good morning. welcome to mosaic. we're joined by lexy who is the executive for the jewish festival. >> we came in the trailer with

the jewish festival what is new this year? >> we thought we would start with our trailer, a sunny send out for san francisco because we're so pleased to be a thriving cultural institute in the bay area. this is the first and largest jewish film festival in the world. and we have 70 films from 18 different country across the world. and we extended our castro run. last year we had an amazing increase in attendance, and unprecedented 21% increase in attendance that we made a crazy decision and decided to extend our castro run to two full weekends. we have opening night going through july 23rd and after all over the bay area in oakland, berkley. >> fantastic.

the jewish film festival is really becoming a cultural institution in the san francisco area and functions on so many different levels. we'll spend our time looking at so many different clips and see the diversity of all of the films that you're going to be showing. i'm wondering, in a general way how do you choose what you put on the screen? >> we have an elaborate selection process. we get about 500 films that we see each year that are submitted to us. and we go to film festivals all over the world. we've been to israel and the berlin film festival and this year we went to sundance and south to southwest to find films. and we have a screening committee of very well known

bay area film makers to help us prescreen the hundreds of submissions that we get each year. >> what do people do? >> we have a lot of film makers of that been making films for the jewish film festival for a long time. and many of them we track in our databases for years and years from the time of inception and time of completion. and we touch base every year to see if people are interested in the festival. >> people could catch the wonderful offerings of film festival?

>> that's right. we changed our opening night batch following the opening night screening. so for people that have been coming to the film festival for 34 years, you can change item and go to the contemporary jewish night museum for the bash. >> so talk about that a little bit before we end this segment. >> it's a rivetting documentary but it is filmed like a narrative film and it has you on the edge of your see the. it is about a handler of a palestinian informant that the palestinian informant is the son of a hamas operative. and it is about their relationship. and we'll have the director there and it is a film that won

the audience film award. >> and that is the -- >> the israeli intelligence organization. >> so let's look, the green prince. >> find the weaker point. they have other plans for me. >> interesting. and when will the green prince will be shown, at what part of the festival? >> july 24th and it will show at three other venues also. >> wonderful. >> i was going to tell you a little bit about some of our other big nights, our closing night film is called little

white lie. it's a first time film maker calls macy schwartz. also a film that is documentary to keep you on the edge of your see the. and this year we're really proud to have theodore pacal. he will accept his award after the screening and he's going to perform and he just turned 90. >> a lot going on at the jewish film festival. we'll take a quick break here. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

do you like smoked fish? doesn't everybody. >> my favorite is white fish on pepper nickel. and this is an institution, we're going to have a smoked fish party in the courtyard at the berkley rep. so i think one of the events that i'm most looking forward to because i love to eat. >> and it will be in the open air. >> it will be. is that is excellent. and it will be at berkley rep for our big night in berkley. but the rest of the berkley run will be at the california theater in oakland and the park night theater for a one night screening of our closing film,

a little white lie. and. >> so the film festival spreads the bay area. >> yes. and we're offering new passes this year for our patrons. so you can buy a pass that gets you into all of the films at those venues for a discount. so people should check it out on line. >> wonderful. so we have another film called touchdown israel. >> yes. believe it or not american style football is now being played in israel. if you think about it, it is a good sport for that country, i think. so this a film about that and

we have the world premier. >> when you don't know the game. >> >> the advent of football in israel. >> it's a little painful to watch at times. >> this guy is a quick check who cares. >> it's interesting that we have so much sports conversation about soccer coming from europe and the middle east and south america into the america consciousness. and now we have an example of

u.s. football actually moving into a different part of the world. >> yes. this is one of several films that we have that is focused on israel. these are challenging times. we have films from all ends of the political spectrum. and some of the films that we have deal with the west bank. we have a film called holyland. and it is a film that shows live in gaza. we have a film called above and beyond, which is about the formation of the israeli air force using american gis from world war ii. so it is -- all the films can stimulate some very interesting debate and emotions and we're excited to present these films. >> we'll take a break in a

moment. but you remind me the film festival itself is not a political organization but it is an art form and life across the spectrum. in the way how does the film festival to deepen and broaden conversation that is current to any contemporary time. >> debate and discussion is part jewish values and we incorporate that into the festival. >> we'll take a quick break. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

this focuses on rafael -- and he termed the world genocide. he was a huge figure. and this year we have a two centerpiece films. and our centerpiece narrative film is called run by run. and this is a film about a jewish boy, a polish jewish boy about age eight who has to pose as a gentile to survive the holocaust and it is told through his eyes and he has to go to try to find a place to live and concocting a story to

be taken by the different households that he goes to. >> do you know what his nationality was field was? >> an attorney, a lawyer. i'm not sure which country he came from. >> i think it may have been hungary. he was really taken with what was happening in turkey. >> so his work in this arena predates his experience in world war ii. >> interesting. >> so we're going to see another film in a moment. do you want to set this up? >> this say film by local film makers. and it focuses on their son

michah and for his -- they collect base bat equipment for cuba his father was a holocaust survivor that ended up in cuba and he feels and allegiance for cuba. >> we need to pay a debt. and what better way to give people love. you got to be willing to donate any equipment to me, bats, balls, mitts, hats? >> it is a country under sanction but it is safe.

>> the baseball summer program is here. >> we have just a moment before we take another break. can you let us know what the jewish film festival does during the year? >> this is the great segway because savannah curveball is an excellent program for children and families. and we have been doing exhibitions during the year for year-round programming including a children and family series. and we also newer nurture film makers for a year in our office. and our first jewish film maker and resident will be here at the festival with the world premier of her film. so we're promoting a young

adult path that is great for our young adult programming, where people are 35 and under can get a pass to every show at the festival for 30 days so it is a great deal. it is the best deal in town. >> we'll take a quick break and return to mosaic in a moment.

went back to the couples that he filmed. and he went back to several of them to see where they're at now. and he interviews them and we learn about their -- how the marriage is going. and some are divorced and some had dramatic things happening in their families and it is

fascinating. and doug will be joining us for the festival and a local of local films too. and we have nancy cape coming. and we have abby ginsberg. so we're excited about guests that we're having. we had a little correction according to wikipedia, -- he is actually polish born. >> with all the different guests that you have with the films, what goes on with the guests and the audience? >> i think that is what separates film festivals in general in general from just going to a movie. you have an event and you get to talk to the maker of the work. and there's nothing like that

you can ask questions and get them answered immediately. and there's time to talk to people after, lobby, see them walking the streets and talk to them so it is really special. >> it is a much more engage being experience. >> absolutely. >> believe it or not we're coming to the end of our time together. >> is this one of our young adult programs that everybody is welcome. and joshua moore found this at south by southwest. it is a gem of an independent film directed by steve mimms. and both the stars will be joining us at the castro and there will be a meet and greet.

>> here we go. we have come to the end of our time together. thank you for our conversation and bringing so many clips for the jewish film festival. go to the jewish film festival

and have a wonderful time. thank you for being with us here on mosaic.

welcome to bay sunday. and we have a show for you. we begin with our pitch. if you have a show idea, we would love to hear from you. go our facebook and we'll get in touch. our opening guest is a big one. this the second man on the moon long with neil armstrong and michael collins. they piloted where no one has gone before and he has a new book, mission of mars and my vision for space exploration. we're thrilled to have buzz with us this morning. so great to