Victoria International Jewish Film Festival in full swing

CHEK

WATCH: A Jewish celebration of culture is in full swing at Vic Theatre in Victoria, and as Julian Kolsut tells us the event is playing a larger role uniting a community in a difficult time. 

The Victoria International Jewish Film Festival is now underway in Victoria, showcasing a variety of independents projects from around the globe.

Launched in 2015, some of the aims of the event are to exhibit films with Jewish themes which are not readily available at commercial cinemas and to create a sense of community by bringing together film lovers who are interested in, or wish to know more about, Jewish culture.

“Tonight is the Victoria International Jewish Film Festival’s opening night event, we are going to be showing the “Cake Maker” a co-production between Israel and Germany,” said event organizer Lincoln Z Shlensky to CHEK News Saturday night.

The “Cake Maker” looks to challenge conventional divisions between people, religion, politics and even gender. The opening night saw the event sold out by showtime.

“We are Jewish and are practicing Jews,” said attendee Amy Block.

“We live on Gabriola so coming to Victoria gave us an opportunity… we went to a schul this morning it’s nice to have those resources here beacuse we dont have much jewish community on Gabriola,” said husband Paul Gellman.

The event comes just one week after the deadly shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. On Oct. 27 Robert Bowers stormed into the Tree of Life synagogue and shot and killed 11 attendees, it was the deadliest anti-Semitic attack on Jews in U.S. history.

“Jewish culture is the theme of the festival, a particularly important theme at this moment after the attack in Pittsburgh last week,” said Shlensky.

“We care about each other in this world ultimately and an attack on one culture is an attack on all of us and many people are rising up and sending love… sending love,” said Block.

“I think people have felt scared, upset, its a tragedy for all of the people in the world,” said Shlensky.

“Despite being scared as I mentioned and upset all of us feel a sense that coming together as a jewish community and coming together also with all of the communities in all of our region here is so important”

The film festival runs until Tuesday, more information on the event can be found at VIJFF.ca 

Julian KolsutJulian Kolsut

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