This year the UKJFF will be visiting Leeds for the first time, with a selection of 9 films showing at the Cottage Road Cinema.

Cottage Road Cinema

Pre screening drinks reception at Olive Tree Restaurant, 74-76 Otley Road, Headingley

This coming of age ‘barmitzvah comedy’ is a warm and funny satire of some of the more ridiculous excesses of party themes versus religious rites. The Steins' barmitzvah is the epitome of bad taste with a Titanic themed party, complete with a ship, icebergs and even a Kate Winslet lookalike. Next is the turn of Benjamin Fiedler who has to choose a rival theme. As the guest list is being compiled Benjamin defies his father’s wishes and secretly invites his grandfather, who has been estranged to the family for more than 25 years.

Cottage Road Cinema

How do wars end? This is a less familiar question than the one generally posed and Joseph Cedar (Campfire; Time of Favour) is intrigued by the conclusion of the battle that took place around one of the bloodiest mountains in the Middle East, the Beaufort Castle. Cedar is himself a veteran of the first Lebanon war, which informs this story of the poignant retreat in 2000 of a group of young soldiers who must find ways to carry out their mission until the very last minute.

 

Cottage Road Cinema

In the Jewish quarter of Mexico City, Moishe Tartakovsky, a much loved patriarch, collapses and dies while dancing at a Jewish theatre group celebration. There is an immediate gathering for the funeral in Mexico City. After the burial, an eclectic group of family and friends, gather for the shivah (the 7 day Jewish mourning ritual). They are observed by Yiddish speaking ‘spirits’ who are about to lead his soul on to the next world.

 

Cottage Road Cinema

Aviva supports her unemployed husband and demanding family by working as a hotel cook in Tiberius. When her secret writing talent is discovered by a famous novelist Aviva’s dreams are about to be realised until she begins to suspect the author’s intentions are less than noble.

 

Cottage Road Cinema

Described as “‘Sex and the City’ French style”, love is the theme as a group of young, beautiful Sephardic women interweave their days with laughter and flirtation, followed inevitably by their Jewish mothers, popping in and out to chase and scold them about their frivolous lives. Fun with witty one-liners and great joie de vivre.

Cottage Road Cinema

Originally set up to assist Jewish immigrants to gain basic Hebrew language skills, the ‘Ulpan’ became a central institution in the process of integration into Israeli society. Six decades into the Israeli state, in 2004, in an ulpan in the heart of Tel Aviv, a different and fascinating tapestry of individuals face the difficulties of a new language and a new life.

Cottage Road Cinema

Filmmkaer Yael Luttwak set herself the bold task of forming a weight loss group in Jerusalem for women from across the political spectrum: Palestinian, Bedouin and Jewish, including settlers.

Followed by a post-screening discussion with Gali Gold, Artistic Director, UK Jewish Film Festival.

Marjorie & Arnold Ziff Community Centre, 311 Stonegate Road, Leeds LS17 6AZ

Box office: 0113 218 5857 Tickets £4 

Coffee and Kuchen screening! 

Billed as the ‘first Jewish musical comedy talking picture’.
If you only ever see one Yiddish film then make it this one. Starring the glamorous Ludwig Satz in his only film performance, he revels in role reversals and a frenetic and racy love triangle in this charming Yiddish comedy about an actor who disguises himself as an old man.

Cottage Road Cinema

Closing Night Film

In a kibbutz in the 1970s, Dvir, a 12 year old boy faces the harsh demands of the collective while struggling to make room for, and bring happiness to, his emotionally unstable mother. Without a father around and living away from his mother in the children's house, Dvir is determined to help his mother find solace and start a new life.