New Maven for Jewish Film Fest
by Doniphan Blair
Provocative filmmaker Jay Rosenblatt takes the programming helm of venerable local festival. photo courtesy J. RosenblattThe world's oldest and largest Jewish film festival, the San Francisco International, housed at the 9th Street Independent Film Center, has a new programming director as of January. Jay Rosenblatt is a filmmaker known for probing, dark pieces like "Phantom Limb," about his childhood and the death of his younger brother. He seems a prescient choice, especially after the festival was rocked with controversy in 2009 for screening "Rachel," about an American pro-Palestinian peace activist killed by the Israeli army.
Five Rosenblatt films have been shown at the festival over the years, so you can imagine a central casting Jewish board member asking rhetorically, "Who better to know what films we're looking for?" The five were "Human Remains," about five dictators, coincidentally (1998); "King of the Jews," about Jesus (2000); two films he made with with his daughter (2003 and 04), and "Four Question for a Jewish Rabbi" (2008). The last was a short Jay finished for his filmmaker friend Stacey Ross who died unexpectedly. He also won the festival's Freedom of Expression Award (2005).
Working as a filmmaker since 1980, his films have garnered worldwide attention, including dozens of awards, runs at New York's Film Forum, screenings at Sundance and on HBO, and more. Moreover, Rosenblatt is a recipient of a Guggenheim and Rockefeller Fellowship, and has served on numerous juries, including the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam. More: http://www.jayrosenblattfilms.com.
We're obsessed with trends at CineSource, but Rosenblatt begged off by saying: "As you know, I just started, so I don't know. We are at the early stage of programming [for the end-of-June festival]. Two of my colleagues are currently at Sundance and we are headed to Berlin."
Originally from New York, he has lived in San Francisco for years and taught film at various schools, including Stanford, SF State, and the SF Art Institute. Before getting into film, he was a therapist.
"I am not relishing being on this end: having to turn down filmmakers. I don't have any agenda, political or anything like that, I just have a quality agenda. I want it to reflect my taste and to be a strong program - provocative, bold, exciting filmmaking. I think the potential is there. We shall see."
Of course, there was "Rachel." "[The controversy] got pretty ugly," Jay said. "It was not a great moment for the festival, very challenging. There is a wide range of viewpoints in the Jewish community. We have very vocal audiences even when [a film] is not totally controversial. At some of my films, it got pretty vocal, which is invigorating." We won't be seeing his new film, which premiered at Telluride, at the festival due to interest conflicts but called "The Darkness of Day" and about suicide, it sounds like classical Rosenblatt.
And how about the festival finances and size, which the current executive director, Peter Stein, and former program director, Nancy Fishman, were able to grow before the economic collapse and "Rachel" fracas? "We are paring back a bit, starting on a Saturday instead of a Thursday. There is a real concern about funding in all nonprofits. In many ways, I see my role here similar to my role in the films that I make. I want to bring people together and I don't want to shy away from provocative work. One of the things about the Jewish Film Festival: there is strong sense of community," concluded Rosenblatt. "I hope I can build on that in my new role." Posted on Mar 08, 2010 - 04:20 PM
by Doniphan Blair
Provocative filmmaker Jay Rosenblatt takes the programming helm of venerable local festival. photo courtesy J. RosenblattFive Rosenblatt films have been shown at the festival over the years, so you can imagine a central casting Jewish board member asking rhetorically, "Who better to know what films we're looking for?" The five were "Human Remains," about five dictators, coincidentally (1998); "King of the Jews," about Jesus (2000); two films he made with with his daughter (2003 and 04), and "Four Question for a Jewish Rabbi" (2008). The last was a short Jay finished for his filmmaker friend Stacey Ross who died unexpectedly. He also won the festival's Freedom of Expression Award (2005).
Working as a filmmaker since 1980, his films have garnered worldwide attention, including dozens of awards, runs at New York's Film Forum, screenings at Sundance and on HBO, and more. Moreover, Rosenblatt is a recipient of a Guggenheim and Rockefeller Fellowship, and has served on numerous juries, including the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam. More: http://www.jayrosenblattfilms.com.
We're obsessed with trends at CineSource, but Rosenblatt begged off by saying: "As you know, I just started, so I don't know. We are at the early stage of programming [for the end-of-June festival]. Two of my colleagues are currently at Sundance and we are headed to Berlin."
Originally from New York, he has lived in San Francisco for years and taught film at various schools, including Stanford, SF State, and the SF Art Institute. Before getting into film, he was a therapist.
"I am not relishing being on this end: having to turn down filmmakers. I don't have any agenda, political or anything like that, I just have a quality agenda. I want it to reflect my taste and to be a strong program - provocative, bold, exciting filmmaking. I think the potential is there. We shall see."
Of course, there was "Rachel." "[The controversy] got pretty ugly," Jay said. "It was not a great moment for the festival, very challenging. There is a wide range of viewpoints in the Jewish community. We have very vocal audiences even when [a film] is not totally controversial. At some of my films, it got pretty vocal, which is invigorating." We won't be seeing his new film, which premiered at Telluride, at the festival due to interest conflicts but called "The Darkness of Day" and about suicide, it sounds like classical Rosenblatt.
And how about the festival finances and size, which the current executive director, Peter Stein, and former program director, Nancy Fishman, were able to grow before the economic collapse and "Rachel" fracas? "We are paring back a bit, starting on a Saturday instead of a Thursday. There is a real concern about funding in all nonprofits. In many ways, I see my role here similar to my role in the films that I make. I want to bring people together and I don't want to shy away from provocative work. One of the things about the Jewish Film Festival: there is strong sense of community," concluded Rosenblatt. "I hope I can build on that in my new role." Posted on Mar 08, 2010 - 04:20 PM
