In-person sneak preview screening at West Newton Cinema

New England Premiere

 

A definitive exploration of singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen as seen through the prism of his internationally renowned hymn, Hallelujah. This feature-length documentary weaves together three creative strands: the songwriter and his times; the song’s dramatic journey from record label rejection to chart-topping hit; and moving testimonies from major recording artists for whom Hallelujah has become a personal touchstone. Approved for production by Leonard Cohen just before his 80th birthday in 2014, the film accesses a wealth of never-before-seen archival materials from the Cohen Trust, including Cohen’s notebooks, journals and photographs, performance footage, and rare audio recordings and interviews.

 

In-person screening at West Newton Cinema

Massachusetts Premiere

 

Immortalized as one of the most scintillating and uplifting Christmas songs, Carol of the Bells, adapted from a popular and loved Ukrainian folk melody Shchedryk, came to represent the spirit of brotherhood and unity worldwide. The song serves as a narrative path in this story of a peaceful and neighborly existence of three Polish, Ukrainian, and Jewish families, who share a large house, musical evenings, and merriment in the Ukrainian town of Stanislav. Their domestic harmony is shattered first by the Nazi invasion and then by the Soviet occupation of Ukraine. A moving story of courage, sacrifice, and love.

 

Available to watch for a 48-hour period from August 3 until 11:59 pm on August 9.

 

Nine Israeli Arab and Jewish women take part in a video workshop hosted by a young female filmmaker. The women (played by a mix of seasoned and nonprofessional actors) learn to tell their stories in video. Sharing these stories of frustration and joy, they are compelled to examine their ambitions, identities, and convictions. 

 

Available to watch for a 48-hour period from August 10 until 11:59 pm on August 16.

 

American Birthright is an entertaining and engrossing personal documentary that follows 29-year-old Israeli-American Becky Tahel Bordo’s struggle with the big questions about religion, love, and her Jewish identity after her younger sister Gal marries outside the faith. An Israeli immigrant in Los Angeles, Becky attempts to carve out her identity by consulting Rabbis, religious experts, mentors, and family members. Her initial question is always the same: "Should I marry Jewish?" But what she discovers changes that question to "What does it mean to be Jewish?" and shifts the course of her life.