This Weekend: Austin Jewish Film Festival

If you thought Austin was film-fest free until Cine Las Americas starts later this month, think again ... and get ready to buy some tickets. The eighth annual Austin Jewish Film Festival (AJFF) runs from Saturday night, April 10, through Friday afternoon, April 16.

The festival kicks off Saturday at 6:30 pm at the Arbor with a Havdalah ceremony followed by the movie Lemon Tree (aka Etz Lemon). Lemon Tree is about a Palestinian woman fighting for her lemon grove when an Israeli politician moves next door and wants it removed. The ceremony and screening are free and open to the public. In fact, this year's AJFF includes a number of free films throughout the week.

Other notable movies playing during the fest include A Matter of Size, a 2009 comedy about a group of overweight Israeli men who decide to use their fat to good advantage and learn sumo wrestling; the 2009 Australian animated film Mary and Max; and Adam Resurrected, the 2008 Paul Schrader film that stars Jeff Goldblum and Willem Dafoe, which had its first local screening during Austin Film Festival.

The only Austin-related film I could find on the schedule was Honorarium, the latest short from local filmmaker/instructor Steve Mims The film premiered at SXSW this year. If I missed another Austin movie, please let me know in the comments.

AJFF screenings take place primarily at the Arbor, with a few special screenings at The University of Texas, Texas Hillel and City Lights in Georgetown. You can buy a festival badge, a pass for 10 films, or individual tickets if space is available.