New York Jewish Film Festival 1998

As in the past, the festival will be truly internation in character, with films from Austria, Belarussia, Bosnia, Canada, France, Israel, Norway, Russia and the United States, as well as three classic works from the silent film era — two of which are rarely-seen works from Hungary and Czechoslovakia. We take particular pleasure in celebrating through film the 50th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel. In addition, we are commemorating the beginning of the blacklist in Hollywood which also began 50 years ago, with hearings by the House Committee on Un-American Activities. Dramatically different as these two events were, they both have had a major implact on the lives of American Jews. Films about Israel will be screened — including the U.S. premiere of Ron Havilio’s extraordinary six-hour Fragments * Jerusalem — as will five films by Jewish blacklistees. Highlighting the fact that the Festival has become a showcase for documentary film, we are presenting the world premieres of two major works: In Our Own Hands, the story of the only all-Jewish brigade in World War II and Hollywoodism, a documentary about American Jews and Hollywood, which closes the Festival. Please join us in marking major events in Jewish history, and in celebrating the enriching experience of all the films in the festival.

This festival was organized by a committee consisting of Jack Salzman, Curator of the Film Festival; Leslie Friedman, Film Festival Coordinator; J. Hoberman, Senior Film Critic, The Village Voice; Richard Peña, Program Director, The Film Society of Lincoln Center and Elaine Charnov, Festival Director, Margaret Mead Film and Video Festival.