2019 is already bringing something new to Greenville. The inaugural Greenville Jewish Film Festival kicks off in late February, featuring three films over three days to spark discussion about Greenville’s Jewish community + cultural identity.

The Charlotte Jewish Film Festival in Charlotte, N.C. is celebrating its 23rd annual festival this month – and after a popular screening of Rock in the Red Zone in 2017, three women in Greenville asked themselves if our city was ready for a festival of its own.

Inspired by the rapid growth of Greenville + the success of other festivals here (hello, euphoria), Caroline Warthen, Osnat Rosen, and Helaine Meyers decided to launch a nonprofit festival they thought was missing in GVL.

Here are all the deets:

📅 When: Feb. 28 – Mar. 3, 2019

📍 Where: Greenville ONE Center (2 W. Washington St.)

🎟️ Tickets: $60/festival pass, $25/individual film. Find tickets here.

The three films featured are meant to highlight the diversity of Jewish culture + shared experiences within all communities – board member Jim Dant says “it’s a ‘Jewish film’ festival...not a ‘Jewish’ film festival.”

🎥 Fanny’s Journey | Feb. 28 | The true story of a young girl and her siblings sent from France to an Italian foster home for Jewish children in 1943 + their escape to the Swiss border.

📍Try French pastries + coffee before the film and hear from Eric Goldman, Ph.D. on “The American Jewish Story Through Cinema.”

🎥 Humor Me | Mar. 2 | A struggling playwright moves in with his wisecracking father, who lives in an active seniors retirement community.

📍Snack on classic Jewish desserts like hamantaschen + rugelach before the film.

🎥 Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel | Mar. 3 | A documentary that follows Israel’s national baseball team from years of defeat to their first appearance in the World Baseball Classic.

📍Meet + greet with team member Josh Zeid beforehand, with a “ballpark dinner” catered by Greenfield’s Bagels & Deli after the film.

I loved the documentary In Search of Israeli Cuisine which was screened at the festival kickoff party last August… and the tabbouleh from Charlotte’s Yafo Kitchen (their beet hummus was also one of my favorites at euphoria 2018 😋). I’m pretty excited to check out the films at the official festival.

Comment below + share your ideas for other festivals Greenville needs – maybe you could be the one to start it.

– Kendall