New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival (12-19 March)

Opening night, March 12^th, will feature a performance by international recording artist Enrico Macias, recipient of last year’s ASF Pomegranate Award for Sephardi Excellence in the Arts. Enrico will present the 2015 ASF Pomegranate Awards (recipients to be announced) and El Gusto, a film that tells the remarkable story of Jewish and Muslim musicians in Algeria reunited after 50 years.Two Festival programs present hard-hitting films on events pulled from the headlines.“Argentina in the News” is the Festival’s theme for the March 15^th (Saturday night’s) screening of God’s Slave, a movie about the unsolved terrorist attack on the AMIA Community Center. Prosecutor Alberto Nisman was found dead last month, ahead of the release of his findings in the case. A discussion will follow the film.

Before Charlie Hebdo and the terrorist attack on a Kosher butcher in Paris, there was the abduction, torture, and murder of Illan Halimi, a French Jew whose family has roots in Tunisia. “Jews & Money – the Story of a Jew in Paris” (Wednesday, March 18^th) will feature the New York premiere of 24 Days, a French narrative film about Halimi, as well as a documentary and discussion.

Sunday’s Family Day (March 16^th) will have something for everyone, beginning witha free program for children on upcoming Jewish and Persian holidays, afternoon programs on Bukharian veterans of World War II and the Judeo-Moroccan musical tradition, as well as a “Sephardi Singles” night screening of Do You Believe In Love?, a documentary on the magic of a disabled matchmaker and her Persian husband in Israel. A speed-dating session will follow the film.“The Road’s to Israel, Making Aliyah,” the theme of the two films to be shown on Monday (March 17th),  explores the experiences of the Greek (It Never Rained on Rhodes) and Iraqi (The Dove Flyer) communities.March 18th (Tuesday) involves “Iranian Intrigue” with screenings of films on Israeli’s living in Iran under the Shah (Before the Revolution) and the Persian Jewish community in America (The Iranian Americans).

The Festival will conclude on Thursday (March 19^th) with “Moroccan Mysteries,” a closing night dedicated to the complex circumstances that brought Moroccan Jews to Israel (Destinies Undone) and Orange People, a worldwide festival favorite that celebrates the magic and mystery of a Moroccan Jewish fortune-teller in Israel with an especially rich couscous recipe.

The Festival will screen all films and events at ASF’s home, the Center for Jewish History (15 West 16th Street), near Union Square in Chelsea.