It's a Wrap!
5th Annual Columbus Jewish Film Festival is Huge Success

From the engaging Hollywood spoof to the mass of fans who came to the Opening Night Reception and Interfaith Symposium, the 5th Annual Columbus Jewish Film Festival was truly one of the best ever. Nearly everywhere one turned in the city, there was publicity for the Film Festival - on billboards, in the newspapers, and on television.

"This was the most gratifying year ever," said Melva Schottenstein, who co-chaired the event with Marjie Coopersmith and Carole Genshaft. "We filled nearly 2,000 seats over a six-day period, in six different venues, and had additional programs and/or guests for six of the ten screenings."

"Two of our screenings were sold out," she said. "But the most important fact of all is that every bit of feedback I've gotten has been positive. Our films inspired, created dialogue and discussions among viewers - sometimes even heated - and never failed to entertain."

"We have some great ideas that we already are working on for next year. This is truly a labor of love, and for that, we thank our steering committee, great group of volunteers, awesome Center staff, our super sponsors, and most of all, our audience," she said.

Members of the 2009 Columbus Jewish Film Festival Steering Committee are: Darla Abraham, Jody Altschule, Lori Fireman June Frankel, Gigi Fried, Joy Gonsiorowski, Cheryl Jacobs, Katie Kaufman, Bonnie Milenthal, Sidney Miller, Karen Moss, Neil Moss, Susie Rudolph, Lenore G. Schottenstein, Joyce Shenk, Joy Soll, Heidi Solomon, Bernard Yenkin and Miriam Yenkin.

Members of the festival's Advisory Board are: Joshua Ford, director of Washington Jewish Film Festival; Sherri Geldin, director of the Wexner Center for the Arts; Dennison Griffith, president of the Columbus College of Art and Design; Matthew Goldish, professor at The Ohio State University; Robin Judd, professor at The Ohio State University; Linda Kass, Community Trustee; Wayne Lawson, Director Emeritus, Ohio Arts Council; Rochelle R. Millen, professor at Wittenberg University; Barbara Nicholson, Executive Director at the King Arts Complex; and Michael Weiss, CEO at Express.

Festival sponsors include: PRODUCER - Marjie and Jeff Coopersmith, Nathan Cummings Foundation, Gigi and Sam Fried, The Heschel Society, New Standard Publications, Melva and Edwin Schottenstein, The Lenore Schottenstein Jewish Arts Endowment of The Columbus Jewish Foundation, SOS Video Communications, and Miriam & Bernard Yenkin; DIRECTOR - Nordstrom, and Roetzel and Andress LPA Co.; SCREENWRITER - The Belford Family, Carole and Nelson Genshaft, DeeDee and Herb Glimcher, Anita and Michael Goldberg, Joy and Michael Gonsiorowski, Leslie and Kurt Malkoff, Bonnie and David Milenthal, Ohio Arts Council, OSU Melton Center for Jewish Studies, Michael and Arlene Weiss, and Whole Foods Market; FAN - Darla and Lee Abraham, Lillian and Alan Acker, Randy Arndt and Jeff Baker, Jon and Susie Diamond and Family, Geri Ellman, Marcia and Al Friedman, Drs. Steven and Patricia Gabbe, Germain Motor Company, Babette T. Gorman, The Lewin Family-Hamilton Parker, Hummel Title (Bexley), Nancy and Tom Lurie, Ruth Guzner and Robert Massie, Judy and Jerry Maybruck, Jon and Karen Meyer, The Puffin Foundation Ltd., Susie and Ron Rudolph, Joyce and Chuck Shenk, Marilyn and Lee Skilken, Ruth and Joe Sniderman, Bruce and Joy Soll, Steiner Properties; FRIENDS of THE FESTIVAL - Anonymous, Vicki and Mike Canter, Cantor Jack Chomsky and Susan Gellman, June and Jerry Frankel, Sylvia and Robert Goldberg, Cheryl Jacobs, Holly and Brad Kastan, Katherine and Bret Kaufman, Naomi and Danny Kayne, Amy Shevrin and Joseph Kohane, Craig Myers, Ellen and Gary Rogers, Julie and Yoaz Saar, Saks Fifth Avenue, Suzy and Rocky Saxbe, Mike and Patti Schiff, Susan and Carl Seletz, Mary Ellen Starr, BethAnne and Jeff Tilson, Joyce White, Greta and Daniel Zidel; and IN-KIND - Block's Hot Bagels & Deli, Capital University, and The Columbus, A Renaissance Hotel.

Thank you for supporting the festival! We will see you next spring! Until then - keep going to the movies!