Boston Jewish Film Festival boosts lineup for 36th year

For the 36th Boston Jewish Film Festival, opening Wednesday and running through Nov. 17, bigger is indeed better.

“The scope is bigger than years past,” Artistic Director Joey Katz allowed in a Zoom interview. This BJFF has 20 film premieres. They include eight fiction features, six feature documentaries and eight short films (including the FreshFlix Short Film Competition). Nine films are made by women, seven have LGBTQ+ content. And no fewer than 30 guests will be on hand to exhibit and discuss the wide-ranging material that makes this 36 so distinctive.

Shira Piven’s “The Performance,” Katz said, “is a quintessential opening night film. Based on an Arthur Miller short story, it’s set in 1937 and is about a Jewish tap-dancing troupe who get booked for the Fuhrer. It’s all about identity, passion and what people may or don’t do to achieve success in an artistic endeavor.”

Preceding the film’s screening at the Coolidge Corner’s main movie house, he noted, is something special: A tap dance performance.

“It’s indicative that we’re adding these performances or music to elevate the experience and allow people to immerse themselves in the world where these films are.”

That something extra continues with a dynamic drag show before “Sabbath Queen” at the Brattle. This marks the return of director Sandi DuBowski whose hit “Trembling Before G-d” played the 2001 BJFF.

You’re invited to join Chef Jerrod Perry and Chef Tali Pinnolis and learn how to make your challah. While your challah rises, enjoy an exclusive screening of Sarah Rosen’s 12-minute FreshFlix entry, “How to Make Challah!”

The midfest entry “Yaniv,” Katz explained, “is about a couple of teachers in New York City who get involved in illegal card gambling to pay for their spring musical. It’s a raucous comedy  and after the film at Congregation Kehillath Israel, people can learn to play the card game — not for money! But with food, drink and music that is really exciting.”

Following “Yaniv” a conversation with co-writer/director Amnon Carmi and co-writer/actor Benjamin Ducoff, a BU alumnus.

Board president Ken Shulman’s personal favorite is “Pepi Fandango” (at the Center for Arts in Natick, Nov. 11). “He’s close to 90, known as Pepi and with his best friend they do a geriatric road trip, all the way to Spain to look for a certain type of flamenco music he heard when he was in a French concentration camp.

“It’s a fun movie and is preceded by a fandango guitar performance to set the mood by Francesco Barone, who lives in Lexington and teaches at Wayland School of Music.”

Tickets are only available online, at bostonjfilm.org (with credit card only). No refunds or exchanges.