The Audience Award winners for the 25th Boston Jewish Film Festival are
“The Jewish Cardinal,” a French film based on the real-life story
of a Jewish-born cardinal, for Best Feature Film, and “Life According to Sam,” an
inspiring documentary about a pair of Jewish doctors searching for a cure for their son’s
rare and fatal disease, for Best Documentary.
"I’m very happy for this great audience prize, especially for this film built around
the idea of reconciliation, between Jews and Christians, father and son, past and
present,” said Ilan Duran Cohen, director of “The Jewish Cardinal.”
“The Jewish Cardinal” is based on the true-life story of Jean-Marie Lustiger
(1926-2007). Born to Polish Jews and saved from the Holocaust, Lustiger later joined
the Catholic priesthood and became the Cardinal of Paris and confidante of Pope John
Paul II. The controversial Lustiger referred to himself as a “Catholic Jew.”
“Life According to Sam” is a documentary about two married Foxboro doctors,
Leslie Gordon and Scott Berns, who race against time to save their only son, Sam, from
the accelerated-aging disorder, Progeria. Gordon and Berns’ efforts led to the first
testing of an experimental drug that could prolong the life of Sam and other children.
Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine, winners of the 2013 Oscar for Best Short Documentary
for “Inocente,” directed the film.
The Gordon and Berns family attended the Foxboro, Mass. screening. “We don’t
often get the opportunity to celebrate a local family that is working so hard to treat a fatal
disease that affects children throughout the world,” says BJFF Executive Director Jaymie
Saks. “Leslie, Scott and Sam bonded instantly with the 300 community members who
had come to hear their story, and everyone was impressed by Sam’s intelligence and
eloquence.”
The 25th Boston Jewish Film Festival screened 48 films from around the world
from Nov. 6-18 at 12 theatres in the Greater Boston area.
About The Boston Jewish Film Festival
The Boston Jewish Film Festival celebrates the richness of the Jewish
experience through film and media. Throughout the year, the Festival engages and
inspires the community to explore the full spectrum of Jewish life, values and culture.