We’re already halfway through the 15th annual Seattle Jewish Film Festival, but there’s still plenty of excellent films left to view. Tonight, SJFF showcases Keren Yedaya’s 2009 film, the romantic drama, Jaffa, which screens at 9.15pm at SIFF Cinema at McCaw Hall. Jaffa is:
The tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet is blended with a classic Egyptian melodrama and relocated to a modern-day port city that is home to Muslims, Jews and Christians in the film JAFFA. Mali (Dana Ivgy), a young Jewish woman is having a secret relationship with Taufik (Mahmoud Shalaby), the Arab mechanic working in her father’s garage. After discovering that she is pregnant, the couple decide to run away together despite mounting tensions between Taufik and Mali’s racist brother. When tragedy strikes hours before their escape, it shatters both the years of trust they have developed and the symbolic promise of Jews and Arabs living together, not only in peace but in romantic bliss.
Judging by the poster, I’m guessing that the male lead, Mahmoud Shalaby, is the dazzling blue-eyed looker pictured gazing at the leading lady…why be star-crossed lovers when you look this good? They should be emigrating to America and getting jobs as Abercrombie & Fitch models and living happily ever after in South Beach…
Tomorrow night, Thursday March 18th, is Michael Verhoeven Day at the SJFF with screenings of his latest film, the documentary Human Failure about the theft of German Jewish property and assets by Nazi tax officials and the benefits this afforded the German banking system, the Nazi political machine and individual businesses and neighbors who bought up “non-Aryan” property at discounted rates and profitted heavily from their exploitation. The screening starts at 7pm at the Cinerama and director Verhoeven will be on hand to accept SJFF’s 1st Reel Difference Award. And, following the screening of Human Failure, a free screening (with RSVP) of Verhoeven’s acclaimed 1990 film The Nasty Girl will begin at 9.30pm to be followed by a dialogue with the director at 11pm. A must do event for lovers of German cinema. And, I’ll follow up the festival on Friday to talk about the screening of the gay themed Eyes Wide Open on Saturday and the closing night film, Israeli Sumo Wrestling film, Matter of Size screening on Sunday, March 21st at the Cinerama.
-Michael Strangeways
About the Author: Michael Strangeways
