Many of the movies from Hollywood’s Golden Age were directed, produced and or written by immigrants to America. From June 1 through June 15, the East Bay International Jewish Film Festival in partnership with the CCJCC and Lafayette Library and Learning Center Foundation will present three films by noted European émigrés: Casablanca, Bunny Lake is Missing and Sunset Boulevard, as well as film experts who will analyze these movies. 

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“It’s important for the public to remember that many of Hollywood’s greatest films were brought to us by newcomers to our shores,” explains Riva Gambert, East Bay International Jewish Film Festival Director. “For this present series, we’re looking at films by Michael Curtiz, Otto Preminger and Billy Wilder. Both Casablanca (Curtiz) and Sunset Boulevard (Wilder) are considered among the top 100 American films of the 20th century. Preminger, who is especially known for Exodus starring Paul Newman and Anatomy of a Murder, which is considered one of the best courtroom dramas ever made, also directed Bunny Lake is Missing, a film noir thriller starring Laurence Olivier, Keir Dullea and Carol Lynley.”

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The series will be a hybrid event, featuring in-person screenings at the Lafayette Library, as well as one virtual film showing and three online lectures. Below are the upcoming programs of this series.