Welcome to the 10th Annual AJFF

Dear Friends,

Ten years ago, we proclaimed to American Jewish Committee Atlanta’s board that the “first ever Atlanta Jewish Film Festival would open the way other festivals celebrate ten years,” with klieg lights, red carpet, Hollywood people and lots of glitz.

Once we started that way, there was no going back.

So here we are, celebrating ten years of bringing outstanding Jewish film to Atlanta. How should we mark this milestone? Should we count the many films, filmmakers, guests and parties from all the past years? Perhaps we should sum up the impressive list of donors, sponsors, cooperating organizations, volunteers and venues.

As interesting as it is to track all that information, we’ve kept our focus for this January, as in years past, on our tradition of storytelling. And so, this year we once again present films from nearly all corners of the world, which tell stories that illuminate the wonderfully diverse Jewish experience. From Orthodox yeshiva boys playing baseball, to Jewish and Muslim girls preparing for their weddings in Tunisia, you’ll see stories that are poignant, inspirational, heart-warming, educational, and laugh-out-loud funny. Along the way, you can watch Israeli sumo wrestlers, a jubilant neuroscientist, a cross-dressing high jumper, filmmakers from Hollywood and Israel who broke all the molds, Jewish Tar Heels, and so much more.

In honor of our tenth annual festival, we are also celebrating the music that is so much a part of great Jewish filmmaking. Please join us on Monday, January 4th at the Woodruff Arts Center when the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will perform a special concert in honor of the festival. It will be a grand night of gorgeous music that celebrates great film.

AJFF today is one of the largest and most respected Jewish film festivals in the country. We thank you – our audience, our sponsors, and long-time friends – for helping to make it so. Now it’s time to gather together again and share this storytelling tradition.

We can’t wait to see you at the movies!

Beth H. Paradies
American Jewish Committee, Atlanta Chapter President

Michael Coles & Jan Epstein
2010 AJFF Co-Chairs