Film Pittsburgh's JFilm Festival, the largest Jewish cultural event in the region, will screen May 2-12 at three theaters around Pittsburgh. This is the 31st year for this highly anticipated event, which brings engaging independent Jewish-themed films to Pittsburgh. This year, JFilm will present 16 films, six of which will be available to screen virtually.
"Independent films are so impactful in people's lives." said Kathryn Spitz Cohan, Film Pittsburgh's executive director. "Sometimes they feed your mind by showing you some incredible little-known history like in 999: The Forgotten Girls and other times they feed your heart by transporting you to another time like the visit to the great resorts of The Catskills. But one thing is for sure: independent films always add a richness to the human experience."
JFilm will screen at the Carnegie Music Hall, the Oaks Theater, and CMU's McConomy Auditorium. The festival will include Q&As with visiting filmmakers, a Mother's Day screening with sweet bakery treats, scholar-led Film Schmooze discussions, and more.
One highlight will be opening night's Pittsburgh premiere of Left Alone Rhapsody: The Musical Memoir of Pianist John Bayless at the newly restored Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland. The film, sponsored by The Arthur J. and Betty F. Diskin Cultural Endowment Fund of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, tells the inspiring story of Bayless, a Leonard Bernstein protégé and successful concert pianist and composer who suffered a debilitating stroke, and his heroic efforts to continue playing with his left hand alone. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Bayless and director Stewart Schulman. John Bayless will also play several songs before a dessert reception in the Music Hall's Foyer.
In other films to watch for, Spitz Cohan says, "We're excited for our audience to look back at some beloved pop culture icons in Remembering Gene Wilder and Shari & Lamb Chop. These lovely documentaries will have you revisiting happy memories with film and TV legends who were a big part of so many people's lives."
Upcoming Local Events
For more information about JFilm and to purchase tickets, visit FilmPittsburgh.org.
This content has been submitted by authors outside of this publisher and is not its editorial product. It could contain opinions, facts, and points of view that have not been reviewed or accepted by the publisher.