AJFF In Conversation: The Podcast

The 21st edition of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival is right around the corner. It's going to be a film festival unlike any other. As anticipation builds, so do the burning questions. How will this year's film festival be different, and what do I need to do to get ready? Get the inside scoop on what to expect with our reimagined festival experience, including the Virtual Cinema, before program guides hit mailboxes and tickets go on sale. We'll break it all down with In Conversation host Brad Pilcher, joined by our own AJFF Special Projects Manager, Sarah Davenport. After this podcast, you will definitely be ready to fest!

It may be some time before the full global economic toll of the COVID-19 pandemic is fully understood. Certainly among those hard hit sectors is the world of entertainment, including what has been a booming film industry in Georgia. As a proud champion of the film ecosystem of our city and state, the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival is deeply appreciative of the countless artists and other workers whose livelihoods depend on the continued success of this near-$10 billion dollar industry. With the COVID crisis continuing to hinder Hollywood's return to business, we close this challenging year with a look back at how local film and TV productions have been impacted. Our latest podcast also looks ahead to questions now facing the creative industries, such as studio COVID safety protocols and upcoming action in the legislature that could shape the future of the state's film tax incentives. An amazing panel joins hosts Sara and Brad, including deputy commissioner of the Georgia Film, Music and Digital Entertainment office Lee Thomas, Georgia Production Partnership governmental affairs lead Peter Stathopoulos, and Beth Talbert of Eagle Rock Studios Atlanta.

Let's face it: if you're looking for a great Hanukkah movie to celebrate with this winter, you're likely to be left out in the cold. While Christmas movies are a genre of their own, it's hard to credibly name one Hollywood offering that could be called a Hanukkah classic. Could it be that the only "true" Hanukkah movies in existence are Adam Sandler's animated comedy Eight Crazy Nights and lesser known cult classic The Hebrew Hammer? And, do these films actually capture how the holiday's true origins and traditions? Could a Disney Channel original movie made for kids actually feature the most authentic cinematic representation of Hanukkah? All three of these examples are nearly twenty years old now. It's time to confront the truth about why it's so hard to find a decent movie about the Jewish holiday. In our latest podcast, we'll ask founder and editor of feminist Jewish culture site Alma, Molly Tolsky, whether it will take a miracle to find an authentic cinematic representation of the Miracle of Lights.

For most audiences, a night out at the movies means a full course meal. But increasingly, tastes are growing for the diversionary delights and emotional payoffs that come with the oft overlooked short film format. The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival has long proudly given a platform to shorts, a subgenre every bit as powerful, compelling and innovative as any feature-length film. With another banner year of short films on tap for our 21st annual festival in February, it's time to stop giving short shrift to short films. In our latest podcast, we give these bite size movie morsels their due, exploring everything from the creative considerations that go into shorts filmmaking, to the unique challenges and opportunities for programmers, and how audiences accustomed to Hollywood epics can grow their appreciation for the special joys that come with shorter attention spans. Hosts Sara and Brad welcome two amazing guests to the "In Conversation" studio: filmmaker and former Sundance programmer Roberta Munroe, author of "How Not to Make a Short Film," as well as Emory film professor and shorts film curator Nsenga Burton.

The best movies don't just entertain while engendering a visceral emotional response, but also serve as a spark for stimulating conversation. The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival seeks to foster and amplify those conversations, bringing together the community in dialogue around the film arts and the important issues of our time. Festival screenings often feature the participation of filmmakers, actors, academics, authors, journalists and other experts. These curated conversations enhance the moviegoing experience, while fulfilling the AJFF mission to build bridges of understanding. In our latest podcast, we'll share insights into AJFF's programming philosophy when it comes to guest speakers: what is the value and importance of hearing from film artists and other voices at the film festival, and the larger role of community conversation in transforming an otherwise passive experience into a meaningful give and take of ideas. Host Sara Glassberg is joined by AJFF Guest Programming Co-Chairs journalist Dave Schechter and Emory Ethics professor Jonathan Crane.

In a year that has been filled with unprecedented challenges, it's all the more important to find things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Fortunately, when it comes to the world of Jewish film and television, there's plenty to be grateful for. Join hosts Sara and Brad as they chat about just a few of their favorite TV and movie moments and milestones from 2020. Plus, if you're looking for some entertainment options to complete your holiday plans, we've got some outstanding movie recommendations, both available now and soon-to-be new releases.

Over the past twenty years, the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival has showcased countless films from all around the world that have gone on to have incredible, impressive journeys -- from long and lucrative theatrical runs to Academy Awards recognition to continuing to build bridges of understanding along the festival circuit. Many of these AJFF Cinderella stories come from film distributor, Menemsha Films. There is no better guest to help us uncover and understand these films' journeys than Menemsha's very own founder and president, Neil Friedman, and with AJFF Film Programming Manager Shellie Schmals co-hosting. Together with Neil, Shellie and Sara will not only discuss the successes around films like cross-cultural comedy Dough starring Jonathan Pryce, or sports documentary Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel, but also films that are perhaps at just the beginning of their journeys, like Shared Legacies: The African American-Jewish Civil Rights Alliance, all of which have screened at AJFF in years past. Plus, we will chat with Neil about Menemsha's own journey as well, from its beginnings as a film distribution company to its new streaming platform Chai Flicks and everything in between.

A longtime friend of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, Aaron Wolf has an eclectic young Hollywood career both in front of and behind the camera. Based in Los Angeles, he wears many showbiz hats: narrative and documentary filmmaker, writer, actor and co-founder of a full-service production company. You can also add podcast host, improv comedian, juggler, magician and voiceover talent to the list. Aaron has not only made a name for himself, but instills his work with a generous spirt and Jewish ethos. His short film, The Walk co-starring Peter Riegert, was featured at the 2015 AJFF, followed by his acclaimed 2017 documentary Restoring Tomorrow, which chronicles the restoration of Los Angeles' Wilshire Boulevard Temple. His latest film might seem like a complete departure: a fun throwback horror movie entitled Tar, now playing on demand and in select theaters. For a fresh and inspiring perspective on an emerging industry talent, join host Sara Glassberg for her conversation with Aaron about his personal and creative journey.

Halloween is here, a perfect time to spook ourselves with an immersion into the world of horror movies that tell uniquely Jewish stories. Israeli filmmakers have been among those most recently tackling the horror genre with such AJFF titles as the zombie flick JeruZalem, and a retelling of the classic folktale The Golem. A critically-acclaimed title from the Toronto International Film Festival, Demon, offers a modern-day take on the dybbuk legend while reflecting on Poland's historical sins. From monsters and myths, to themes of religious or cultural identity, the collection of cinematic Jewish horror is surprising in its breadth and depth. And like the best horror movies, with psychological underpinnings rooted in our deepest fears and traumas. Joining our podcast conversation is B. Sonenreich, Editor-in-Chief of Oz Magazine (who has published and presented on the topic of the Shoah within horror cinema), and author Ed Simon who has written on Judaism and horror for publications like Tablet Magazine. Along with host Sara Glassberg, our special guests consider the theological and historical preoccupations of onscreen horror stories, and to what extent this genre is such an effective vehicle for exploring Jewish themes.

Joining us for this edition of AJFF In Conversation: The Jewish Film Podcast, is very special guest Eli Attie, whose own time in politics and natural writing talent helped shape the much-beloved The West Wing, created by Aaron Sorkin. This fall, Sorkin is back with The Trial of the Chicago 7, based on the infamous court proceedings of seven defendants charged with conspiracy for their protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. He is also gathering the cast of The West Wing for a reunion special in support of voter turnout. Forays into the political have been a mainstay of Sorkin's work, beginning with A Few Good Men and The American President. Even when his films and TV shows have focused on sports, showbiz, or social networks, the tinge of politics finds a way in. Before the 2020 election season comes to a close, we dissect Sorkin's political preoccupations, and his vision of political idealism and civic virtue, best personified in the fictional Bartlet administration.