Breaks
2003. 55 min. English Color • USA
A special director's selection award film. Disability
in the Jewish community is something that in many
places is kept behind drawn curtains. But in Detroit
JARC and other efforts have opened them to life-
giving light. Look at this next moving film.
If a child's first step is a milestone, for Jacob Sontag
born with Canavan's disease, it's a miracle. Prevalent
among Ashkenazi Jews, the disease leaves affected
children unable to perform the simplest functions and
most die by age 10. But, by the end of this extraordinary
film by Stefenie Sasson, 7-year old Jacob leans against
his mother's legs as she guides him down the hall of their
home. "If there's any truth to moms being chosen, I
think I was chosen for Jacob," she says before bending
to him to ask, "Is that right, buddy? Did you choose my
belly?" Unbelievable and life-changing.
Director Stefenie D. Sasson and special guest Jordana
Sontag, Jacob's mother, will answer questions following
the film. Jacob has also been invited and will attend if
possible.
KvalAu
UNITED ARTISTS
Professor Mil en lock
1933/61 •99 min.. BW • East Germany
German with English Subtitles
5 p.m.
Tuesday
May 4
Sponsored by Pearl and George (Mike) Zeltzer
A part of U Mass' Shadows and Sojurners series of
East German films about Jews, this one predicted
Hitler's Germany. Its prophecies came true, of
course, and this film version was directed by the
writer's son! Amazing, but true.
Professor Mamlock, the play, was originally written as
the Nazi party was positioned to assume control of
Weimar Germany. Three years later, it was produced as
a film in the USSR. In the U.S. it was banned by authori-
ties as anti-German propaganda and in Massachusetts
it was kept from Sunday screenings because it might
incite a Sabbath riot. American reaction to it spoke to
the tacit international acceptance of the Nazi party
and to the story's almost clairvoyant message.
Professor Mamlock's last words, "There is no greater
crime than refusing to fight when the situation demands
it," stand as a call to freedom and responsibility.
?0.111t4G
f(1111
UNITED AR11STS
-
17
-