San Francisco Jewish Film Festival 2018

[Chris Knipp]

Budapest Noir

FESTIVAL COVERAGE THREAD

San Francisco Jewish Film Festival38 July 19-August 5, 2018

About the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival
The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival (SFJFF), presented by the Jewish Film Institute, is the largest and longest-running festival of its kind and a leader in the curation and presentation of new film and media exploring the complexities of Jewish life around the world. Presenting more than 65 films and 135 individual screenings, performances and events in five Bay Area cities (San Francisco, Palo Alto, San Rafael, Oakland, Albany), SFJFF attracts more than 40,000 filmgoers and industry professionals to its 18-day program.

SFIFF website

Being considered for coverage of Filmleaf are these titles:

FEATURE FILMS:
Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes
Budapest Noir - Preview
Crossroads
Mossad, The
Naila and the Uprising
Playing God - X
Prince and the Dybbuk, The
Red Cow - X
Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me - X
Simon & Théodore - X
To Dust - X
Twinning Reaction
Wajib Full review coming 5th of Aug.
When Heroes Fly - X
Winter Hunt - X

[Chris Knipp]

BUDAPEST NOIR (Éva Gárdos 2017)

Based on an international bestseller set in 1936, this noirish detective story about a curious news reporter seems a bit generic at first, but Budapest is a great place to make a movie these days, and this one is all aces in the period department, with images saturated with browns, maroons, golds, pale sunlight and gleaming black Thirties sedans that slither and gleam. The lead lady is glamorous, the lead male hardboiled, and fond of a good bourbon.

Playing in the SFJFF at these times and venues:
6:00 p.m. Sat. 21 Jul. at the Castro Theatre, San Francisco
6:15 p.m.Sun. 22 Jul. at CineArts, Palo Alto
8:45 p.m. Sat. 28 Jul. at Albany Twin, Albany (AT RUSH)
8:40 p.m. Sat. 4 Aug. at Smith, San Rafael

[Chris Knipp]

WAJIB (Annemarie Jacir 2017)

Follows a Palestinian father and son in Jerusalem when the son returns from Paris for a wedding ceremony. Around the periphery we sense the tensions and unhappiness Palestinians feel in this confined environment of diminished hopes and expectations, while the son feels the confinement of a rigid culture he's no longer a part of. I will publish full review when this comes to theaters on the 5th of August.

Playing in the SFJFF at these times and venues:
8:55 p.m. Tues. 24 Jul. at Castro Theatre, San Francisco
8:20 p.m. Fri. 3 Aug. at San Rafael
6:30 p.m. Sat. 4 Aug. at Piedmont Theatre, Oakland

[Chris Knipp]

BLUE NOTE RECORDS: BEYOND THE NOTES (Sophie Huber 2018)

Two Jewish guys fled from Nazi Berlin, and started the best jazz label of all time. This documentary is a feast of jazz music and we get to see the great Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock record with a new Blue Note band - because the label lives on today. A rich, beautiful film, one of the best jazz docs in a while.

Playing in the SFJFF at two times and venues:
3:35 p.m. Sat. 21 Jul. at Castro Theatre, San Francisco
4:05 p.m. Sun. 5 Aug at Piedmont Theatre, Oakland[/B]

[Chris Knipp]

There are many classic Blue Note albums on YouTube now. You can hear all of Thelonius Monk's recordings with the label here.
Here is a recording that's not Blue Note, but a superb date, with great sound, from Monk in Japan in 1966. Nine minutes of sheer perfection. MONK IN TOKYO. (CBS Redords 1973 release.)
Personnel
Thelonious Monk – piano
Charlie Rouse - tenor saxophone
Butch Warren – bass
Frankie Dunlop – drums
What a team!
If you cue in "Monk in Tokyo," you can get other cuts from the album on YOuTube.

See here Wikipedia Monk in Tokyo.

The film notes, the other labels would not record Monk.

[Chris Knipp]

THE MOSSAD (Duki Dror 2018)

Not one of the bold, shocking Israeli docs, except for members of their spy organization talking at all. The paradox: the Secret War is better than all-out conventional war, but these guys never consider treaties. It's not in their playbook. Interviews with most of the important directors and some operatives of the Israeli MI6 or CIA.

Showing on Tues., 24 July at CitiArts, Palo Alto; Thurs. 26 July at the Castro, San Francisco, at 1:15 p.m.; and Fri., 27 July at Albany Twin, Albany at 3:50 p.m.