This year we raised enough money for SIFF to sponsor five films. After the votes were tallied, we chose the following films:
A House in Jerusalem
A Jewish-British child mourning the death of her mother moves to a house in Jerusalem, only to discover the ghost of an abandoned Palestinian girl in this stirring and supernatural coming-of-age drama. From the filmmakers of SIFF 2018’s The Reports on Sarah and Saleem.
Director Muayad Alayan and Producer Rami Musa Alayan scheduled to attend.
My Love Affair With Marriage
This delightful and evocatively animated musical comedy for adults follows Zelma (Dagmara Dominczyk, “Succession”) over 23 years as she learns about and rebels against what women are taught about sex, body image, and that promise of one true love.
Director/Writer/Animator/Producer Signe Baumane and Producer Sturgis Warner scheduled to attend.
LIFT
Acclaimed ballet dancer Steven Melendez returns to the Bronx shelter that was his childhood home in order to mentor a trio of aspiring dancers in this emotionally rich, unforgettable documentary from director David Petersen.
Director/Producer David Petersen, Subject/Producer Steven Melendez, Producer Mary Recine, and several crew members scheduled to attend.
Harvest Moon
In this tender and touching drama out of Mongolia, a chef and a ten-year-old boy, neither of whom knew their biological fathers, become friends when the former returns from the city to pay respects to his dying grandfather.
And the King Said, What a Fantastic Machine
A meticulous dissection of image-making using a mind-boggling array of archival footage, this profound documentary traces the 200-plus-year history of the camera, how it has been embraced, and how it has been exploited. A 2022 SIFF New Works-in-Progress project and Sundance Special Jury Award-winning documentary.
Director Axel Danielson, Director Max Van Aertryck, and Producer Kathleen McInnis scheduled to attend.