Film Festival Plans Opening to Remember
Oscar will play a starring role in the opening night of the 16th Atlanta Jewish Film Festival on Tuesday, Jan. 26.
Oscar-nominated director Atom Egoyan’s “Remember,” starring Academy Award winners Christopher Plummer and Martin Landau, will open the festival as part of a Sweet Sixteen-themed gala at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. It’s the third consecutive year that the festival has opened at the Cumberland-area facility.
“Remember” focuses on Auschwitz survivor Zev Guttman (Plummer), who at age 90 is losing his memory and recently lost his wife. Fellow survivor Max Rosenbaum (Landau), who lives in the same nursing home, pushes Zev to go on a cross-country search for the fugitive Nazi who had their families killed during the Holocaust.
The suspense film, which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival in September, is scheduled for its U.S. theatrical release Feb. 12.
The gala, for festival supporters at the sponsor and patron levels, will start at 5 p.m. and feature live music, an open bar, and food from Bistro Niko, Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse, Del Frisco’s Grill, Dolce, For All Occasions and More, the General Muir, Ouzaria, Paces & Vine, Il Giallo Osteria & Bar, Restaurant Eugene, Rumi’s Kitchen, South City Kitchen, Sprinkles Cupcakes, and Batdorf & Bronson.
The film program, open to all, will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Last year’s opening night, featuring the documentary “Above and Beyond,” drew 2,000 people. That audience launched the festival toward record attendance of more than 38,600, making the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival the largest of the more than 200 Jewish film festivals in the world.
Tickets for opening night and the full 2016 festival, which runs from Jan. 26 to Feb. 17, go on sale to the general public Jan. 10. Those wishing to become sponsor or patron supporters should contact AJFF Development Director Lesli Greenberg at lesli@ajff.org.
The festival will announce the full schedule Friday, Dec. 18. Look for the lineup at atlantajewishtimes.com that day and in the Dec. 25 print edition of the AJT.
Emory University film professor Matthew Bernstein and Bob Bahr will provide a two-part overview of the festival and their best bets, covering narrative films on Dec. 20 and documentaries Jan. 3. A $25 fee covers both programs, each of which will be held at 3 p.m. at Temple Sinai, 5645 Dupree Drive, Sandy Springs. Visit templesinaiatlanta.org for registration.
The AJT will publish a full festival preview Jan. 8.
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