The 21st Annual Milwaukee Jewish Film Festival looks around the world for content with seven films meant to be entertaining while thought-provoking. Take, for instance, An Act of Defiance. This story, set in South Africa, follows 10 political activists working with Nelson Mandela during the apartheid who face a death sentence after being arrested during a raid. It is up to Bram Fischer, a lawyer and secretly a collaborator of theirs, to defend them while risking his career and freedom in the process.
The Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center’s special events director Micki Seinfeld recalls some of the festival’s history. “Up until 22 years ago we were showing [occasional] films here at the center,” Seinfeld says. “But we saw the popularity of film festivals at JCCs around the country and we began to create our own.” Each year, Seinfeld and the rest of the festival staff gather and view a selection of films and one by one narrow them down to seven or eight to screen. She says they try to tell a different story every time, especially themes that haven’t been presented before.
Another film featured this year, Shalom Bollywood, depicts the unlikely roll of Jewish women in the prominent Indian film industry. During the early 1900s, Hindu and Islamic women were forbidden from acting in film as it was seen as taboo. Instead, producers recruited Jewish women living in India to perform the leading rolls and thus contributing to the growing culture. “The Bollywood movement is known all around the world, and yet little is understood of Jewish involvement,” Seinfeld says.
She adds, “We have been lucky to have Marcus North Shore Cinema host us every year, they really bend over backwards for us and I can’t be more thankful.” As for the future, “Expanding it is on the horizon but not necessarily a priority. Maybe some year the festival will be a full week and include more films, but we will just have to see. We watch what other festivals around the country are doing and they watch us,” she continues. “If we ever need anything, we can reach out to our vast network of members.” While organizing the event can be hard work, Seinfeld says the best part is seeing the reaction of the crowd when the films make their appearance on the silver screen.
The Milwaukee Jewish Film Festival runs Oct. 7-11 at Marcus North Shore Cinema. For tickets and more information, visit https://www.jccmilwaukee.org/filmfestival
