Film Schedule:

Thursday, May 2nd, 2024

7:00 - 9:00 PM: Remembering Gene Wilder

This loving tribute to Gene Wilder celebrates his life and legacy as the comic genius behind an extraordinary string of film roles, from his first collaboration with Mel Brooks in The Producers, to the enigmatic title role in the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, to his inspired on-screen partnership with Richard Pryor in movies like Silver Streak. It is illustrated by a bevy of touching and hilarious clips and outtakes, never-before-seen home movies, narration from Wilder’s audiobook memoir, and interviews with a roster of brilliant friends and collaborators including Mel Brooks, Alan Alda, and Carol Kane. Remembering Gene Wilder shines a light on an essential performer, writer, director, and all-around mensch.

Saturday, May 4th, 2024

1:00 - 3:00 PM: Yaniv

After funding is cut for the school musical, a high school teacher in the Bronx resolves to earn it back by recruiting a fellow statistics teacher (who is secretly a card counter and recovering gambling addict) to cheat at an underground card game run by the Hasidic Jewish community. The plan goes awry with mounting consequences, but help comes at an unexpected time from the least likely people.

Sunday, May 5th, 2024

7:00 - 9:00 PM: The Zone of Interest

The commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, and his wife, Hedwig, strive to build a dream life for their family while their home sits mere yards away from the setting of the worst atrocities of recent history. Shot in and around the historic site of Auschwitz and anchored by Mica Levi’s haunting score, The Zone of Interest is an unforgettable meditation on the banality of evil.

Wednesday, May 8th, 2024

7:00 - 9:00 PM: Night of Shorts

- Dear God
- The Caretaker
- The Peacock that Passed Over
- Letter to a Pig
- Shabbos Goy
- The Boy

Friday, May 10th, 2024

1:00 - 3:00 PM: The Catskills

The Catskills is a humorous and nostalgic tribute to what became affectionately known as the Borscht Belt. Stand-up comedians share their best shtick while former waiters, entertainers, and dance instructors recount tales of the family-run resorts and bungalows that inspired films like Dirty Dancing. Featuring home movies, publicity photos, postcards, and menus, this time capsule provides an overview of Jewish immigration to New York going back to the early twentieth century. Director Lex Gillespie maps the development of the vacation destination, from a refuge for working-class Jews seeking a respite from poverty in overcrowded New York City tenements, to a lavish summer playground for the affluent.

Special guest speaker Izzi Abrams, librarian and educator, will introduce the film.

Tuesday, May 14th, 2024

1:00 - 3:00 PM: No Name Restaurant

This heartwarming, culture-clash odyssey unfolds an improbable friendship between a stranded Brooklyn Jew and an Arab nomad in the vast desert, bringing humor and camaraderie. Ultra-Orthodox Ben sets out to rescue Alexandria, Egypt's dwindling Jewish community, but finds himself marooned in the Sinai Desert. His last glimmer of hope rests with Adel, a gruff Bedouin in search of his lost camel. At first, they clash over cultural misunderstandings, until their broken-down SUV unites them in a fight for survival. Starring charismatic leads Luzer Twersky and Hitham Omari, this tender, whimsical road trip, set in breathtaking desertscapes, offers a parable of religious tolerance.

Wednesday, May 15th, 2024

7:00 - 9:00 PM: Children of Peace

In the 1970s, a group of dreamers embarked on a utopian experiment, giving birth to Neve Shalom—a village envisioned as a model of harmonious coexistence between Arabs and Jews. Despite their noble aspirations, this community found itself entangled in internal conflicts and beset by external challenges that put their revolutionary vision to the test. This documentary delves into the experiences of the children who came of age in this extraordinary setting, and how they now, as adults, grapple with the harsh realities of political turmoil, war, and societal segregation. Through their personal stories, Children of Peace seeks to scrutinize whether Neve Shalom indeed offered a genuine opportunity for peaceful coexistence or if it was, ultimately, nothing more than a social experiment.

Friday, May 17th, 2024

1:00 - 3:00 PM: Stella

It is 1937 and Stella, a German Jewish refugee, finds work in a Scottish country estate owned by the fascist Earl of Rig. With war looming and desperate to find her missing parents, Stella is quickly accepted as one of the family and must hide her true identity to survive. While there she falls in love, which proves to be life-changing. Based on the folktale of Cinderella, Stella is the tale of a refugee who champions the struggle with identity, home and love.

Sunday, May 19th, 2024

1:00 - 3:00 PM: Shoshana

Inspired by real events, Shoshana is a political thriller set in the 1930s in Tel Aviv, a brand new European Jewish city being built on the shores of the Mediterranean. Thomas Wilkin (Douglas Booth) works in the anti-terrorist squad of the British Palestine Police Force chasing an underground leader who believes Israel can only be built through violence. Wilkin is in love with both the city and a modern and progressive feminist named Shoshana Borochov (Irina Starshenbaum). Through their relationship the film explores the way extremism and violence drives a wedge between people, forcing them to choose sides.

Wednesday, May 22nd, 2024

7:00 - 9:00 PM: Love Gets a Room

Inspired by true events during the 1942 Nazi occupation of Poland, Love Gets A Room is the story of a Jewish stage actress who must make the gut-wrenching decision to follow her heart or to escape the Warsaw ghetto. This latest film by internationally acclaimed director Rodrigo Corté is a romantic tale of love and survival in the face of harrowing circumstances.

Thursday, May 23rd, 2024

7:00 - 9:00 PM: Call Me Dancer

Manish, a talented young street dancer from Mumbai, is determined to be a professional dancer, despite the odds stacked against him and parents who insist that he follow a traditional path. He meets an Israeli ballet master who encourages him to pursue his dream. However, when pitted against another talented dancer, Manish realizes he must push himself to his physical limits to succeed.

Fest Date: May 2 - 23, 2024

Location: Cinema Salem - 1 East India Square Mall Salem, MA 01970

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