SEATTLE, Wash. (March 10, 2020) – The Stroum Jewish Community Center (SJCC) announced today the decision not to proceed with the Seattle Jewish Film Festival (SJFF) scheduled for March 19 – 29 and April 4 – 5. Options are being explored for a rescheduled film festival to take place in the summer or early fall of 2020.
“The Seattle Jewish Film Festival is about people spending time together and sharing experiences with friends, filmmakers, and special guests,” said Amy Lavin, SJCC CEO. “Simply stated, the Festival is about community engagement powered by cinema. After much consideration, with guidance from Public Health officials and growing concern for maintaining our collective health, we decided to postpone the 25th anniversary event. The silver lining of our silver anniversary is that the show will go on, just not now.”
For those who have already purchased tickets or passes to the film festival, there are a few options:
- Convert the purchase to a charitable gift in honor of the 25th anniversary of the film festival.
- Receive a credit good for the rescheduled festival or any upcoming SJCC Arts + Ideas program through December 31, 2020.
- Request a refund (minus any processing fees).
- For those who purchased tickets to our Centerpiece “Silent Movie Mondays: THE ANCIENT LAW” on March 23 at The Paramount Theatre, tickets will automatically transfer to a future rescheduled date or refunds can be issued after Friday, March 20 via your point of purchase through Ticketmaster or in person at the box office.
Ticket/pass buyers wishing to convert to a donation or to receive a credit should email SJFF@sjcc.org by Friday, March 20. After March 20, refunds will be automatically issued.
“We thank our audience, donors, and sponsors for their ongoing support and their understanding during these unusual circumstances,” said Lavin. “May we all come together soon to watch great films, exchange rich dialogue, and commemorate this iconic community event that has uniquely and proudly celebrated Jewish and Israeli life, culture, and cinema in the region for a quarter century.”
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About the Seattle Jewish Film Festival (SJFF)
SJFF is the largest Jewish event in the Pacific Northwest, one of the largest and longest-running film festivals in the Puget Sound region and Jewish film festivals nationally, and is a vital cornerstone of the Stroum Jewish Community Center’s Arts + Ideas season. Central to SJCC’s community-building mission, SJFF brings people together of all stripes to showcase the vibrancy and diversity of global Jewish and Israeli life through cinema. Audiences cast ballots for Best Narrative, Best Documentary, and Best Short Film; and 2020 brings a new juried award, the Golden Or (Hebrew for “light), for Best Independent Film which includes a cash prize. Tickets and more information can be found at seattlejewishfilmfestival.org.
Media contact:
Rachael Brister
Public Relations for the Stroum Jewish Community Center
brister.rachael@gmail.com