The third annual Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival (LAJFF) kicks off May today by commemorating the 60th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel with the Los Angeles premiere of Lynn Roth’s film “The Little Traitor.” The Festival will honor Theodore Bikel with a special award on Opening Night and comedienne Joan Rivers with the Marlene Adler Marks Woman of Inspiration Award.

“The Little Traitor is set in Israel in 1947 just before it becomes an independent state and stars Alfred Molina, Ido Port, and Theodore Bikel. Other highlights of the festival include Guy Nattiv & Erez Tadmor’s film “Strangers” which is about an Israeli man and a Palestianian woman living in Paris who both visit Berlin for the World Cup and are forced to share an apartment. After three days, their friendship turns to love as the World Cup and the second Israel-Lebanon war simultaneously play out before their eyes. When it’s time to go home, they must decide where to go to from there. Also, “Eichmann” a British and Hungarian co-production directed by Robert Young which stars Thomas Kretschmann and Troy Garity and is based on the final confession of Adolf Eichmann before his execution in Israel, this dramatic portrayal of the conflict between Eichmann and Captain Avner Less, the young Israeli officer investigating him – this in turn – becomes a battle of wills.

The Festival takes place May 8-15, 2008 with over thirty features, documentaries, short subjects and cultural events at various locations around Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. Venues include the WGA Theatre, Laemmle’s Town Center (Encino), Lammle’s One Colorado (Pasadena), Laemmle’s Music Hall (Beverly Hills), Arclight Cinemas Sherman Oaks, Westside JCC, Skirball Cultural Center, Knitting Factory Hollywood, Valley Beth Shalom, Sinai Temple, Wilshire Boulevard Temple, Temple Beth, Haverim, Hillel at UCLA, and the Emanuel Arts Center Theatre.
For a complete list of screening times, venues, activities and exhibits, go here

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