Introducing the Athens Jewish Film Festival Founded in 2008
Our Mission: The Athens Jewish Film Festival has a two-fold mission. First, we wish to present quality Jewish films in Athens, Georgia and facilitate cultural discussion. Second, we wish to encourage and promote filmmakers who are focusing their art on the Jewish experience.
Why a Jewish film festival in Athens? As Mayor Heidi Davison said at our 2009 Gala opening, "Why Not Athens?" Athens is the cultural center in Northeast Georgia. It has an internationally known music scene. It is a small town with a major University, a symphony orchestra, and a serious art museum. Now, there is an art film theatre, Cine’, and a formal program at the University in Film Studies. At the same time, Athens has a variety of Jewish institutions. There are three congregations that meet regularly, the largest has approximately 150 families and is the oldest synagogue in Northeast Georgia. UGA’s Hillel Foundation serves more than 1500 Jewish students. Moreover, information about any ethnic culture is of interest to many outside the focal culture. We are convinced that there is a receptive population for a Jewish film festival in Athens.
What is the Athens Jewish Film Festival? The AthensJFF was formed to focus on Jewish cinema through year-round programming. The goal is two-fold: to review, discuss, and celebrate American and international films of Jewish interest, and to encourage emerging filmmakers. Our activities include the presentation of a major Jewish Film Festival event held in late February. It also includes year-round events featuring emerging filmmakers and their films as well as classic Jewish cinema.
Is the Festival more than an idea? We began in September, 2008. Happily, we have become a federal non-profit 501(c) (3) corporation. Our officers are Abraham Tesser (Professor Emeritus, UGA), President, Angela Meltzer (CPA) as Vice President, Elliot Gootman (Professor Emeritus, UGA), Treasurer, Carmen Tesser (Professor Emerita, UGA) Secretary. We had a successful 2009 Opening Festival and gala on Feb 28, March 1 at Cine’. Programming included film, discussion, and visiting film makers and academics as well as an unexpected snow.
Funds for launching the Athens Jewish Film Festival in 2009 came from grants awarded by the Athens Clarke County Mayor's Community Improvement Fund, from the Georgia Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities and through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly, and from the generous support of our sponsors, donors, and members.
The AthensJFF is a 501(c)(3) Non-profit corporation governed by a Board of Directors and Administrative Policies. Participation is open to anyone interested in film in general and in Jewish film in particular.
Thank-you to all who contributed to make our 2009 Premiere Event a Smash Hit!!!
All donations to the Athens Jewish Film Festival are Tax-Deductible.
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