Film Jaffa Stories is Loads of Fun
Jaffa Stories
2026
2pm Berney Theatre
In and out of trouble, they gather at Shabibi’s restaurant to drink, gamble and boast. “Respect”, a weak translation of the Hebrew “kavod”, must be maintained at all costs. When a feud develops between two friends, the rest of the group wants the balance of kavod to be restored.
While anyone can enjoy the film, it’s a treat, if you’re able, to listen in on the Hebrew. The drinkers say “L’chaim” when they down their arak. When the subtitle says “Why the long face?” one character is saying to another “You look like Yom Kippur.”
This is clearly a film about guys, ranging in age from little kids to middle-aged adults. There are some memorable women in Jaffa Stories too. The wives of the members of the gang are tough in their own right. A formidable mother keeps her adult son in her sphere, preaching that a wife would eat him alive. Then there’s the woman known as The Black Widow – El Mole Rachamim, the Prayer for the Dead, in the Hebrew.
If you took it seriously, you might be unsettled by some menacing moments and tense physical fights. But don’t take it seriously – this movie aims for laughs.
The acting, appropriately enough, is over-the-top. These actors have terrific eyes, marvelous expressions and hilarious body language. The locations are gorgeous. The icing on the cake is the fabulous Israeli music. Enjoy!
Film Review of Rosenthal:The Great Showman- A Complex Portrayal
by Jane Enkin
Rosenthal: The Great Showman
2026 7 pm Berney Theatre
At the beginning and ending of this excellent biographical film, we see archival footage of the real Hans Rosenthal on his popular TV game show, sparkling, leaping in the air, bringing laughter to everyone. The film itself brings us to one brief period in Rosenthal’s life.
HIs show, Dalli Dalli, is planning a 75th show celebration. But the date, he learns early on, would be 1978, the 40th anniversary of Kristallnacht, The Night of Broken Glass. How Rosenthal faces his dilemma becomes the subject of the film – which occasion will he observe?
The picture we are provided of Germany in the 1970s is of casual antisemitism, at worst. Many people in the story are not aware of the date, and many others are indifferent. The company producing Dalli Dalli feels people need to be amused and cheered up, not reminded of anything negative.
Although many, if not most, of his fans did not know he was Jewish, Rosenthal was a respected member of the German Jewish community, writing large cheques to support various endeavors. He did not exactly hide being Jewish, but he rarely talked about his past. In the film, his non-Jewish wife says she knows about his experiences, but no one else does, and that he should tell his story. “You survived,” she says, “you should feel lucky, not guilty.”
We learn about his childhood in flashbacks, shot in subdued, shadowed colours.The rest of the film is brightly lit, with entertaining 1970s costuming. The general look of the film is a lot of fun, while the mood is poignant yet in essence upbeat.
Florian Lukas shows the exuberance, sweetness and warmth of the character, and also the growing tension that he carries. We see him as an overworked perfectionist, and also as a caring boss and family man. All the supporting performances are excellent, but the focus remains clearly on Rosenthal.
Rosenthal’s autobiography is called Two Lives in Germany. He chose to write about the losses in his childhood, before and during the war. His younger brother Gert was taken away in an early transport, and murdered. Rosenthal survived the war in hiding. He emphasizes the kindness he was shown by many Germans, and, says his translator, “instead of expressing resentment towards the German people, he sees his book as a tool to build
understanding between his religion and his nationality.”
Enjoy this warm, complex portrait.
