FILM FESTIVAL 2010 SCHEDULE You Can Order Tickets Online using our Donation Page View the brochure as a pdf. OPENING NIGHT SATURDAY JANUARY 23, 2010 51 Birch St. (2006)                      7:00pm   Married 54 years, Mike and Mina Block were the picture of if not wedded bliss then at least rock-solid stability -- or so thought their son, documentary filmmaker Doug Block. But when his mother dies unexpectedly and his father swiftly marries his former secretary, Doug suddenly realizes there was more to his parents' union than met his eye. Turning his lens on his own family, he discovers much he never knew about the people who raised him Starring: The Block Family and Friends 90 minutes Discussion to follow movie NR – Not Rated SUNDAY JANUARY 24, 2010 Stolen Summer (2002)  10:00am   Budding filmmaker Pete Jones's first movie (exhaustively chronicled in the 12-part HBO miniseries "Project Greenlight") finally makes it to the big screen. An 8-year-old Irish-Catholic boy (Adi Stein) tries to convert his friend Danny (Mike Weinberg), the terminally ill son of a rabbi (Kevin Pollak), so Danny can enter heaven. Was the film worth all the trials and tribulations detailed in the making of documentary? Heavens, yes! Starring: Aidan Quinn, Amara Balthrop-Lewis 91 minutes PG   - Parental Guidance Suggested Milk (2008)                         7:00pm Sean Penn (in an Oscar-winning role) stars in this fact-based drama about Harvey Milk, the openly gay activist and San Francisco politician who was murdered along with Mayor George Moscone (Victor Garber) by disgruntled city supervisor Dan White (Josh Brolin) in 1978. Emile Hirsch, James Franco and Diego Luna co-star in director Gus Van Sant's compelling biopic, which also earned Oscar nods for Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor (Brolin). Starring:Sean Penn, James Franco 129 minutes Discussion to follow movie R – Restricted.  Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. SATURDAY JANUARY 30, 2010 Sima the Witch (2005)     7:00pm   Oscar-winning Israeli director Dror Shaul exposes the rough edges of Israeli society in this biting comedy, in which a sweet grandmother (Tiki Dayan) has the power to put curses on people and grant blessings. She's in high demand, and at every turn there's someone who wants to use her gift for their own needs. Starring: Tikva Dayan, Lior Ashkenazi Language: Hebrew w/ English Subtitles 103 minutes NR – Not Rated The Bubble (2006)     9:00pm When a young Israeli named Noam (Ohad Knoller) falls for a handsome Palestinian (Yousef "Joe" Sweid) he meets while working at a checkpoint in Tel Aviv, he recruits his roommates Yelli (Alon Friedman) and Lulu (Daniela Virtzer) to help find a way for the two to stay together. Director Eytan Fox's poignant film offers a glimpse at life inside the tumultuous borders of Israel, where everyday people are constantly surrounded by conflict. Starring: Ohad Knoller, Yousef Sweid Language: Arabic w/ English subtitles 117 minutes NR – Not Rated SUNDAY JANUARY 31, 2010 Beaches (1988)  7:00pm Hillary (Barbara Hershey) is an unprepossessing WASP and Cecilia (Bette Midler) is an aspiring Jewish nightclub singer. But what began as an improbable friendship on the Atlantic City boardwalk becomes an unbreakable bond that's tested repeatedly when the chips are down. As the girls come into adulthood, they alternately fight over the affections of the same man (John Heard) and help each other manage their complicated lives.   Starring: Bette Midler, Barbara Hershey 123 mins PG-13 Parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. SATURDAY FEBRUARY 6, 2010 What Makes Sammy Run (1959)     7:00pm Fibbing, backstabbing and plagiarism are just part of the job for unscrupulous screenwriter Sammy (Larry Blyden), who will do whatever it takes to climb to the top of the entertainment industry in this powerful story set in 1930s Hollywood. The 1959 television production, part of NBC's "Sunday Showcase" series, is considered one of the best interpretations of Budd Schulberg's famous novel. John Forsythe, Barbara Rush and Dina Merrill also star.  Starring: Larry Blyden, John Forsythe 105 minutes NR – Not Rated The First Basket (2008)     9:00pm Filmmaker David Vyorst examines the link between basketball and Jewish culture, starting in 1946 with the first basket ever made in a professional game by Ossie Schectman of the New York Knickerbockers. The film explains why this uniquely American sport became a melting pot for Jewish immigrants in the early 20th century, and how the development of pro basketball leagues was intertwined with the emerging Jewish community. Starring: Peter Riegert, Red Auerbach 86 minutes NR – Not Rated Order Tickets Online