LON ANGELES, MONTREAL, CANADA, FLORIDA
A few days before I started my Winter Film Tour, I received some good news:
Operation Wedding had won BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
for January 2018 at Miami Independent Film Festival!
The festival will present the winning films in June 2019.
This is award #9 for Operation Wedding (but who's counting?)
February 1, 2018
LON ANGELES
A very short visit got even shorter when my flight was 8 hours delayed...
I had a few meetings regarding the feature fiction film based on "Operation Wedding" and also met L.A. 35's Women for Soviet Jewry. The 35's were a group of women activists for Soviet Jewry. There were unique because they really were masters of P.R. in my opinion. They were not many, but they sure got a lot of headlines and brought awareness to the public about the plight of Soviet Jewry.
Actually this tour was filled with the marvelous 35's in LA, Montreal & Florida!
You can read about my meeting with the L.A. 35's and about some of their feats at the NewsBlaze article by Nurit Greener. Press HERE
February 3-6, 2018
MONTREAL, CANADA
I was happy to get some snow this Winter and after sliding down a hill, I decided to do Dog Sledding, but to flip the roles.
Thank you Vicky Cohen, for showing me Montreal and for the wonderful company!
FEBRUARY 5: Great attendance at Quebec's PREMIERE Monday night screening with Women's Philanthropy & Federation CJA.
Press photos to enlarge.
Photos by Ryan Blau, PBL Photography
February 7, 2018
FLORIDA
Two fabulous screenings for my birthday:
BOCA RATON - Florida premiere
Florida premiere and a standing ovation in a Southern Hospitality luncheon hosted by Women's Philanthropy & Federation CJA screening, graciously sponsored by Barbi and Stanley Plotnick. The room was full of active women. Many of them were demonstrating for Soviet Jews and leading the moment to free Soviet Jewry.
PALM BEACH, later that day
The beautiful Palm Beach Synagogue hosted the Palm Beach premiere of Operation Wedding, followed by a panel discussion with myself and with
Wendy Eisen: Soviet Jewry activist (Montreal 35's).
Her first demonstration for Soviet Jewry was in Montreal 1974 for my mother Sylva Zalmanson.
Rabbi Leonid Feldman: former Refusenik and Prisoner.
"Before the Leningrad Trail I didn't even know about Israel."
Read about Rabbi Feldman story: bethelwpb.com/rabbi-leonid-feldman
Moderated by Rabbi Moshe Scheiner.
Photos by Tom Tracy Photography www.tomtracy.com
In a few days I'll be in Denmark for a Danish premiere! Operation Wedding was chosen "Documentary of the Month" at the Danish Film Institute" - there will be 6 screenings of the film and I'm excited to attend the premiere screening in Copenhagen.
Don't miss the upcoming screenings this winter in Denmark, Latvia, USA: California, Florida, New Jersey, Georgia press HERE for details.
I WAS THERE IN SPIRIT Screenings I couldn't attend the pat month:
Indonesia - February 4, 2018
World Human Rights Awards screened Operation Wedding and presented a Silver Human Rights Award!
The Award Ceremony was inaugurated and hosted by King Sri Anglung Prabu Punta Djajanagara Cakrabuana Girinata and the Royal Families from Bali.
San Francisco - February 10, 2018
WinterFest * Northen California premiere*
Los Altos Hills, California - February 10, 2018
Beth Am Congregation Film Series presented Operation Wedding followed by a Q&A with the Author Philip Spiegel, who wrote in his book Triumph Over Tyranny in 2008:
"Sylva Zalmanson was most memorable with the stringing and hunting effect, not heard since the publication of ANNA FRANK’s diary of a young girl"
Latvia - Israeli Films Days/Madonas Library - February 13, 2018
The screening was very successful. In fact they had to make two screenings due to huge interest. There were too many people for the 1st screening, so they made 2nd in the same day :) The Library intended to show a 3rd screening - on demand!