of it, young yeshiva butcher Moti and his little sister’s best friend Nehami are the perfect match – they share the same values, have known each other for years, and most importantly, they are in love. There … Continue reading Matchmaking
Malkah is a child when her father tries to teach her to read Torah. But they don’t get very far. As Malkah studies, her questions multiply. She discovers an earlier, hidden story of creation within the Hebrew Aleph-Bet letters in the first line of Genesis. And a door opens. Thus starts the award-winning film, The … Continue reading A Journey into the Mystical Aleph-Bet
USA 2019, 91 mins, English Director Matt Ratner, featuring Billy Crystal, Ben Schwartz, Eloise Mumford In this comedy drama, the unlikely friendship between a failing stand-up comedian and an alcoholic dermatologist give each other the confidence to face the failures in their lives. A familiar story entertainingly told, Standing Up, Falling Down is elevated by the warm … Continue reading Standing Up, Falling
In this talk, Esther Saraga explores her complex and ambivalent relationships as daughter and academic to a vast collection of family papers concerned with my parents’ forced migration from Nazi Germany. She recognised that the letters do not ‘speak for themselves’, but tell several different possible stories. I have used the papers to explore ‘how … Continue reading Berlin to London: An Emotional History of two Refugees
If you have an event relating to Jewish culture or relevant to DAVAR members that you would like us to publicise, please email us at info@davarbristol.co.uk.