Film festival gives out its gongs at gala

V THE UK Jewish Film Festival closed on a high with a West End gala showing of a black comedy already being touted as an Oscar contender and the presentation of awards reflecting the festival’s global representation.

The film was Jojo Rabbit, about a Hitler youth with a ludicrous Adolf Hitler as his imaginary friend. The boy’s world is turned upside down when he discovers his mother is hiding a Jewish girl.

A video message from its writer and director, Maori Jew Taika Waititi, was shown before the screening at Picturehouse Central. Waititi also plays the Hitler character, Roman Griffin Davis is Jojo and Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell and Rebel Wilson are among its other stars.

When Jojo Rabbit was premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, it won the top prize, following in the footsteps of many Academy Award nominees for best picture.

The UKJFF awards were hosted by critic and broadcaster Jason Solomons, who told the audience that the festival was “up there with the best”. Polish production Dolce Fine Giornata took the Dorfman Best Film Award, Mexican drama Leona was chosen as Best Debut Feature and Israeli documentary Advocate scooped the award in that category.

Reflecting on a “great festival”, UK Jewish Film chief executive Michael Etherton said on the night that feedback “has been mostly polite and mostly positive”. Mr Etherton commented afterwards that the award-winning films were “exceptional and impressive productions that take nuanced and challenging perspectives on key issues of our day including racism, antisemitism, Middle East politics and interfaith relations”. More than 15,000 people have attended UKJFF screenings and thousands more are expected to attend showings of festival highlights in 21 cities and towns over the next few weeks.

Some positive audience reaction to Jojo Rabbit — and (inset left) cast member Luke Brandon Field at the gala