(Ticket Contest details below this article)

The Twelfth Annual Dayton Jewish International Film Festival will open at the Dayton Art Institute on Tuesday, April 24, at 7 p.m. The festival (running from April 24 through May 10) will bring to Dayton and Yellow Springs the best in Jewish and Israeli cinema, including an international selection of both feature films and documentaries. Festival venues include The Neon Movies in downtown Dayton and The Little Art Theatre in Yellow Springs, as well as a free Israel Independence Day Celebration screening of Dolphin Boy at The Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture and Education in Centerville on Thursday, April 26, at 7p.m.

(See the DMM Event Calendar for full film festival schedule)

Opening night (Tuesday, April 24, 7 p.m.) at the Dayton Art Institute will feature the festival premiere of The Matchmaker (Feature) 112min, Hebrew with English subtitles. This affectionate, bittersweet feature film tells a dramatic story about life, love and loyalty. Arik, a teenage boy growing up in Haifa in 1968 gets a job working for Yankele Bride, a matchmaker. Yankele introduces Arik to a new world, built on the ruins of an old one. As Arik begins to learn the mysteries of the human heart through his work with Yankele, he falls in love with Tamara, his friend Beni’s cousin. The disparate parts of Arik’s life collide in unexpected, often funny and very moving ways as he lives through a summer that changes him forever.

The 2012 line-up of nine films and 11 screenings includes American and foreign films. The Festival spans genres from thriller to comedy to documentary, and explores varied themes of injustice, love, war, politics, religion, and family relationships.

The Dayton Jewish International Film Festival is presented annually by the Dayton Jewish Community Center (DJCC). “On behalf of the Dayton Jewish Community Center, we are excited to bring an array of thought provoking and light hearted films to the community. Our festival allows participants to view excellent movies that might not otherwise make it to the Dayton area. We are thrilled to showcase these unique films; we have something for everyone.” says Cheryl Carne, Director of the DJCC.

The chairperson of this year’s festival, Alan Chesen, says, “The committee has taken great care to bring a first class film festival to the Dayton area. The lineup is outstanding. This year’s event is truly an international one that includes some films in English and others in languages such as Arabic, German, Hebrew and Russian that are English subtitled. I hope to see you at the movies.”

Season passes and group tickets for single events are available at a discount in advance. For more information please call the DJCC at 937-853-0372 or visit www.jewishdayton.org.

TICKET CONTEST

We have five pairs of tickets for the opening night (Tuesday April 24) of the 2012 Dayton Jewish International Film Festival, courtesy of the Dayton Jewish Community Center and Dayton MostMetro.com! Simply share this article and then fill out the form below for your chance to win – we’ll announce winners on Wednesday April 18th… GOOD LUCK!

CONTEST CLOSED

Congratulations to:

Peter Wine

Sue Harmeyer

Mary Ann Oppenheimer

Vivienne Himmell

Brian Ferguson

You’re all going to the opening night of the 2012 Dayton Jewish International Film Festival next Tuesday April 24th! Enjoy the film(s), and be sure to tell your friends!