‘Best of the Fest’ comes to JCC on April 29

Jefferson Community College (JCC), Syracuse International Film Festival (SYRFILM) and the North Country Arts Council bring the “Best of the Fest” from the 2010 Syracuse International Film Festival to the Sturtz Theater on Friday, April 29, at 7 p.m. The “Best of the Fest” movie screening is open to the public and free of charge.

Each year, the SYRFILMFEST puts the spotlight on more than 100 films from around the world, including feature-length narrative, documentary, short, animated and student films that compete for a series of juried awards and festival honors. Jefferson’s “Best of the Fest” will screen three films featured at the seventh annual SYRFILMFEST held in October 2010: the animated short “The Tree” (Korea), the short documentary “My City, Pizza” by Ala Mohseni (Iran) and the narrative feature “Protektor” by Marek Najbrt (Czech Republic).

The “Best of the Fest” will begin with “The Tree.” In this short animation, a tree is the source of healing for a small town until the people discover it has limits and begin placing their faith in industrialization to solve their problems. Next will be the short documentary “My City, Pizza.” Who doesn’t like pizza? That’s what Iranian pizza aficionado Ala Mohseni sets out to discover by interviewing the citizens of Tehran. Along the way, he learns where pizza, food and culture clash.

After intermission, the narrative feature “Protektor” will be screened. “Protektor” was nominated for an Academy Award and winner of the SYRFILMFEST ’10 Award for Best Feature Fiction. In this film, a radio personality gains fame while reporting for the Nazis during World War II and struggles in his marriage to a Jewish woman, while she discovers the escapist nature of film.

Informal discussion groups will take place during the intermission after “My City, Pizza” and following the screening of “Protektor.”

Movie selections are recommended for ages 17 and older. For additional information, visit the online events calendar at http://www.sunyjefferson.edu or call the Liberal Arts Division at Jefferson Community College (315) 786-2414.