Streaming January 10-23, 2025
Digital Screening Room
Poland | 70 minutes | 2024
Jews By Choice
East Coast Premiere
After Germany occupied the village of Krnov in 1938, the once-thriving Jewish community was decimated, though the synagogue miraculously remained intact until a devastating flood in 1997. While the government considered demolishing the structure, a determined group of non-Jewish citizens volunteered to restore it, aiming to transform the synagogue into a vibrant Jewish cultural center. Leading the effort is Aharon, who feels a deep pull toward conversion, and Bronislov, a newly single father whose marriage falls apart as he pursues the same path. Their journey, which includes navigating the arduous restoration and seeking approval from strict Jewish authorities, faces years of setbacks until they meet Rabbi Tanya, who brings new hope—and new challenges.
Director's Bio
Directed by Justyna Gawełko & Tomer Slutzky
Justyna Gawelko is a director and creative producer, holding degrees in Cultural Studies and scriptwriting from the Wajda Film School. With experience in the documentary field through CoPro Market (Israel) and CEDOC Market (Poland), she directed the short documentary Yehudis (2018) and is making her feature debut with Jews by Choice. Tomer Slutzky is a documentary director and cinematographer whose debut film Bronca received an honorable mention at the Haifa Film Festival 2022, premiered at the Warsaw Film Festival, and won a script award at the Trieste Latin American Film Festival.
Cast and Credits
Director
Justyna Gawełko & Tomer Slutzky
Screenwriter
Justyna Gawelko
Cinematographer
Tomer Slutzky
Editor
Noam Amit, Marcin Sucharski, Noa Weinstein
Cast
Petr Aharon Tesař, Kamila Milka Tesařová, Bronislav Chaim Buček
Film Info
Year
2024
Country
Poland
Run-time
70 minutes
Language
Czech, English, Hebrew with English subtitles
Print Source
Panorama Films
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