Jewish Film Series

Directed by Oren Rudavsky I 85 min I Documentary I USA I 2019

Joseph Pulitzer’s New York newspaper, The World, would transform American media and make him wealthy, admired and feared. Throughout his four decades as a reporter and publisher, he created a powerful artistic vehicle that spoke to an unprecedented number of readers.

Pulitzer is an American icon who spoke of “fake news” over one hundred years ago. He fought the dangers that the suppression of news had for a democracy long before our present threats to press freedom. While he is remembered for the prizes that bear his name, his own heroic battles in the face of grave illness and Presidential ire have been forgotten as has the artistry and game changing originality he brought to newspapers. How did Joseph Pulitzer, once a penniless young Jewish immigrant from Hungary, come to challenge a popular president and fight for freedom of the press as essential to our democracy? Joseph Pulitzer: Voice of the People is a fascinating look into the life, accomplishments, and legacy of the man behind the Pulitzer Prize.

Talkback discussion to follow moderated by Jeff South, Associate Professor, Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Presented by The Arenstein Family

Directed by Jacob Goldwasser I 90 min I Narrative I Israel I 2018

Nominated for eight Ophir Awards (Israeli Academy Awards) including Best Film, Shoelaces is a wholly engaging, tender family dramedy about the knotty relationship between an aging, irascible mechanic and the exuberant special-needs son he abandoned long before.

Shoelaces tells the story of a complicated relationship between an aging father (Reuben) and his special-needs son (Gadi), whom he abandoned while he was still a young boy. Reuben's kidneys are failing and his son Gadi wants to donate one of his own kidneys to help save his father's life. However, the transplant committee objects to the procedure claiming that Rueben, acting as Gadi's sole legal guardian, does not have the right to authorize such an invasive procedure.

Through the film's portrayal of a relationship full of love, rejection and co-dependency, it manages to shed some light and question the importance of human life, human connection and if life is even possible without it either one of them.

Presented by The Arenstein Family

Directed by Hilary Helstein I 70 min I Documentary I USA I 2008

As Maya Angelou narrates this powerful documentary, she reveals the story of a brave group of people who fought Hitler with the only weapons they had: charcoal, pencil stubs, shreds of paper and memories etched in their minds. These artists took their fate into their own hands to make a compelling statement about the human spirit, enduring against unimaginable odds.

Immediately following the film, Elizabeth Hlavek, will discuss her photography exhibition, Making Meaning Through Making Art, and share learnings from personal interviews with Holocaust survivors and artists, many of whom are featured in the film.  This exhibit, part of her doctorate dissertation, is comprised of reproductions of artwork created by individuals from all over Europe, including those interred in such concentration camps as Auschwitz, Dachau, Gurs and Terezin. As an art therapist, Hlavek hopes people will walk away from this exhibition recognizing the “individual within the masses” and how art can play a role in healing and surviving.

Presented by The Arenstein Family

Yom Hashoah program co-hosted with the Virginia Holocaust Museum