The Fine Arts Theatre will once again serve as the venue for the Asheville Jewish Film Festival.

The month-long festival kicked off at the end of April and concludes May 20th. Tickets for the closing night movie and reception are $25 and available ahead of time online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2535106. Regular screenings are $9. Tickets can be purchased at the theatre box office before the show.

Apples From The Desert

Thursday, May 5 at 7 p.m.
Friday, May 6 at 1 p.m.

Rebecca Abravanel (a radiant Moran Rosenblatt) is an only child, living a cloistered existence with her strictly religious Sephardic parents in Jerusalem. Unhappy with the restrictive traditions of home and community, she secretly breaks taboos, attending dance classes where she forms a relationship with secular kibbutznik Dooby (the acting debut of Israeli singer and guitarist Elisha Banai).

Suspicious and angry in the face of Rebecca’s growing acts of rebellion, her strict father (Shlomi Koriat) reacts by setting in motion a prearranged marriage to an older widower with children of his own. Rebecca’s mother (Reymond Amsalem) and aunt (Irit Kaplan) are appalled, but dare not defy the authoritarian man of the household. After Rebecca runs away from home, the family conflict culminates in a moment of truth, forcing them to confront their beliefs and one another.

The People vs. Fritz Bauer

Thursday, May 12 at 7 p.m.
Friday, May 13 at 1 p.m.

With its economy flourishing in the postwar 1950s, Germany grows increasingly apathetic about confronting its recent past. Against this backdrop, the implacable Attorney General Fritz Bauer (Klaußner) is committed to holding leaders of the Third Reich to account. He is stymied at every turn by authorities with Nazi ties, many of them former higher-ups under Hitler, now in top government positions.

While slandered in the court of public opinion by foes seeking to silence him, the tenacious Bauer pursues a forbidden alliance with the Israeli spy agency Mossad to apprehend Holocaust mastermind Adolph Eichmann. Lars Kraume’s propulsive direction, superb period set design and costumes, and moody jazz soundtrack give the sinister proceedings a noir edge. The People Vs Fritz Bauer is a timely reminder of how justice can still be corrupted by economic interests.

In Search Of Israeli Cuisine

Closing Night Film and Reception
Thursday, May 19 at 6 p.m.
Catering by Suzy Phillips, Gypsy Queen Cuisine

Encore screening (no reception)
Friday, May 20 at 1 p.m.

In a gastronomical expedition, celebrity chef-restaurateur Michael Solomonov zigzags Israel to savor a food revolution rooted in centuries-old tradition. Israel’s food scene is among the most dynamic in the world, extending beyond falafel and hummus to include tasty ethnic and regional specialties.

Having won the James Beard award for embracing these authentic flavors, Israeli-American Solomonov returns to his homeland with Oscar-nominated documentarian Roger Sherman to discover his culinary heritage anew. From Tel Aviv’s most exclusive eateries, to street bazaars, to simmering pots in family kitchens, In Search of Israeli Cuisine excites the taste buds with multi-cultural recipes passed on and elevated.

But even food is not immune to sectarian conflict, as Palestinian cooks chafe when their savory secrets are adapted by Jewish chefs. Equally eye-opening is the story behind the ingredients that Israel produces using both ancient farming techniques and high-tech innovations.