South Partners with Mobile Jewish Film Festival

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Posted on January 5, 2023

Lance Crawford

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The University of South Alabama will help host the 22nd annual Mobile Jewish Film Festival, bringing entertaining and meaningful films to Mobile that reflect issues facing the Jewish and global communities.

“We are looking at some ‘firsts’ this year,” said Barry Silverman, the festival’s co-chair. “It’s the first time we have been together in person since before COVID, and it’s the first time that live theater has been part of the festival.”

The festival is partnering with the Joe Jefferson Playhouse with a live production of “Anne and Emmett.” The play is an imaginary conversation between Anne Frank and Emmett Till, both victims of racial intolerance and hatred. Frank was the 13-year-old Jewish girl whose diary provided a gripping perspective on the Holocaust. Till was a 13-year-old boy whose brutal murder in Mississippi sparked the American civil rights movement.

The Joe Jefferson Playhouse will present the play Jan. 12-15, 2023.

The Festival begins Sunday, Jan. 8, at 2 p.m. at Springhill Avenue Temple with the film “Farewell, Mr. Haffman.” A drama that has won numerous audience awards around the country including the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. 

Temple will host the documentary “Why the Jews?” Jan. 10, at 7 p.m. 

The festival moves to Fairhope at the USA Performance Center on Tuesday, Jan. 17, at 7 p.m. with “The Man in the Basement.” Author Roy Hoffman will lead a discussion following the film. 

Thursday, Jan. 19 at 3 p.m. the Festival moves to the Mobile Museum of Art for the documentary “Bad Nazi, Good Nazi,” the story of German officer Wilm Hosenfeld, who also saved the lives of 60 people during the Holocaust. Dr. David Meola, the Bert and Fanny Meisler associate professor of history and Jewish studies at the University of South Alabama, will lead a discussion afterwards.

“The Mobile Jewish Film Festival has a great lineup of films and speakers this year that cover a multitude of topics, and there is something for everyone,” said Meola. “We welcome all of Mobile to join us to sample some of these films.”

“The Man in the Basement” will be the first of three film screenings on South’s main campus in the Laidlaw Performing Arts Center. It will be shown on Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. 

 “The Narrow Bridge” will be shown Wednesday, Jan 25, and “Rose” will be shown Thursday, Jan, 26, both at 7 p.m. The films on South’s campus will be followed by discussion and a dessert reception. 

The Festival wraps up Jan. 29 at 2 p.m. with “Exodus 91” at the Ahavas Chesed Synagogue. A closing reception follows the film. 

University of South Alabama students may show their Jag ID and will be admitted free of charge to films shown at the Laidlaw Performing Arts Center and the Mobile Museum of Art. 

To learn more, see trailers and buy tickets, visit mobilejewishfederation.org. For more information call the Mobile Area Jewish Federation office at 251-490-4872. 

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