San Diego International Jewish Film Festival

** The San Diego Center for Jewish Culture Hosts 31 films for the week-long festival **

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The 31st Annual San Diego International Jewish Film Festival (SDIJFF) is coming up Feb. 11-21, 2021, showcasing a selection of the best contemporary Jewish-related films. Thirty-one feature films are being screened from Thursday, Feb. 11 through Sunday, Feb. 21, 2020, where film enthusiasts can watch from the comfort of their home.

This festival is known to be one of the most prestigious Jewish film festivals in the country. Tickets are $15 per program and $12 for JCC members.

Films can be pre-ordered now. Some films are Limited-Time Screenings, with specific dates of availability and a shorter time period to view. All other films, except for Private Screenings, are On-Demand throughout the duration of the festival.

“The Film Selection Committee did an outstanding job of identifying films that were both compelling and entertaining – a mix of interesting documentaries and beautiful narratives,” said Ryan Isaac, Director of Cultural Arts for the San Diego CJC at the Lawrence Family JCC, JACOBS FAMILY CAMPUS.

All of the films screened at the festival were carefully selected to represent the Jewish experience, including highlights such as:

  • “Determined: The Story of Holocaust Survivor Avraham Perlmutter”
    Exclusive Underwriter Preview film: Perlmutter’s determination, courage and chutzpah are on display in this story of his survival and escape as a teenager during the Holocaust.
  • “Shared Legacies”
    Opening Day film: The story of the Jews’ role in the civil rights movement is presented by a who’s who of Jewish leaders and Black civil rights activists.
  • “On Broadway” (documentary)
    Lin-Manuel Miranda, Helen Mirran and Huge Jackman are among those who guide viewers on a behind-the-scenes look at groundbreaking shows, including “Hamilton” and “A Chorus Line” and performances from Mandy Patinkin and James Earl Jones.
  • “Tango Shalom” (narrative)
    The Festival’s featured comedy about a Hassidic rabbi who enters a dance competition to save his school from bankruptcy despite religious beliefs that prohibit him from touching his partner.

This year’s 2021 Film Selection Committee includes: Christina Fink as Chair, Joyce Axelrod as Founding Chair, along with Francine Ginsburg and Helen Fleming as Past Chairs, as well as Herb Adelman, Judith Friedel, Michele Kipnis, Leslie Oster, Saundra Saperstein, Sarah Scott and Sandra Silverstein.

Tickets are on sale now. To learn more or purchase tickets, visit www.lfjcc.org/cjc/sdijff.

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About the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture
San Diego’s only Jewish institution dedicated solely to presenting high quality, nationally recognized arts, culture & Jewish education programs. The San Diego Center for Jewish Culture (CJC), while a separate non-profit, is housed at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, JACOBS FAMILY CAMPUS and acts as the education and cultural arts arm of the Center. The mission of the CJC is to expand and enrich cultural life in San Diego by presenting the finest in Jewish artistic expression, encouraging the preservation of Jewish culture and heritage, and nurturing new creativity in the arts. The CJC offers a wide variety of multidisciplinary artistic programs that explore cultural identities and perspectives, promote cross-cultural understanding, and highlight human themes of family, tolerance, compassion and hope. Its facilities feature a 500-seat theatre, Judaica library, art gallery, and community Holocaust Memorial Garden.

About the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, JACOBS FAMILY CAMPUS
The mission of the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center (JCC), JACOBS FAMILY CAMPUS is to provide social, cultural, educational, and recreational programs to individuals and families of all ages, religions, races, and financial, physical and mental abilities. The JCC provides equal opportunity employment to individuals of all religions and backgrounds. The JCC welcomes San Diego’s diverse Jewish community and the community at large. The Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, JACOBS FAMILY CAMPUS is located at 4126 Executive Drive in La Jolla.