“And I ask, is there anyone in the audience tonight that owes their life to Nicholas Winton?” So inquires a television presenter in the closing line from the trailer of One Life. It’s enough to put a sizeable lump in your throat.
One Life, starring Anthony Hopkins, Lena Olin, Helena Bonham Carter, and others, is one of several exciting films offered at the 24th annual Atlanta Jewish Film Festival that is now underway. That movie tells of the efforts of a young London broker, Winton, who managed to rescue over 600 children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia in the time leading up to World War II.
The Atlanta-based film event, which runs through March 7, is the largest film festival in the state based on ticket sales. And although the mission of the festival may be thought of as narrow, celebrating entertaining and thought-provoking Jewish cinema, the programs should appeal to viewers regardless of their identity (nationality, ethnicity, religion, or race).
The opening night gala on Tuesday, February 13, held at the City Springs Theater in Sandy Springs, was packed. Those in attendance were treated to a Taste of Atlanta-curated reception.
Gov. Brian Kemp appeared and spoke before the capacity crowd, where he stressed his administration’s commitment to combating the rising antisemitism in the state. Anti-Israel and anti-Jewish sentiment have tragically increased throughout the country in the wake of the Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023. Gov. Kemp emphasized unity and underscored Georgian’s resilience in the face of senseless hate.
The opening night film was Irena’s Vow, a harrowing account of a Catholic housemaid named Irena Gut Opdyke (Sophie Nélisse), who hid Polish Jews during the occupation of her country in World War II. The movie’s frank depiction of brutal Nazi soldiers’ harsh tactics resonated powerfully…
Read the full article here
