Buffalo Rising Online

Jun 1st 2007, 11:58am By Gabrielle Bouliane

Buffalo Rising has two tickets available to the first caller for the Opening Night Gala of the Buffalo International Jewish Film Festival tomorrow night. The Festival begins Saturday Night, at 7:30 PM, at the Market Arcade Film & Art Centre with two feature films, complete with a dessert reception and live Klezmer music! First reader to call the Buffalo Rising offices at 923-7603, extension 207 will get two free passes.

The feature films are West Bank Story followed by Three Mothers. West Bank Story was the Academy Awards' choice this year for Best Live Action Short Film, and will most likely be Buffalo's only showing of this cinematic gem. The full description is below, but the tagline "A musical comedy set in the fast-paced, fast-food world of competing falafel stands in the West Bank," pretty much says it all. Following is the feature film Three Mothers, an exploration of the lives of triplet sisters born in Alexandria, Egypt in 1942 that covers a six-decade period of the best and worst of family life.

A dessert reception will be provided by Catering by Karen, and Klezmer and traditional Yiddish folk music will be provided by the Bupkes Klezmer band, a group commited to preserving the form. Bupkes is composed of Penny Myers on vocals, Alan Wishnoff on violin, Steve Rosenthal on soprano sax, Marty Kerker on keyboards, Tom Wiswall on double bass, and Buddy Rein on percussion. Altogether, the evening will be a terrific celebration of Jewish culture and community. Tickets are available to the general public for $14, and more information is available at their website.

Sponsored by the Bunis Family Cultural Arts Fund in memory of Anne and Louis Bunis and Maer Bunis.

Saturday, June 2, 7 PM
$14
Market Arcade Film & Arts Centre
639 Main, 14203, Box Office 855.3022

West Bank Story Israel / 2005 / 22 minutes / Hebrew with English subtitles / Director: Ari Sandel A little singing, a little dancing, a lot of hummus. A musical comedy set in the fast-paced, fast-food world of competing falafel stands in the West Bank. David, an Israeli soldier, falls in love with the beautiful Palestinian cashier, Fatima, despite the animosity between their families’ dueling restaurants. Can the couple’s love withstand a 2000 year old conflict and their families’ desire to control the future of the chick pea in the Middle East? The film was awarded Best Live Action Short Film at 2007 Academy Awards and was an Official Selection at 2005 Sundance Film Festival Saturday, June 2, 7:00 PM (Market Arcade), Monday, June 4, 5:00 PM (Amherst Theatre), Tuesday, June 5, 1:00 PM (Amherst Theatre), Wednesday, June 6, 4:30 PM (Amherst Theatre).

Three Mothers Israel / 2006 /106 minutes / Hebrew with English subtitles / Director: Dina Zvi-Riklis A stunningly beautiful, evocative tale of family relationships at their best and worst. Full of twists and turns and fabulous singing, Three Mothers traces the lives of the Hakim sisters, triplets who were born in Alexandria, Egypt in 1942. The sisters were blessed by King Farouk of Egypt and given the names of flowers: Rose, Flora and Yasmin. Today, they live together in a Tel Aviv apartment under a cloud of unhappiness. One sister is a former cabaret singer who dreams of a comeback. Another is a retired midwife. The third is in dire need of a kidney transplant. In fashbacks spanning six decades, the women reveal the truth about their harrowing family history. The film was awarded Best Costumes, 2006 Israeli Academy Awards and Best Cinematography, 2006 Jerusalem Film Festival. The film is sponsored by the Bunis Family Cultural Arts Fund in memory of Anne and Louis Bunis and Maer Bunis. Saturday. June 2, 7:00 PM (Market Arcade), Thursday, June 7, 12:30 PM (Amherst Theatre)