The Twelfth Annual San Luis Obispo Jewish Film Festival is coming your way January 9-30, 2022, online at www.slojff.com. The festival, which is noted for celebrating cultural diversity, is doing a deep dive this year into further revealing how Jewish Culture and Jewish Faith are expressed all over the world. “Our Global Mishpachah” is this year’s theme. The term ‘Mishpachah’ means family and friends. Tickets and passes, as well as descriptions and trailers of this year’s films, will be available to view beginning in December. Visit www.slojff.com for the full festival line-up and to purchase tickets.
A selection of feature narratives, documentaries, and shorts from more than 12 different countries use their rich storytelling to help us find our common humanity. In addition to the films, the festival includes unfiltered, in-depth interviews with the filmmakers that enriches the filmgoing experience.
“We sought out films from as many different countries as possible, so that we could better understand the personal role of Judaism throughout the world. We gain insight into the differences as well as the traditions and ties that bind us together as a family of believers,” shares Co-Director, Muara C. Johnston. “In a world that is seemingly more fractured than ever, this wonderful inclusive term ‘Mishpachah’ reminds us that we are one big global family. We felt that message was extra important to celebrate this year.”
SLO Jewish Film Festival Co-Director, Bruce Silverberg, noted that the virtual format necessitated by the pandemic has brought unexpected benefits. “Not being tethered to a physical location has given us a truly global reach,” Silverberg said. “We can easily engage with filmmakers near and far to share new stories and perspectives with our audience. Viewers will get to meet more branches of our diverse global mishpacha.”