This year marks several changes for the Nashville Jewish Film Festival, including an earlier start date of August 18, and a new advisory council.
The Nashville Jewish Film Festival (NJFF), now in its 26th year, is expanding its leadership from its co-directors, Laurie Eskind and Loretta Saff, to include a new 11-member advisory council.
Fran Brumlik, film enthusiast and the festival’s managing director of fourteen years, described the process of choosing new members for the council. “We looked for people who had continual presence at the film festival,” she said, “who were sponsors and came to activities, events, and films, and who had something to offer us.”
Each member of the council oversees a specific task. Brumlik described how Sara Cohan, a new council member and educator known internationally as an expert on the Armenian Genocide, brings a level of education to film discussions. Cohan has been volunteering with the film fest since 2016 and is now a council member overseeing student films.
“I was happy to join,” Cohan shared, describing her work with film fest as “a small way of contributing to the preservation of Jewish culture.” Cohan described the camaraderie between the volunteers, council members, and attendees as a highlight of the festival. “It's a wonderful feeling to be in a space shared by all these amazing people, and discussing contemporary Jewish film,” she said.
Michael Dobrin, on the other hand, is a council member who attends film festivals all over the country. In charge of soliciting new sponsors, Dobrin has been attending the film fest since its beginning. He shared that his favorite part of the festival are the films with discussions, guest speakers, and Q&A’s, particularly on opening and closing nights.
In 2001, Laurie Eskind co-founded the festival, hoping to encourage the community. “We wanted it to be something that the community embraced, enjoyed and looked forward to,” Eskind shared, “and we think we've accomplished that.”
Eskind described the balance of different films chosen for the festival. “A lot of our films are from all over the world with subtitles,” she said. The films span a variety of styles and Jewish-related content, including documentaries, narratives, and feature films. Most films in the festival also have a relevant speaker to give an introduction, some background information, and facilitate discussion after the credits.
Watching these films in the community is a highlight for Eskind.
“I love being in a theater with other people, and feeling and hearing their reactions,” she shared. Brumlik also shared how she too enjoys the discussion and debate, particularly the excitement in the room when people have different opinions about a movie.
The new advisory council gives the NJFF a wider outreach to draw more people into the theatres and encourage more involvement. “These are important movies for Jewish Identity and Jewish education, and that's why we want people to see them,” Brumlik said.
It’s one thing to watch a film at home, but it is quite another to see it in a theatre with others and engage in community discussion. “It’s a jewel for Nashville to have a Jewish film festival,” Brumlik shared, “and we would love everybody to be part of it…to help us keep the festival going.”
Opening night is August 18 at the Belcourt Theatre. The NJFF will open the festival with a documentary called “Dust Bowls and Jewish Souls.” The film is about Woody Guthrie, popular folk singer and writer of “This Land is Your Land,” and his connection with Jewish culture.
More information about this year’s film festival can be found on their website at www.nashvillejff.net.
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