As the Nashville Jewish Film Festival (NJFF) celebrates its 10^th anniversary this November, they’ll also be celebrating their new partnership with the Gordon Jewish Community Center (GJCC).  The NJFF, one of Nashville’s largest Jewish cultural events, and the GJCC, the main hub for Jewish activities in Nashville, recognized that their missions had a lot in common.  The two organizations decided to join forces to strengthen their objectives to promote the appreciation of Jewish cultural values among the Nashville community.  The NJFF’s focus has always been to provide educational, entertaining and thought-provoking films that expose the community to a diverse perspective on the Jewish experience and becoming a program of the GJCC was a natural progression for the festival’s growth and future. GJCC Executive Director, Eric Goldstein, has worked with a similar model at his former JCC in Las Vegas and is very excited about the merger. Says Goldstein, “The JCC is a natural place for a Jewish film festival.”  With the GJCC’s membership base of over 1,700 families, the NJFF hopes to reach out to even more of the Nashville community while also further developing partnerships with local Jewish organizations for a more united Jewish community.

 

The NJFF has enjoyed a wonderful working relationship with the Temple for the past 9 years where it began as an event to help celebrate Congregation Ohabai Sholom’s 150^th birthday. The NJFF has continued to expand since its inception in 2001 by the original co-chairs, Kathy Gutow and Laurie Eskind.  What began with 6 films over 3 days has grown to 13 screenings over 9 days. And, as the festival has matured, it now has four volunteer co-directors - Laurie Eskind, Jackie Karr, Cindy Moskovitz and Loretta Saff as well as a staff festival director, Mandy McBroom. McBroom spent over 8 years with the Nashville Film Festival, has worked for the Sundance Film Festival and frequently attends film festivals around the country to bring fresh films and ideas back to the NJFF.

 

The NJFF plans to celebrate their 10^th anniversary this November 3 - 11 by making the festival the biggest and best yet. The festival committee is currently in the process of selecting films, inviting speakers and organizing special events for its 2010 program which will include Jewish-themed films from all over the world, covering a variety of perspectives of the Jewish experience.  Look forward to their ever popular events such as the Opening Night Cocktail Supper at Cabana, the Monday Matinee lunch, and the Closing Night Reception.

 

While the festival will continue to screen most of its films at the historic Belcourt Theatre in Hillsboro Village, the traditional Sunday morning religious school screening will take place at the GJCC. And on Wednesday, October 27^th at the GJCC, the NJFF will present the 6^th Annual Kathryn H. Gutow Student Film Competition which offers the winning filmmaker $1000, a screening at NJFF’s closing night and  will be shown at the Nashville Film Festival in April.  The Student Film Competition receives submissions from all over the world.

 

The NJFF also hopes to include many local Jewish organizations as sponsors of this year’s screenings. Says co-director Loretta Saff, “Having our home at the Gordon Jewish Community Center opens new doors for our visibility and community partnerships. We are so happy to be part of the GJCC family.” 

 

Please visit their website at www.nashvillejewishfilmfestival.org. The complete film and event schedule and ticket information will be listed in early October.