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24th Annual Festival of Jewish Film to include screenings at TCC’s Roper Performing Arts Center

The Simon Family Jewish Community Center’s 24th Annual Virginia Festival of Jewish Film from Jan. 14 – 22 will include three screenings at Tidewater Community College’s Roper Performing Arts Center. The festival celebrates and supports international Jewish film and filmmakers, presenting the newest and best films worldwide.

TCC students can show their ID cards for free admission to the TCC Roper Center screenings.

The Roper Performing Arts Center will show:

movie poster for Defiant Requiem

“Defiant Requiem”
Sunday, January 15 at 2 p.m.

Directed by Doug Shultz
2016 | USA & Czech Republic | 85 min

Nominated for two Emmy Documentary Awards, Defiant Requiem, tells the extraordinary, untold story of Rafael Schachter, a brilliant young Czech conductor, who under brutal circumstances sustained the hope and courage of his fellow Jewish prisoners by forming a prisoners’ choir and “singing to the Nazis what they dared not say.” Watch the trailer for Defiant Requiem

Post film discussion with Defiant Requiem Foundation President and Founder, Maestro Murry Sidlin, and Director of Collections for the Virginia Holocaust Museum, Timothy Hensley.

Presented in partnership with the Holocaust Commission of the UJFT and the Virginia Holocaust Museum.
movie poster for In Search of Israeli Cuisine“In Search of Israeli Cuisine”
Saturday, January 21 at 7 p.m.

Directed by Roger Sherman
2016 | USA | 120 min

Painting a portrait of the diverse cultures that make up Israel today, this documentary follows award-winning chef, Michael Solomonov, as he visits restaurants, home kitchens, wineries and cheese makers. While examining the food cultures of Jewish, Arab, Muslim, Christian and Druze traditions, a rich and human story of people emerges. Not only can a good meal soothe a grumbling stomach, it might change the world. Watch the trailer for In Search of Israeli Cuisine

The film will also be shown at Beth Sholom Village at 2 p.m. on Sunday, January 22.

movie poster for Presenting Princess Shaw“Presenting Princess Shaw”
Sunday, January 22 at 5:30 p.m.

Directed by Ido Haar
2015 | Israel | 83 min

Winner of the Best Feature Documentary at the Israeli Filmmakers Forum Competition, Princess Shaw is the true story of an aspiring New Orleans singer songwriter down on her luck, who inspired an internationally famous, Israeli YouTube artist, Kutiman to create an internet collaboration that would bring her music to the world.  A real life Cinderella story, where serendipity, creativity and tech culture collide, Princess Shaw is an uplifting portrait of artists coming together to make one another shine. Watch the trailer for Presenting Princess Shaw

Be sure to come at 5:30 p.m. to enjoy the reception preceding the film which is elegantly catered by TCC Culinary Arts students.

Special guest speaker and featured star in the film, Princess Shaw, will lead a post-film discussion and performance.

Presented in partnership with the Community Relations Council of UJFT, Simon Family JCC and community partners’ Israel Today series.