Focus on Film: SBJFF Checks into New Vic

The annual Santa Barbara Jewish Film Festival kicks off at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, November 2, with an opening reception onstage at The New Vic Theatre downtown. Toast the return of the five-day event boasting films that span from documentaries and dramas to romantic comedies from around the world, plus guest speakers, morning coffee-and-bagels meetups, and more. Stick around for the 7 pm screening of Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Song, a Journey, the highly praised 2022 documentary likely to earn an Oscar nod, which will be introduced with a teaching from Rabbi Mordecai Finley, the late singer-songwriter’s spiritual advisor. Visit sbjewishfilmfestival.org for details and festival passes or tickets, including info on how to get free admission to tonight’s film. 

SBIFF CS Screenings of Note

Saturday morning’s showing of Till, the profoundly emotional and cinematic film about the relentless pursuit of justice for Emmett Till, is the next Cinema Society screening non-subscribers can buy tickets to in advance. Writer-director Chinonye Chukwu does a Q&A following the screening of the highly-praised movie about the teen who was lynched while visiting his cousins in Mississippi back in 1955. Also on Cinema Society’s dense autumn schedule in the next 10 days: Sr. with producer Susan Downey (Oct. 29); Nanny with writer-director Nikyatu Jusu and actress Anna Diop (5:30 pm Oct. 30; free); Top Gun: Maverick with director Joseph Kosinski (Nov. 5); and The Women King with director Gina Prince-Bythewood and actress Thuso Mbedu (Nov. 6). The latter two are predicted to get nominated for best picture by the Oscar experts at Gold Derby. For info on advance reservations or rush tickets, visit sbiff.org.