For the past nine years, the Baton Rouge Jewish Film Festival has shed a light on Jewish culture through film.
The 10th annual festival began this Wednesday at 7 p.m. Harvey and Paula Hoffman began the festival in 2007 with the hope of creating a place for the local Jewish community to gather together and embrace their heritage.
“We aren’t like the other Jewish film festivals, and there are a ton in the country,” said BRJFF co-chair Ara Rubyan.
When Harvey passed away in 2011, Paula took the reigns with the help of her daughter and son-in-law, Julie and Ara Rubyan.
“It is kind of like a family business,” said Ara.
He said when the festival began, it was made by a Jewish family for the Jewish people of Baton Rouge, but now, in 2016, it has taken on a new audience.
“We have morphed from a festival that was primary for the Jewish community and, 10 years later we have broadened,
bringing in an audience that is mainly non-Jewish,” he said.
One of the films showing is “Above and Beyond,” produced by Nancy Spielberg, which tells the story of Israeli pilots that fought in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
Roberta Grossman, “Above and Beyond” director, will attend the festival to speak about her film. This is her third time at the festival. She said her directing career has grown along with the festival.
“It is such an honor being asked to come back to the festival. I feel very grateful to them,” Grossman said.
Grossman said it’s people like Ara and Julie making donations to help her fund various projects and festivals, like the BRJFF, that help Jewish films see the light of day.
“Without the Jewish film festivals we wouldn’t be able to make these films,” she said.
Among other Jewish festivals, Grossman said BRJFF stands out for its tremendous enthusiasm and spirit to spread awareness of Jewish culture throughout a community that has a very small Jewish population.
The BRJFF has an important place in the community’s calendar, and it doesn’t have plans on slowing down anytime soon.
Ara said, “Ten festivals from now we hope we still have a growing audience of people who still want to come to the festival and enjoy these kinds of films.”
The Manship Theatre held the BRJFF with its first showing yesterday at 7 p.m. and is running until Sunday. Tickets are $8.50 and can be bought at the ticket counter in Manship Theatre or online at BRJFF’s website.
January 14th – Mr. Kaplan (7:00 p.m.)
January 16th – Above and Beyond (7:30 p.m.)
January 17th – Look at Us Now, Mother! (3:00 p.m.)

Gallery • 8 Photos

Anjana Nair

The 10th annual Jewish Film Festival showcased four classic Jewish films on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016 at the Manship Theatre.