“Checkpoint Zoo”
Photo courtesy of Artem Nesterov.
Every year, the Edward S. Finkelstein Harrisburg Jewish Film Festival aims to present what festival chair Julie Sherman calls an “excellent mix” of narratives—both dramatic and comic—and documentaries from around the world.
This year’s slate is “particularly strong,” Sherman said, “with seven European countries, the United States and Israel represented, and truly remarkable untold stories, especially among the documentaries.”
One of these documentaries is “Checkpoint Zoo,” a Ukrainian-U.S. co-production that takes place at the start of the Russia-Ukraine War.
Feldman Ecopark was caught between the invading Russians and the Ukrainian defenders, with shelling on both sides raining down on the park’s personnel and 5,000 increasingly traumatized animals. Owner Oleksandr Feldman made the decision to evacuate the entire park. A small band of zookeepers and young local volunteers undertook the Herculean task—while volunteers recorded the exodus on cellphones and GoPro.
“It’s almost impossible to describe,” said film director Josh Zeman, who received much of the footage online before joining the team in Ukraine. “Watching these kids just 22 years old—most with no experience handling animals at all—become superheroes. They weren’t scared, even though their lives were on the line every day. It was like they knew they were doing God’s work, just saving these innocent animals. The animals knew they were being saved. They would look at these kids, and you knew they were saying, ‘thank you.’”
The Harrisburg Jewish Film Festival began 32 years ago. Its mission was and remains to offer the greater Harrisburg community films that reflect contemporary and historical Jewish and Israeli experiences as well as to represent a broad spectrum of thought and opinion.
As in the past, many films this year reflect varied Israeli slices of life.
“Hola!…Ciao” sheds light on the immigrant experience when a thoroughly assimilated Argentinian man, with an Israeli wife and family, is visited by his elderly father and younger sister from across the world.
“The First Lady” highlights the personal journey of one of Israel’s first transgender women, now 72 and a vocal LGBTQ+ activist.
“The Sea” is an award-winning film about a Palestinian boy on the West Bank who longs to visit the Mediterranean Sea on the other side of the separation wall.
“He’ll do whatever it takes to get there,” Sherman said.
Another Israeli offering is “Halisa,” a contemporary drama set in a pediatric clinic in a low-income neighborhood in Haifa.
“‘Halisa’ is a movie about mothers and motherhood,” explained writer-director Sophie Artus. “I wanted to set the story in a neighborhood that would be interesting, and Halisa is a mixed neighborhood with an underprivileged population. Mothers there face lots of challenges…and I wanted to tell some of their stories.”
“The Stamp Thief” offers lighter fare. The documentary investigates a tale dating to the Holocaust that a mysterious Nazi stole priceless stamp collections from concentration camp victims. One-time “Seinfeld” producer Gary Gilbert sets out to confirm the story and recover the stamps.
“What makes the film ‘lighter fare’ is that, although Gilbert is serious about finding the stamps, the manner in which he goes about it is fun and funny,” Sherman said.
A live Zoom with Gilbert and film director Dan Sturman will follow Monday’s screening.
“This is the first full, eight-day festival we’ve held since the pandemic,” Sherman said. “And while we’ve had great success with a monthly festival series these past few years, there’s nothing like the ‘all-in’ feeling a three-film-a-day movie marathon generates in its audience.”
The Harrisburg Jewish Film Festival runs May 14 to 21 at Midtown Cinema, 250 Reily St., Harrisburg, except for opening night, which takes place at Chisuk Emuna Congregation, 3219 Green St., Harrisburg. For more information and tickets, visit www.hbgff.com. The major festival sponsor is Capital Blue Cross.
Something for Everyone
This year, the Edward S. Finkelstein Harrisburg Jewish Film Festival offers drama, comedy and documentary films. All screenings are at Midtown Cinema except where noted. The full schedule follows:
Thursday, May 14
Opening Night
“Hold on to Your Music,” 7 p.m.
Reception follows
At Chisuk Emuna Congregation
Friday, May 15
“The Ring” (with snacks!), 10 a.m.
“Halisa,” 1 p.m.
“Hola!…Ciao,” 4 p.m.
Sunday, May 17
“The Most Precious of Cargoes,” 10 a.m.
Book Club Film Event
(with pre-screening nosh from 9 a.m.)
Discussion follows
“For the Love of a Woman,” 1:30 p.m.
“The First Lady,” 4:30 p.m.
“Checkpoint Zoo,” 7:30 p.m.
Monday, May 18
“The Sea,” 1 p.m.
“The Most Precious of Cargoes,” 4 p.m.
“The Stamp Thief,” 7 p.m.
(w/filmmakers, live via Zoom!)
Tuesday, May 19
“For the Love of a Woman,” 1 p.m.
“Soda,” 4 p.m. (encore screening)
“Hola!…Ciao,” 7 p.m.
Wednesday, May 20
“The First Lady,” 1 p.m.
“Halisa,” 4 p.m.
“The Sea,” 7 p.m.
Thursday, May 21
“Checkpoint Zoo,” 1 p.m.
“The Stamp Thief,” 4 p.m.
“The Ring,” 7 p.m.
If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!
