The Outrageous Sophie Tucker
Director: William Gazecki
Screening: February 6 - February 12, 2015
Discover the rags to riches story of The Outrageous Sophie Tucker, an iconic superstar who ruled the worlds of vaudeville, Broadway, radio, television, and Hollywood throughout the 20th century.
Before Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Bette Midler, Marilyn Monroe, and Mae West, Sophie Tucker was the first woman to infatuate her audiences with a bold, bawdy and brassy style unlike any other.
Above and Beyond
Director: Roberta Grossman
Screening: February 20 - February 26, 2015
In 1948, just three years after the liberation of Nazi death camps, a group of Jewish American pilots answered a call for help. In secret and at great personal risk, they smuggled planes out of the U.S., trained behind the Iron Curtain in Czechoslovakia and flew for Israel in its War of Independence. As members of Machal – “volunteers from abroad” – this ragtag band of brothers not only turned the tide of the war; they also embarked on personal journeys of discovery and renewed Jewish pride.
Welcome to Kutsher's: The Last Catskills Resort
Directors: Caroline Laskow & Ian Rosenberg
Screening: March 6 - March 12, 2015
Kutsher’s Country Club is the last surviving Jewish resort in the Catskills. One of the legendary Borscht Belt hotels during its heyday, Kutsher’s has been family-owned and operated for over 100 years. Exploring the full Dirty Dancing-era Catskills experience — and how it changed American pop culture in the comedy, sports and vacation industries, this award-winning documentary captures a last glimpse of a lost world as it disappears before our eyes.
Deli Man
Directors: Erik Greenberg Anjou
Premiering: March 20, 2015
Alas, the deli documentary you've been waiting for! Erik Greenberg Anjou's film explores Jewish culture as it reflects the heart of a vital ethnic history. In Houston, Texas, third-generation deli man Ziggy Gruber has built arguably the finest delicatessen restaurant in the U.S, Kenny & Ziggy's. His story – augmented by the stories of iconic delis such as Katz’s, 2nd Avenue Deli, Nate ‘n Al, Carnegie, and the Stage – embodies a tradition indelibly linked to its savory, nostalgic foods. Indulge in the deli foods you love and learn about the traditions that make deli one of America's great cuisines.