(West Palm Beach, FL – December 12, 2022) “Experience the Magic of Cinema” is the slogan of a major new cultural event: The Donald M. Ephraim Palm Beach Film Festival© Presented by MorseLife. Offering dozens of unique features, documentaries, and short films from 20 different countries, the inaugural festival will have a truly international focus, celebrating cinematic excellence and reflecting a commitment to global diversity.
In addition to American, British, French, Israeli, and Mexican movies, the new festival will showcase a global array of audience-wowing and mind-expanding films from Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kurdistan, Luxembourg, Morocco, New Zealand, Sweden, and Uruguay. These entertaining and thought-provoking films were specifically selected to foster dialogue and interaction among attendees and festival supporters.
From its January 26 Opening Night screening of the French comedy TWO TICKETS TO GREECE at the Kravis Center Cohen Pavilion straight through to the February 16 Closing Night film PEACE BY CHOCOLATE at the CMX Downtown in Palm Beach Gardens, The Donald M. Ephraim Palm Beach Film Festival will entertain, enthrall, involve, and delight movie fans at multiple first-class cinemas, including CMX at the Gardens, CMX Wellington, Movies of Lake Worth, Paragon at Delray Marketplace and the Regal Royal Palm Beach.
Festival highlights will include delicious “Dinner & a Movie” experiences at IPIC in Boca Raton’s Mizner Park on January 29-31 and at IPIC in Delray Beach on January 30, February 6, and 13—all featuring a 3-course dinner and a specially curated film.
Following is the line-up of upcoming cinematic experiences scheduled for The Donald M. Ephraim Palm Beach Film Festival© Presented by MorseLife:
ALI & AVA
(Feature—UK—2021) A bundle of good humor and nervous energy in this woman-directed romance. Ali is a British Pakistani working-class landlord who forges close bonds with his tenants. One day, while picking up one of his tenants’ children from school, he offers a lift to Ava, an Irish-born teacher and single mother of five. They bond almost instantly through their love of music. Their story serves as a reminder that sometimes the least likely connections are the ones most worth pursuing. (Toronto International Film Festival, BAFTA Nominee Best British Film)
+ February 1, 3:45 pm – Movies of Lake Worth
+ February 14, 1:00 pm – Paragon Theatres of Delray Beach
+ February 14, 4:00 pm – CMX Wellington
Palm Beach County Premiere
ALL MAN: THE INTERNATIONAL MALE STORY
(Documentary—USA—2022)
Beyond outrageous fashions, this film is a journey across three decades of the International Male catalog’s lasting impact on fashion, masculinity, and gay rights. Written by Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jones and narrated by Matt Bomer, this is a character-driven portrait of a group of outsiders who changed how men and the world viewed them. (Tribeca 2022 World Premiere)
+ February 4, 4:00 pm – CMX at the Gardens
+ February 6, 4:00 pm – Regal Royal Palm
+ February 11, 4:15 pm – Paragon Theaters in Delray Beach
Palm Beach County Premiere
BALABAN
(Feature—Kazakhstan—2022)
On the verge of adulthood, Ardak, a reserved 16-year-old schoolgirl diagnosed with HIV as a child, lives a sheltered life with her mother in a plush house in a part of Kazakhstan known for its dramatic mountains and vast nomadic steppe. Ardak dreams of moving to Paris and becoming the next big thing in fashion. After a chance meeting with an adventurous teen, Zhanna, at a local charity for HIV adolescents, they forge a plan to steal a prized falcon from Zhanna’s cousin to finance their trip—which proves to be the ultimate test of their relationship. (International Peace Film Festival)
+ January 30, 1:00 pm – Movies of Lake Worth
+ February 9, 1:00 pm – Paragon Theaters of Delray Beach
Palm Beach County Premiere
BREAKING THE ICE
(Feature—Austria—2022)
What happens when someone with a rigid approach to life meets their freewheeling opposite? Mira is the heir to an Austrian vineyard whose existence is defined by stress: the family business is barely staying afloat, her grandfather’s dementia is getting worse, and her brother Paul recently went missing. Mira’s sole outlet for all this anxiety is serving as the captain of a women’s ice hockey team. (Tribeca Film Festival)
+ January 27, 1:00 pm – Movies of Lake Worth
+ February 11, 1:30 pm – Paragon Theaters of Delray Beach
+ February 14, 1:00 pm – CMX Wellington
Palm Beach County Premiere
CALENDAR GIRLS
(Documentary—Sweden—2022)
This “coming-of-golden-age” film follows senior volunteer dancers in Southwest Florida who are determined to prove that age is just a number. The dancers give everything they’ve got: impressive makeup, handmade costumes, elaborate dance routines, unparalleled enthusiasm, and sparkling personalities. (Sundance Film Festival, Hot Docs Film Festival, Bergamo Film Festival Audience Award Best Documentary)
Note: The Calendar Girls will be Special Guests at screenings on January 28 and February 7.
+ January 28, 1:45 pm – Movies of Lake Worth
+ February 4, 1:30 pm – CMX at the Gardens
+ February 7, 1:00 pm – Regal Royal Palm
Palm Beach County Premiere
CINEMA SABAYA
(Feature – Israel—2022)
A group of Arab and Jewish women attends a workshop run by Rona, a young filmmaker from Tel Aviv, to learn to document their lives on video. As each woman shares her raw footage with the others, they are all forced to challenge their preconceived views and beliefs, coming together as mothers, wives, and women. Based on the real-life experiences of the film’s director, with a remarkable cast consisting of professional and non-professional actors alike, Cinema Sabaya is a testament to the power of film and its unique capacity to spark mutual recognition and connection across cultures. (Jerusalem Film Festival Winner Best Israeli Debut & Audience Award, AFI Fest, Warsaw International Film Festival, UK Jewish Film Festival, nominated for 8 Ophir awards (Israeli Academy) including Best Film(winner), Best Director (winner), Best), Best Supporting Actress(winner), Israel’s official Oscar entry for Best International Feature Film)
+ February 7, 4:00 pm – CMX at the Gardens
+ February 13, 7:00 pm – CMX Wellington
+ February 13, 4:00 pm – Paragon Theatres in Delray Beach
DARRYL JONES: IN THE BLOOD
(Documentary—USA—2022)
Rolling Stones bassist Darryl Jones reflects on growing up on the South Side of Chicago, playing alongside Miles Davis, Madonna, and Sting, and replacing Bill Wyman in the World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band. (Oxford International Film Festival, Best Documentary Feature; Rome Independent Film Festival)
Note: Darryl Jones has been invited to be the Festival’s Special Guest on February 3; Director Eric Hamburg has been invited to the February 13 screening, but guests still need to confirm their appearance.
+ February 3, 7:00 pm – CMX at the Gardens
+ February 12, 4:00 pm – Paragon Theaters in Delray Beach
+ February 13, 4:00 pm – CMX Wellington
Florida Premiere
DOS ESTACIONES
(Feature—Mexico—2022)
The film tells a beautiful story about one woman’s journey of legacy and loss, the painstaking process of making an artisanal bottle of tequila, and all the challenges the tequila industry endures. The film evokes the indomitable strength of a woman who is single-handedly carrying her community’s economic future and cultural pride on her shoulders. (New Directors /New Films, San Sebastian Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Award for Acting, True/False Film Festival True Vision Award Director Juan Pablo González, Outfest Grand Jury Prize for Screenwriting, International Film Festival Boston Grand Jury Award)
+ February 2, 4:00 pm – CMX at the Gardens
+ February 10, 7:00 pm – Paragon Theaters in Delray Beach
Palm Beach County Premiere
FAREWELL MR. HAFFMANN
(Feature—France, Belgium—2021)
In occupied Paris in 1941, all Jewish community members were instructed to identify themselves to authorities. Fearing the worst, jeweler Joseph Haffmann arranges for his family to flee and offers his employee François Mercier the chance to take over his store until the conflict subsides. But his attempts to escape are thwarted, and Haffmann is forced to seek his assistant’s protection. The agreement turns into a Faustian bargain that will forever change the fate of all. (Audience Award Aspen Film Festival, Best Narrative Audience Award San Francisco Jewish Film Festival)
+ February 5, 3:45 pm – Regal Royal Palm
+ February 6, 7:00 pm – CMX at the Gardens
+ February 15, 7:00 pm – CMX Wellington
Southeastern USA Premiere
GOODNIGHT SOLDIER
(Feature—France, Kurdistan—2022)
Ziné and Avdal are madly in love despite their families’ ancestral feud. When both parties finally set aside their differences and agree to their children getting married, Avdal is injured at the front. His inability to perform sexually casts a shadow on the wedding night. As this revives the family tensions, the newlyweds start exploring new forms of pleasure. Will their love overcome decades of conflict and tradition? (Kurdisches Film Festival Berlin)
+ January 30, 7:00 pm – Movies of Lake Worth
+ February 2, 1:00 pm – CMX at the Gardens
+ February 14, 4:00 pm – Paragon Theaters in Delray Beach
Palm Beach County Premiere
HAUTE COUTURE
(Feature—France—2021)
Esther is at the end of her career as Head Seamstress at Dior in the famous Avenue Montaigne workshop. When 20-year-old Jade steals her handbag, Esther decides to help her rather than call the police. In the frenetic world of Haute Couture, Esther will give Jade a way to reach beyond herself and harness her creativity and talent. (Mill Valley Film Festival, Palm Spring International Film Festival)
+ February 2, 7:00 pm – CMX at the Gardens
+ February 7, 7:00 pm – Regal Royal Palm
+ February 14, 7:00 pm – CMX Wellington
Palm Beach County Premiere
iMORDECAI
(Feature—USA—2022)
Based on a true story, this heart-warming and uplifting comedy stars Oscar-nominated and two-time Emmy-winning actor Judd Hirsch, as Mordecai Samel. He and his wife, played by Academy Award-nominated actress Carol Kane, are both survivors from Poland, now living in Miami. When Mordecai’s ancient flip phone breaks, he takes iPhone lessons from a young employee of Ultratech, who opens him up to all kinds of novel experiences and adventures, making him feel like a kid again. The film co-stars Sean Astin, Azia Dibea Hale, and Stephanie J. Block. (Audience Award Miami Jewish Film Festival)
Note: Special Invited Festival Guests Marvin Samel, Judd Hirsch, and Azia Dinea Hale but guests have not yet confirmed their appearance.
+ February 9, 7:00 pm – Paragon Theaters in Delray Beach
+ February 13, 6:00 pm – IPIC Delray
Palm Beach County Premiere
JUNIPER
(Feature—New Zealand—2021)
Upon returning home from boarding school and still dealing with the untimely death of his mother, self-destructive teenager Sam discovers that his gin-soaked, wheelchair-bound, English grandmother, Ruth (Charlotte Rampling), has moved in. Their first meeting is awkward, yet the person he gets to know is far from what he expected. With both strong-willed characters, a battle of supremacy ensues, enabling Sam to embrace life again and for Ruth to face her mortality.
+ January 30, 6:00 pm – IPIC Boca Raton
+ February 5, 7:30 pm – CMX at the Gardens
+ February 6, 6:00 pm – IPIC Delray
+ February 12, 4:00 pm – CMX Wellington
Palm Beach County Premiere
KARAOKE
(Feature—Israel—2022)
An offbeat, comedic journey that follows Tova and Meir married 46 years, whose routine lives get a jolt of excitement from Itzik, their upstairs neighbor, who invites them to his penthouse for karaoke nights. The couple falls hard for Itzik’s energetic lifestyle. This unique comedy-drama stars Sasson Gabay (The Band’s Visit), Lior Ashkenazy(Footnote, Late Marriage), and Rita Shukrun. (Tribeca Film Festival, Winner of the Audience Award & Best First Film; Jerusalem International Film Festival, nominated for 14 Ophir awards, including Best Film, Best Director, and winning both Best Actor and Best Actress)
+ February 5, 4:30 pm – CMX at the Gardens
+ February 6, 7:00 pm – Regal Royal Palm Beach
+ February 11, 7:00 pm – Paragon Theaters in Delray Beach
Palm Beach County Premiere
LITTLE TOWN
(Feature—USA—2022)
Jason, a failed stand-up comedian and rideshare driver takes his son on the road to Little Town, somewhere up in the mountains, to find his recently deceased mom. They drive with Lauren, a free-spirited soul trying to help them reach their destination and follow their dreams.
+ January 27, 3:45 pm – Movies of Lake Worth
+ February 12, 11:00 am – Paragon Theaters of Delray Beach
Florida Premiere
LOVE & MATHEMATICS
(Feature—Mexico—2022)
This is a tale of longing, reconnection, and disconnection. Billy, a former boy band quasi–pop star, is now a dutiful stay-at-home dad, frustrated by the lack of fulfillment in his comfortable life. He’s someone who’s out of touch, especially with himself. Mónica, a mild-mannered new neighbor, is a former devoted fan. Monica’s adoration reminds Billy of what his life used to be as a performer, with fans feeding his ego. It also reminds him of his passion for music, and he begins to play his guitar again.
Note: Special Invited Festival Guest Sandro Florin, CEO of FiGa Films, at the February 8 screening, but the guest has not confirmed his appearance.
+ January 31, 1:00 pm – Movies of Lake Worth
+ February 8, 4:00 pm – CMX at the Gardens
+ February 8, 7:00 pm – Regal Royal Palm
Florida Premiere
LOWNDES COUNTY AND THE ROAD TO BLACK POWER
(Documentary—USA—2022)
In 1960, Lowndes County, AL, was a rural, impoverished town with a vicious history of racist terrorism. Eighty percent Black with no Black voters, the county served as a launching pad for a movement that brought together men and women, Black and White, the quiet warriors, and the crusaders of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), among others. (Tribeca Film Festival)
+ February 2, 3:45 pm – Movies of Lake Worth
+ February 7, 4:00 pm – Regal Royal Palm
+ February 9, 4:00 pm – Paragon Theaters of Delray Beach
Florida Premiere
MISSION JOY: FINDING JOY IN TROUBLED TIMES
(Documentary—USA—2021)
Deeply moving and laugh-out-loud funny, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu share science-backed wisdom of living with joy in troubled times. With genuine affection, mutual respect, and a healthy dose of teasing, these unlikely friends impart lessons gleaned from lived experience, ancient traditions, and the latest cutting-edge science regarding how to live with joy in the face of life’s challenges, from the extraordinary to the mundane. (Tribeca Film Festival, Palm Springs International Film Festival, Cleveland Film Festival Ad Hoc Docs Winner
)+ January 31, 3:30 pm – Movies of Lake Worth
+ February 13, 1:00 pm – Paragon Theaters of Delray Beach
Florida Premiere
MUSIC PICTURES: NEW ORLEANS
(Documentary—USA—2022)
Considered the birthplace of jazz music, New Orleans still holds a strong association with the genre. This documentary gives us a personal view into the life and craft of four distinguished elders of the New Orleans music world: Irma Thomas, Benny Jones Sr., Little Freddie King, and Ellis Marsalis. Now in their eighties, these local masters continue their practice in the city that made them who they are. (Tribeca Film Festival)
Note: Special Invited Festival Guests and performances with screenings, but guests have yet to confirm their appearance.
+ January 31, 7:00 pm – Movies of Lake Worth
+ February 6, 4:00 pm – CMX at the Gardens
+ February 15, 3:45 pm – CMX Wellington
MY DONKEY, MY LOVER & I
(Feature—France—2020)
Schoolteacher Antoinette (Laure Calamy) is looking forward to her long-planned summer holidays with her secret lover Vladimir, the father of one of her pupils. When learning that Vladimir can’t make it because his wife organized a surprise trekking trip in the Cévennes National Park with their daughter and a donkey to carry their load, Antoinette impulsively decides to follow them with Patrick, a cantankerous, protective donkey. Completely inexperienced in outdoor life, Antoinette forges quick bonds with Patrick as she poignantly and uproariously stumbles toward self-revelation and independence. (Cannes Film Festival, Best Actress: Laure Calamy César Awards)
+ January 29, 6:00 pm – IPIC Boca Raton (includes 3-course dinner)
+ February 3, 4:00 pm – CMX at the Gardens
+ February 14, 7:00 pm – Paragon Theaters in Delray Beach
Palm Beach County Premiere
NO STRAIGHT LINES: THE RISE OF QUEER COMICS
(Documentary—USA—2021)
A lively look at five LGBTQ+ comic book artists whose careers go from the underground scene to the cover of Time Magazine and the international stage. This adaptation of Justin Hall’s anthology of the same name invites the artists to share their stories and observations on everything from the AIDS crisis and workplace discrimination to the search for love. It’s a warm-hearted tribute to all the artists who paint the world so we can better understand it. (Tribeca Film Festival, AFI Docs Fest, Grand Jury Documentary Prize Outfest)
Note: Profanity, Sexual Content
+ January 28, 4:30 pm – Movies of Lake Worth
+ February 12, 1:30 pm – Paragon Theaters of Delray Beach
Palm Beach County Premiere
NOWHERE SPECIAL
(Feature—UK—2020)
John, played by James Norton of Grantchester and Little Women, has dedicated his life to bringing up his 4-year-old son, Michael. When John is given only a few months left to live, he attempts to find a new, perfect family for Michael, determined to shield him from the terrible reality of the situation. Although initially certain of what he is looking for in the ideal family, John gradually abandons his early convictions, overwhelmed by doubts. As John struggles to find the right answer, he opens up to solutions he would never have considered. A moving and deeply humanistic drama that will leave no feeling person untouched. (Warsaw Film Festival Audience Award winner, Venice International Film Festival, Sydney Film Festival, San Francisco International Film Festival)
+ January 28, 7:30 pm – Movies of Lake Worth
+ January 31, 6:00 pm – IPIC Boca Raton (includes 3-course dinner)
+ February 8, 7:00 pm – CMX at the Gardens
Palm Beach County Premiere
PEACE BY CHOCOLATE / Closing Night Film
(Feature—Canada—2021)
This a heartwarming tale about Syrian refugees in Canada. After the bombing of his family’s chocolate factory, Tareq Hadhad (played by Ayham Abou Ammar), a charming young Syrian refugee, struggles to settle into small-town life in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Despite moving to a new country, he’s intent on pursuing his dream of becoming a doctor. But when his father, Issam (Hatem Ali), insists that he must focus on survival, Tareq and his family move towards a different but familiar path: rebuilding his father’s chocolate business. When what seemed like a nostalgic attempt to cling onto remnants of an old life past becomes an overnight sensation, Tareq is shocked. Put in the role of business manager, he must choose between the demands of an exponentially growing business and an offer to go back to medical school. As father and son struggle to find common ground and navigate the complexities of family duty, the heightened tension between them threatens to tear the family apart.
Note: Director Jonathan Keijser and Tareq Hadhad have been invited to attend the Closing Night screening, but guests have yet to confirm their appearance.
+ February 16, 7:00 pm – CMX at the Gardens
Florida Premiere
RALLY CAPS
(Feature—USA—2021)
A heartfelt coming-of-age story for the entire family starring Judd Hirsch, Amy Smart, and former Major League Baseball player Curtis Pride. Based on true events, the film focuses on Jordy, who must overcome a serious injury he experiences during a Little League baseball tryout. After a long recovery, he goes off to summer camp, where he befriends a Deaf catcher, Lucas, and his sister. Based on the sibling’s experiences living with a disability helped him overcome his anxiety and fear of returning to the mound. Together the kids learn that anything is possible when you believe in yourself and cherish your friendships. (Heartland winner Film Festival Audience Choice Award)
Note: Special Invited Festival Guests include Director Lee Cipolla, Producer Katherine Borda, Actors Judd Hirsch, Curtis, Niki, and Colton Pride, and guests who have yet to confirm appearance.
+ January 29, 1:30 pm – Movies of Lake Worth
+ February 5, 1:30 pm – CMX at the Gardens
Florida Premiere
SCARLET
(Feature—France, Italy, Germany—2022)
An enchanting period fable based on a beloved 1923 novel, Scarlet Sails, by Russian writer Alexander Grin. Beginning as the tale of a sensitive brute who returns home from World War I to his rural French village to discover his wife has died and that he must take care of their baby daughter, Juliette. The film blossoms into a portrait of Juliette as a free-spirited young woman reckoning with a local witch’s prophecy for her future and falling for the modern man who drops from the sky. (Opening Film, Director’s Fortnight Cannes Film Festival, New York Film Festival)
+ January 30, 6:00 pm – IPIC Delray Beach (includes 3-course dinner)
+ February 4, 7:00 pm – CMX at the Gardens
+ February 13, 7:00 pm – CMX Wellington
Palm Beach County Premiere
SYLVIE OF THE SUNSHINE STATE
(Feature—USA—2022)
Palm Beach County filmmaker Sasha Levinson aims the lens at her multigenerational family in an unconventional hybrid documentary offering an honest glimpse into modern motherhood that will make parents everywhere feel much less alone. When the world was turning to chaos in the early stages of COVID-19, Sasha decided to make a film with her daughter. It began as a filmmaker’s experiment, but what emerged is a therapeutic exploration of single motherhood, distance co-parenting, and multigenerational trauma, which ultimately gives way to healing. During our time’s greatest mental health crisis, this film provides an honest look at parenting and finding peace within the family. (Winner George Starks Spirit of Slamdance Award at Slamdance Film Festival, Sunscreen Film Festival) Note: Festival Special Guests:Sasha Levinson and Sylvie Bellanca and guests have yet to confirm their appearance.
+ January 28, 11:00 am – Movies of Lake Worth
Palm Beach County Premiere
THE BLUE CAFTAN
(Feature—Belgium, Denmark, France, Morocco—2022) Middle-aged married couple Mina and Halim operate a small garment shop, from which master tailor Halim painstakingly embroiders magnificent caftans for a choosy clientele. Mina and Halim have an unconventional marriage, informed by affection and mutual respect but burdened by a secret Halim can’t name. The film is an understated, yet immensely powerful exploration of the various forms love can take. (FIPRESCI prize-winning premiere in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section, Toronto International Film Festival, Morocco’s official Oscar entry for Best International Feature)
+ February 2, 7:00 pm – Movies of Lake Worth
+ February 7, 7:30 pm – CMX at the Gardens
+ February 15, 7:00 pm – Paragon Theaters in Delray Beach
Florida Premiere
THE FENCE
(Feature—UK—2022)
Steve is a working-class boy from Bristol, England. On the day he purchases his coveted motorbike, it is stolen in front of his house. He needs to find it quickly, so he seeks help from local “fences,” scoundrel friends, and his tough-nut brother to track down the bike. There is a strong moral theme examining the culture of the period, peer pressures, and difficult individual choices. Ultimately, it’s a fun film with heart. (Tallin Black Nights Film Festival)
+ January 30, 3:30 pm – Movies of Lake Worth
+ February 5, 1:00 pm – Regal Royal Palm
Palm Beach County Premiere
THE FORGER
(Feature—Germany, Luxembourg—2022)
Berlin,1942. 21-year-old Cioma Schönhaus, a Jewish man, won’t let anyone take away his zest for life, especially not the Nazis. Since the best hiding spots are in plain sight, Cioma decides to go out into the light to escape deportation. Throughout the day, he forges IDs with just a brush, some ink, and a steady hand – and saves the lives of many. Based on the true story of Cioma Schönhaus. (Berlin International Film Festival, Haifa Film Festival, Vancouver Film Festival)
+ February 8, 1:00 pm – CMX at the Gardens
+ February 8, 3:30 pm – Regal Royal Palm
+ February 13, 1:00 pm – CMX Wellington
Palm Beach County Premiere
THE GRUMP: IN SEARCH OF AN ESCORT
(Feature—Finland, Germany—2022)
The Grump’s everyday life in the deepest of Finland’s countryside rolls forward according to old routines. He’s busy working on his farm, but memories of his big brother Tarmo bother him. Tarmo moved to Germany decades ago, and the brothers haven’t been in touch, even though they were best friends when they were children. So, when the Grump crashes his beloved Escort, he knows he only wants to find another Escort. Unfortunately, the nearest 1972 Escort is in Germany. The Grump withdraws a suitcase full of money at the local bank and heads to Germany. After a series of incidents, the previously estranged brothers go looking for an Escort together and end up getting to know each other again in the process. This is a tale about healing decades-old wounds. It’s a story about reconciliation and forgiveness and Ford Escorts.
+ February 12, 7:00 pm – Paragon Theaters in Delray Beach
+ February 12, 7:00 pm – CMX Wellington
Southeastern USA Premiere
THE TAKEOVER
(Feature—France—2022)
Cédric is a worker in a precision mechanics factory in the French Alps. When he finds out that the factory is about to be sold to an investment fund, he joins forces with two childhood friends to pull off an employee takeover. With the help of occasional allies from the corporate world, this incredible team of amateurs will learn the ropes of the business and try to beat the financial system at its own game to put the company back into its employees’ hands.
+ January 27, 7:15 pm – Movies of Lake Worth
+ February 5, 7:30 pm – Regal Royal Palm
+ February 10, 1:30 pm – Paragon Theaters of Delray Beach
Florida Premiere
THE VISITOR
(Feature—Bolivia, Uruguay—2022)
Humberto is an ex-convict with a tormented past. Humberto’s greatest desire is to rebuild his relationship with his estranged daughter and provide her with a decent life. Still, the grandparents of the child, who are wealthy Evangelical pastors, are unwilling to give up custody of their only granddaughter. Carlos, the head pastor, and his former father-in-law decide to take a chance on Humberto and bring him back into the church fold. Humberto begins to attend church to ingratiate himself into Carlos’ network and bond with his daughter. What quickly transpires is an emotionally fraught ‘tug-of-war’ between Humberto and Carlos in their pursuit of ‘saving’ and commandeering the girl’s future. Financially and ideologically bullied into a corner, Humberto is forced to face his demons while simultaneously fighting a powerful ecclesiastical institution to which he once belonged. (Tribeca Film Festival Best International Narrative Screenplay, AFI Latin American Film Festival)
+ January 29, 4:30 pm – Movies of Lake Worth
+ February 15, 4:00 pm – Paragon Theaters of Delray Beach
THE WAIT
(Feature—Finland—2022)
Elli and her husband lead a peaceful life on a remote island in Finland, isolated from the world. She is caught between her pastor husband and a former lover, who suddenly comes back into her life. Based on a 19th Century romance novel, The Vicar’s Wife. (Haifa Film Festival, Tallin Back Nights Film Festival)
Note: Sexual content
+ February 1, 1:00 pm – Movies of Lake Worth
+ February 7, 1:00 pm – CMX at the Gardens
Florida Premiere
THE WILD ONE
(Documentary—France—2022)
The documentary traces the life journey of an enigmatic artist, Jack Garfein, his family’s fleeing the Nazis, surviving in Auschwitz, his 1946 arrival at 16 in New York and coming under the wing of Lee Strasberg, Hollywood, and his marriage to actress Carroll Baker. It examines how his experience in the concentration camps shaped his vision of acting as a survival mechanism. Narrated by Willem Defoe, the film explores the importance of his legacy as an artist who confronted censorship and reveals how art can draw on personal memory to enlighten our present better. (Winner Best Cinematography in a Documentary Film Tribeca Film Festival Winner Jury Prize Best Documentary Festival 2 Vincennes)
+ February 6, 1:30 pm – CMX at the Gardens
+ February 6, 1:30 pm – Regal Royal Palm Beach
+ February 15, 1:30 pm – Paragon Theaters in Delray Beach
Florida Premiere
THE WORST ONES
(Feature—France—2022)
Set in the suburbs of Boulogne-Sur-Mer in northern France, the story captures a film within a film as it follows the production of a movie whose director turns to the local housing project for casting. Eager to capture performances of gritty authenticity, the director selects four working-class teenagers to act in the film, to the surprise of the local community, who question the director’s choice of “the worst ones.” (Un Certain Regard Grand Prize winner at Cannes, Toronto International Film Festival)
+ January 29, 7:30 pm – Movies of Lake Worth
+ February 12, 1:00 pm – CMX Wellington
USA Premiere
TWO TICKETS TO GREECE / Opening Night Film
(Feature—France—2022)
This is a happy relationship comedy from France directed by Marc Fitoussi and co-starring Laure Calamy (Netflix’ Call My Agent, and My Donkey, My Lover & I), Olivia Côte (My Donkey, My Lover & I), and Kristin Scott Thomas (Four Weddings and a Funeral, The English Patient, Mission: Impossible, The Horse Whisperer, Gosford Park). The fun feature film, also known as Les Cyclades, follows the recently divorced Blandine, struggling to get back to her life, who reconnects with her former best friend, the loud and fearless Magalie, who imposes herself on a trip they dreamed of as teenagers: Amorgos. In this beautiful location, The Big Blue was shot. However, when they reach their destination, they realize the dreamy vacation doesn’t go as planned since they both now have a very different approach to vacation… and life!
Note: Director Marc Fitoussi will attend the Festival’s Opening Night screening.
+ January 26, 7:00 pm – Kravis Center Cohen Pavilion
Palm Beach County Premiere
YOU CAN LIVE FOREVER
(Feature—Canada—2022)
In the early ’90s, gay teen Jaime is sent to live with her devout Jehovah’s Witness relatives after her father’s death. Jaime makes an unexpected connection with Marike, the daughter of a prominent Witness Elder. The two are instantly drawn to each other and begin a secret, unspoken romance. But when their attraction becomes too obvious to hide, the community moves to separate the two, forcing them each to make a terrible choice between faith and love. (Tribeca Film Festival, Directors Guild of Canada Outstanding Directorial Achievement nomination)
+ February 1, 7:00 pm – Movies of Lake Worth
+ February 3, 1:30 pm – CMX at the Gardens
+ February 10, 4:00 pm – Paragon Theaters in Delray Beach
To request a brochure for The Donald M. Ephraim Palm Beach Film Festival© Presented by MorseLife or to become a member of the Festival Film Society, please call 561.867.3109 or visit www.DMEPBFF.org.
