80 films will be screened in venues throughout the UK during November for the 2015 Jewish Film Festival. Image source: Pixabay.


In 1997 the UK saw the first Jewish Film Festival brought to cinema screens around the country. Celebrating the universality of cinema the annual festival is now bigger than ever. Established by the charity UK Jewish Film the festival highlights the latest Jewish and Israeli films, including full length features, short films and documentaries. The festival “crosses cultures and divides and as such has the ability to unite, engage and educate diverse audiences” (UK Jewish Film).

For the next two weeks there will be screenings up and down the country including the following highlights:

Apples from the Desert
11th November, 8.30pm
Broadway Cinema, Nottingham

Apples from the Desert is an adaptation of the popular novel and tells the story of Rebecca, a young woman born into an Orthodox Jewish family, and her struggles between tradition and modernity. Also showing in Manchester on 12th November, London on 14th and 19th November and Glasgow on 14th November.

'Apples from the Desert' is an adaptation of the popular novel. Image source: Pixabay. 

Dough
14th November, 8.30pm
Cineworld, Manchester

Starring Jonathan Pryce as Nat, a Jewish baker, this comedy drama follows the trials and tribulations of Nat as he struggles to keep his bakery open. Also showing in London on 10th, 14th and 22nd November, Nottingham on 17th November and Glasgow on 21st November.

A bakery forms the unlikely centre of this comedy drama. Image source: Pixabay.

Hill Start
15th November, 4.00pm
MAZCC, Leeds

Popular at the box office Hill Start is a comedy drama that follows the experiences of the Geva family after their mother, Ora, falls into a coma. Also showing in London on 14th and 21st November, Manchester on 15th November and Glasgow on 17th November.

Set in Jerusalem, 'Hill Start' follows the comic dramas of the Geva family. Image source: Pixabay.

Raise the Roof
16th November, 7.30pm
CCA, Glasgow

This documentary tells the unique story of the rebuilding of Gwoździec, a beautiful 18th century synagogue in Poland that was destroyed by the Nazis. Also showing in London on 11th and 17th November.

'Raise the Roof' tells the story of the rebuiling of a Polish synagogue destroyed during The Holocaust. Image source: Pixabay.

5 to 7
22nd November. 6.00pm
Broadway, Nottingham

Comparisons to Woody Allen and Doctor Zhivago have been made about this romantic comedy. Set in New York the film centres on the relationship between Yelchin, a Jewish boy from upstate, and Arielle, the wife of a French diplomat. Also showing in London on 7th and 21st November.

Romantic comedy '5 to 7' is filmed in the City of New York. Image source: Pixabay.

The 2015 UK Jewish Film Festival is taking place throughout the country until 22nd November 2015. For full listings or for more information about the festival please visit UK Jewish Film's website 

Sources:

UK Jewish Film, ‘UK Jewish Film’ [Online]. Available at http://ukjewishfilm.org/ (accessed 9 November 2015).