Staff Report
The Santa Barbara Jewish Film Festival from March 6-10 at the New Vic Theatre, 33 W. Victoria St., will bring the community together to experience the power of exceptional films from around the world on themes of Jewish culture and identity.
Organized by the Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara and co-chaired by Mashey Bernstein and Ron Zonen, the festival will include five days of high-quality, unique films, a spokesman said.
Early-bird pricing for all-access passes (13 programs) is $99 through Jan. 7. After Jan. 7, all-access passes are $118. The pass includes opening night reception, priority seating, and a special showing on March 9 of the 1924 silent movie “The City Without Jews.”
Believed to have been lost until a copy was discovered in a Paris flea market in 2015, “The City Without Jews” was painstakingly restored by the Austrian national film archive.
In the mythical republic of Utopia, the economy is stagnant, the currency has become worthless, and protests by the hordes of unemployed workers are growing by the day. The ruling party turns to the usual scapegoat: the Jews.
The chancellor expels all Jews from Utopia, but the country finds itself in a bigger hole than ever. Now the parliament votes to invite the Jews back. What happens as a result foretells the future in an interesting and prophetic way, though not without humor and some ironic twists.
The film features original music scored and played by San Francisco-based composer Sascha Jacobson and his string quintet.
Individual tickets will be available starting March 6 and will cost $18. To buy tickets, visit https://www.picatic.com/event15416225679513.
