ChaiFlicks Summer Film Series 2024
The past couple of months at ChaiFlicks have been marked by the success of great international TV series. Israeli drama Fire Dance, starring Yehuda Levi and Mia Ivryn, and Austrian limited series Kafka — celebrating the life of Bohemian writer Franz Kafka at the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his passing.
Not to let our film fans wither, we put together our inaugural Summer Film Series, featuring narrative films drawing from a diverse collection of countries, genres, and narratives. From Academy Award winner Ida to recent audience favorite Golden Voices — there is something for every film lover to tune in to this summer.
Golden Voices | July 13
Turning the “coming-of-age” genre on its head, Golden Voices centers around an older couple, Raya and Victor, as they make a new life in Israel after leaving the collapsing Soviet Union. In this heartwarming, comedic film, the two try to make use of their previous career in dubbing films, finding their own distinct voices both on and off screen.
Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem | July 20
This masterfully shot Golden Globe nominee follows Viviane Amsalem in her attempt to obtain a divorce (a “gett” under Jewish religious law) from her silently cruel and stubborn husband. A legal drama that unravels the history of a couple's relationship all while in the confines of a courtroom, Gett masterfully comments on the intersection of gender roles and religion. The film is part of a trilogy directed, written by, and starring Ronit Elkabetz, one of Israel's most memorable and impactful actresses.
Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life | July 27
Follow the life of French singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg through this avant-garde biopic written and directed by comic book artist Joann Star. Gainsbourg’s ensemble cast artfully chronicles over sixty years of the singer’s life, featuring a wide variety of characters including the singer’s lovers like Jane Birkin and Brigitte Bardot along with the surrealist “La Gueule,” the personification of his “Mug.”
Ida | August 3
Anna is a young Catholic nun about to take her vows, but when she visits her only living relative, her aunt Wanda, both of their worlds are forever changed. This Oscar-winning film chronicles the women’s journey to find answers and closure after Anna uncovers the truth about her identity—that her real name is Ida and that her family is Jewish.
Transit | August 10
In this unconventional adaptation of Anna Seghers’s 1944 German novel of the same name, refugee Georg assumes the identity of a dead writer to escape an ominous, encroaching fascist force. Transit’s art house director Christain Petzold carefully blends past, present, and future all while raising questions about interpersonal relationships and sacrifice.
Memoir of War | August 17
Based on French screenwriter and essayist Marguerite Duras’s 1985 memoir La Douleur, this film chronicles her experience in and the aftermath of Nazi-occupied France as she searches for her arrested husband. Echoing the style of Duras’s own films, Memoir of War explores ideas of memory, love, and connection. Starring Melanie Thierry (Babylon A.D.) and Benoit Magimel (The Taste of Things, The Piano Teacher).
The Names of Love | August 24
This audacious rom-com tells the story of the unlikely pairing between Baya, a free-spirited, liberal young woman, and Arthur, a middle-aged and rather square Jewish scientist. Tackling issues like cultural identity and immigration with humor and satire, The Names of Love subverts the typical romantic comedy.
Thou Shalt Not Hate | August 31
When Jewish surgeon Simone Segre comes across a hit-and-run victim, his first instinct is to try and save him. However, upon discovering a Nazi tattoo on his chest, he leaves the man to die. As he is tormented by immense guilt, Simone tracks down the man’s neo-Nazi family. Delving deeply into themes of xenophobia and anti-Semitism, Thou Shalt Not Hate is a tension-filled drama not to miss.
