Mayim Film Festival

Presented by the Rivertown Jewish Consortium

The Jewish community joins together every fall to see three films linked in some way by a similar underlying theme which is followed by a stimulating conversation led by either rabbis from member synagogues, film producers, or families associated with the subjects depicted in the film.

Too Comfortable?

Wednesday October 14:         The Decent One – Through previously undiscovered private letters, photos and diaries that were found in the Himmler family house in 1945, The Decent One exposes a unique and at times uncomfortable access to the life and mind of the merciless ‘Architect of the Final Solution’ SS-leader Heinrich Himmler. Facilitator: Rabbi David K. Holtz

Wednesday October 21:         Mr. Kaplan – After fleeing Europe for Uruguay during WWII, Jacob Kaplan built a quiet life. Now 76, he begins to question his worth. After learning of a mysterious German prowling the shores of a nearby beach, he becomes convinced that he’s found a Nazi in hiding and plans to expose him. Expertly distilling a potent mixture of emotional depth and deadpan comedy, Mr. Kaplan is a vivacious meditation on family, aging, and the drive for significance. Facilitator: Rabbi Billy Dreskin

Wednesday October 28:         24 Days – In January, 2006 a beautiful young woman walks into a Parisian cellphone shop, looks around, and asks for the sales attendant’s number. Who could have known that Ilan, the 23-year-old sales attendant, was flirting with death? The next time his family hears from him is through a cryptic online message from kidnappers demanding ransom. For 24 days, the Police fail to recognize the anti-Semitic hatred of his abductors. Based on a book co-written by Ilan’s mother, Ruth Halimi, this is one of the most “wrenching and politically astute” films to come out of France. Facilitator: Rabbi Mara Young