The Jewish Film Series will present a sophisticated cross-section of powerful and thought-provoking films with an emphasis on films with Jewish themes and/or featuring Jewish artists and filmmakers.

Like the Great Neck Arts Center's Furman Film Series, all films will be followed by a discussion with a relevant speaker who will provide exciting insight into the film and its subject matter.

All screenings in this Series will be on Mondays at the Clearview Squire Cinema, 115 Middle Neck Road in Great Neck.

WHERE: The Clearview Squire Cinemas, 115 Middle Neck Road, Great Neck (Click here for directions).

WHEN: All screenings begin at 7:30 pm. Please see new Subscriber, Individual Ticket-Holder and Same-Day Ticket Purchaser check-in procedures below!

TICKETS: Series Subscriptions are $75 ($65 for seniors & members of Great Neck Synagogue). Tickets to Individual Films, when available, are $15 if purchased in advance and $20 at the door.

Please note: MANY SHOWS DO SELL OUT in which case individual tickets may not be available in advance or at the door, so it is highly recommended that you become a subscriber so that you are guaranteed to see all of our great films!

Tickets can be purchased online (through PayPal), by phone, by e-mail or in person.

ONLINE:

For tickets to individual films, click the ADD TO CART button after each film.

NOTE – individual tickets may NOT be available for all films. If you do not see the ADD TO CART button for individual tickets you may call 516-829-2570 for more info on whether individual tickets will be available.

PHONE:

Call (516) 829-2570.

BY MAIL:

Download the Mail Registration Form, complete and mail with check or credit card information to the Arts Center.

IN PERSON:

Visit the Arts Center at 113 Middle Neck Road, Great Neck during its regular hours.

2012 SEASON

FEBRUARY 13: MUSICAL CHAIRS

A ReelAbilities Film Festival Presentation

Directed by Susan Seidelman, USA, 2011, 100 min.

A romantic tale about two New Yorkers, Armando from the Bronx, and Mia from the East Side, and their love of ballroom dancing. Mia is a vivacious professional dancer but a tragic accident forever changes her life. True to his heart, Armando dedicates himself, along with a group of colorful misfits, to help Mia deal with her challenges and dance once more.

Q& A after the film with its writer Marty Madden Marty Madden is a writer/director living in Hollywood. His works include Incident at Haystack Landing (a "true" haunted house story); Field Guide to North American Monsters (a pseudo-documentary horror/comedy series); The Hunt (a sci-fi action adventure); All Shook Up (a musical romp about a girl who follows Elvis into the Army); and Victory (a magical true story of turn-of-the-century baseball).

*This screening of MUSICAL CHAIRS is part of the New York ReelAbilities Film Festival which is dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories and artistic expressions of people with different abilities.

For more information about ReelAbilities, visit http://newyork.reelabilities.org/.

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MARCH 5: PELOTERO

Directed by Ross Finkel, Trevor Martin and Jonathan Paley. Narrated by John Leguizamo. USA, 2011, 73 min.

Official Selection of the Hamptons Film Festival

Baseball is a way of life in the Dominican Republic. Major League Baseball has wisely invested in recruiting Dominicans with a training program that has the world’s largest number of future major leaguers per capita. Each year, a handful of Dominican players, almost always from low-income families, are selected to begin their careers in the United States. That invitation comes with a signing bonus and the promise of a secure future for their families. The system, however, is flawed. A must-see for fans of baseball, PELOTERO tells the story of two of the nation’s most talented hopefuls, and their long, rocky road towards achieving their dreams.

Q&A after the film with producer Isaac Solotaroff!

APRIL 16: HESTER STREET

Directed by Joan Micklin Silver, USA 1975, 90 min.

The story of Jewish immigrants who come to the Lower East side of New York City in 1896 from Europe. Yekl comes to the U.S. and quickly assimilates and becomes Jake and begins an affair with Mamie, a dancer. His wife, Gitl (Carol Kane in an Oscar nominated turn), who arrives later with their son, Yossele, has trouble assimilating and ultimately finds out about the affair. The film is noteworthy for its detailed reconstruction of Jewish immigrant life, with much of the dialogue delivered in Yiddish with English subtitles.

Q&A after the film with noted filmmaker Joan Micklin Silver who will discuss the film, which pioneered a wave of films that dealt with the complexities of American Jewish identity.

Ms. Silver will be joined by Sarah Teale, producer of her upcoming documentary, The Bagel: An Immigrant's Story. The two will be showing exclusive sneak preview clips of the film, which is narrated by Jerry Stiller.

MAY 14: A MATTER OF SIZE

Directed by Erez Tadmor, Israel 2010, 90 min.

An Israeli comedy (yes, comedy!) like nothing you've seen before! A hilarious and heart-warming tale about about a coming out of a different kind: four overweight guys who learn to love themselves through the Japanese sport of sumo wrestling!

Herzl (Itzik Cohen) has been struggling with his weight ever since he was young, and his overbearing mother made it no easier on him. His friends Aharon (Dvir Benedek) and Gidi (Alon Dahan) struggle with the issue of weight in their personal lives as well; from fear of losing a spouse to a "thinner" man, to coming out as a gay bear.

When Herzl loses his job as a cook and starts washing dishes in a Japanese restaurant, he discovers the world of Sumo, where large people such as himself are honored and appreciated. Through the restaurant owner Kitano (Togo Igawa), a former Japanese Sumo coach (supposedly hiding from the Yakuza in Israel) , Herzl and his friends fall in love with a sport involving "two fatsos in diapers and girly hairdos". However, Herzl's dedication to this demanding men-only sport threatens his budding relationship with Zehava (Irit Kaplan), a plus-size social worker.

Q&A after the film with Dean Movshovitz, Director of Film and Media at the Office for Cultural Affairs at the Consulate General of Israel in New York.

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JUNE 4: THE MATCHMAKER

Directed by Avi Nesher, Israel 2010, 112 min.

From one of Israel's most popular directors, and nominated for 5 Israeli Academy Awards! In this coming-of-age tale set in 1968 Haifa, restless 16-year-old Arik lands an exciting summer job for the mysterious marriage broker, Yankele Bride, a Romanian Holocaust survivor. Working from an office in back of a seedy movie theater that only shows love stories, Arik encounters a host of diverse colorful characters, misfits, and shattered Holocaust survivors. Arik opens his eyes to a changing Israel and experiences his first love as he falls in love with Tamara, who has just returned from America and is full of talk of women's rights, free love and rock and roll, in this poignant and humorous.  Avi Nesher's latest film mixes comedy with drama as it tells a coming-of-age story unlike any you've ever seen before.

With Adir Miller, Maya Dagan, Dror Keren, Dov Navon, Tuval Shafir, Neta Porat, Yarden Bar-Kochva, Bat-el Papura, Kobi Farag, Yael Leventhal, Tom Gal, Eyal Shechter.

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New Subscriber, Individual Ticket-Holder and Same-Day Ticket Purchaser check-in procedures!

Due to popular demand, we've streamlined the check-in process at the Furman Film Series to make it easier and more fair for our audience. We thank you so much for your patience and know you'll like these changes.

SUBSCRIBER POLICY

• 6:45 pm: Subscriber check-in. Please present your subscriber card at the Subscriber Priority Check-in Table where you will receive a number, based on your arrival, that guarantees entry into the screening. Proceed to the Subscribers-Only line.

• 7:00 pm: We will begin letting subscribers into the theater in numerical order. When entering the theater, show your subscription card and hand your number to a member of our Film Series staff.

• If you arrive after 7:15pm: please proceed directly to the theater and show your subscriber card to the Film Series staff at the door.

• Please note that individual ticket-holders will be let into the theater at 7:15 pm, so in order to take advantage of Subscriber Priority Seating, please arrive early.

INDIVIDUAL TICKET-HOLDER POLICY

• 6:45 pm:Individual ticket-holder check-in. Please present your receipt or confirmation email at the Individual Ticket Check-in area where you will receive a number that guarantees entry into the theater.

• 7:15 pm: We will begin letting individual ticket holders into the theater in numerical order. Please note: As previously mentioned, subscribers are given priority-seating and will begin entering the theater at 7:00 pm.

SAME-DAY TICKET PURCHASE POLICY

• If a screening is not sold-out: Same-day tickets will be available at the theater beginning at 6:45 pm. After your purchase is complete, you will receive a number and wait on line with other individual ticket holders.

• In the event of a sold-out show: Rush Tickets will go on sale five minutes before the screening but not until advanced ticket-holders are seated.

RESERVING SEATS

• While we understand that everyone likes to save seats for their friends, you may only reserve 1 additional seat in the theater upon entrance in order to be fair to all ticket holders. This policy will be enforced. We appreciate your cooperation.

Please note: We make every effort to ensure that each film and post-screening discussion is finished by 10:00 pm. If you must leave earlier, please move to the back of the theater before the discussion begins so that your exit may be as unobtrusive to our guests and audience as possible.

Film Series Subscriber Benefits

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Film Series Sponsors