The 20th annual Louisville Jewish Film Festival strives to show the richness and diversity of the Jewish experience by presenting the best contemporary international films. Through feature films, shorts, documentaries and student films, as well as conversations with guest speakers, the festival explores Jewish identity with the hope of increasing tolerance and educating its audiences.

Israel, 110 minutes

Sponsored by Cantor David Lipp’s Discretionary Fund of Congregation Adath Jeshurun and Speed Cinema at Speed Art Museum

A program of seven short student films from Steve Tisch School of Film and Television at Tel Aviv University. This is the largest film school in Israel and the only film school in the world where student filmmakers own the rights to their student films.

The films featured include the following:
Omar by Noa Gottesman, Asaf Schwartz-13 minutes. Eighteen-year-old Omer wakes up one day with a thick beard and discovers that he has turned into Omar, an Arab.
Keys by Hadar Reichman-12 minutes. What happens when a secular Israeli mother wants to drive her son for a birthday treat on the Sabbath and her car is blocked by a religious family’s car?
Babysitter by Heli Hardy-19 minutes. Winner of best fiction film at the 48th Student Film Festival in Montreal. Yafit works as a babysitter in a hotel in Eilat. Then Ron, an old unfulfilled flame, shows up on vacation.
Sante directed by Sabrine Khoury-19 minutes. An Arab salsa dancer in a relationship with her Jewish partner perform in an Israeli settlement.
Leftovers by Yael Arad Zafrir-19 minutes. A devoted wife takes care of her disabled husband leaving her with unmet needs. Contains graphic sexual scenes
Ziva and Amal by Tal Oved-13 minutes. Jewish Ziva rooms with Amal, a young Arab woman, and decides to test their friendship.
Operator by Ben Hakim-15 minutes. Screened at Tribeca Film Festival. A single mom works as a drone operator to support her family. What are the moral dilemmas that stem from long-distance killing with no risk to the operator’s life?

The Speed Art Museum opens at noon for the Owsley Brown Free Sunday. Enjoy the museum exhibits and a free matinee of exceptional student films.