Jewish film festival branches out, presents hybrid screenings, July 13-31
July 8, 2022 | By Waterbury Roundabout The 2022 Stowe Jewish Film Festival combines in-person and virtual screenings for a hybrid event this year that also includes the Big Picture in Waitsfield as a film venue.
After two years as a virtual-only event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual film festival is returning to in-person presentations and a finale celebration at the Jewish Community of Greater Stowe.
The theme running through this year’s selections is “The Jewish Experience: a multiplicity of cultures, languages, countries and traditions.”
That comes through with films set in distinct times and places to tell specific and unique Jewish stories:
July 13, 7 p.m. “Yerusalem” at Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center
This opening film tells the story of Ethiopian Jews and their dramatic journey and struggle back to the heart of the Jewish people after centuries of isolation.
July 21, 7 p.m. “Unraveling” at the Big Picture Theater in Waitsfield
The film asks “Did Pancho Villa really try to kill my grandfather?” While attempting to unravel a family mystery, the filmmaker reveals a dynamic story of borderland relations between a Texas Jewish merchant family and their Mexican neighbors. Note: Dinner can be ordered and delivered to your seat.
July 27, 7 p.m. “The Missing Tale” at Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center
The few remaining members of the ancient Jewish community of Cochin, India, are the focus of this sensitive and intimate portrait.
July 31, 7 p.m. “Mamboniks Ahora!” at the Jewish Community of Greater Stowe
This film portrays the story of the irresistible appeal of music and dance. Crossing geographic and cultural boundaries, the Mambo became a sensational trend in the 50s among Jews in New York, Miami and the Catskills.
Following the final film screening, the festival caps off its seventh season with a free dessert buffet and a dance party with a DJ and Mambo/Salsa dance instructor.
View film trailers and purchase tickets online through Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center.
The Stowe Jewish Film Festival is a program of the Jewish Community of Greater Stowe with the goal to reach out to those in Central Vermont to engage in community building and dialogue through cultural entertainment and education.