ChizFilm Jewish Movie Reviews

ChizFilm News

'Hebrew Hammer' Sequel Seeks Crowd Funding

November 17, 2017

The internet is all abuzz about the sequel to 2003’s smash hit “The Hebrew Hammer.”

Director/writer Jonathan Kesselman and star Adam Goldberg (the “other” Adam Goldberg) have recently announced that they are planning a sequel, “The Hebrew Hammer Vs. Hitler.”

To raise funds, they are seeking crowdfunding though Microventures, a site associated with Indiegogo. This is an extremely exciting opportunity for fans of the original cult classic film to be a part of its sequel.

Chizfilm, Jonathan is proud to announce, has made a donation.
You, too, can contribute and get a perk here.

Don’t wait to make your donation; the campaign ends on December 7. As of today, more than $80,000 of the minimum $100,000 has been raised.

According to the site, co-star Judy Greer will rejoin Adam Goldberg in the role of Esther, Hammer’s girlfriend in the original film and now his wife.

The story picks up a decade-and-a-half later during the Trump administration, with anti-Semitism on the rise. Somehow, a time-traveling Hitler is involved. I’m not sure how that will work, but I must say I am extremely intrigued.

Production is expected to begin in mid-2018. Adam Goldberg will help produce.

For more information, click here and here and here.

ChizFilm Supports 'City Without Jews' Restoration

December 13, 2016

The Film Archive of Austria announced that it managed to reach its funding goal of 75,500 euros (about $80,000) this past weekend to restore a recently discovered copy of the previously-believed-lost 1924 film The City Without Jews.

Chizfilm is proud to have contributed to this fundraising campaign!

“The City Without Jews,”a silent movie based on a dystopian novel written by Hugo Bettauer, was filmed and premiered in Vienna in 1924. It told the story of a fictional anti-Semitic chancellor who expels all the Jews from his city, but then comes to see the error of his ways and eventually invites them to return.

At a time when the Nazi party was banned and Adolf Hitler was still in prison, it seemed an unlikely future, yet the film somewhat accurately predicted the Holocaust (except giving it a happy ending).

Unfortunately, shortly after the film’s premiere, Bettauer was shot and killed by a member of the Nazi party. And after the Nazis came to power and took over Austria, many of the film’s actors either fled the country or were sent to Auschwitz.

After the war, the film was believed lost. In 1991, a partial copy in poor condition surfaced, but last year a complete copy was discovered in a Paris flea market. The Film Archive of Austria raised funds to restore and digitize the film; there is a planned release for next fall.

More details can be found here and here and here.

Jonathan & Natasha Sponsor “Israeli Cuisine” Event

August 25, 2016

Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!

Jonathan and Natasha Chisdes are sponsoring the Santa Fe Jewish Film Festival showing of In Search of Israeli Cuisine at the Center for Contemporary Arts (CCA) in Santa Fe, New Mexico!

Two screenings will be held this Sunday, August 28, at 11:00 am and 11:15 am.

The 11:00 showing has sold out, but tickets are still available for the 11:15 screening. Tickets can be purchased in advance, on line, here.

This very interesting documentary examines the history and culture of Israeli food. Don’t miss it!

ChizFilm in Orlando

June 30, 2016

Jonathan Chisdes in Orlando, Florida, checking out the local theatre scene. Here he is attending a performance of “The Brothers Size” by Tarell Alvin McCraney.

ChizFilm at Roswell Film Festival

May 23, 2016

This past weekend, Jonathan Chisdes attended the Roswell Film Festival in Roswell, NM, where he served as a judge. He also stepped in at the last minute to serve as a theater host.

Above, Jonathan is pictured with Joshua Courtade, writer, director, and star of “Alone in the Universe,” one of the top three films in the festival. “Alone in the Universe” is a delightful film about a relationship between a shy man and an outgoing woman. It can be viewed on Vimeo here.

Jonathan was pleased to meet many other filmmakers including Dayish Dixon Kody, a Native American filmmaker whose short, “The Beginning,” was well received. Jonathan gave a brief review of it here: 

A local photographer took Jonathan’s photo and published it in the Roswell Daily Record. Check it out here.

Other highlights of the festival included the presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award to John Schneider and the screening of “Capsule,” the film which won Best Picture. It stars Edmund Kingsley, son of Ben Kingsley, and speculates about a top-secret British space program.

Jonathan to Judge at Roswell Film Festival

April 10, 2016

ChizFilm is pleased to announce that Jonathan Chisdes has been selected to be a judge at the Roswell Film Festival in Roswell, New Mexico. Jonathan was selected primarily on the basis of his film reviews for Chizfilm.

Jonathan is currently very busy screening and evaluating all the films that have been submitted. The Roswell Film Festival will be held in Roswell on May 19, 20, and 21. 

ChizFilm News Archive