Event: Sisai: San Francisco Jewish Film Festival

Be’chol Lashon Presents: “Sisai” A moving Ethiopian Israeli documentary about identity, race and the meaning of family.

Wednesday, July 26, 2006
San Francisco, Castro Theater
Film: 6:30, Panel: 7:30

Saturday, July 29, 2006
Berkeley, Roda Theater
Film: 4:30, Panel: 5:30

Buy tickets: www.sfjff.org

Co-sponsored by Be’chol Lashon as part of the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival’s “Spotlight on Ethiopian Jews and Jews of Color,” Sisai is followed by panel discussions in San Francisco and Berkeley on race, adoption, and Jewish identity with director David Gavro, his brother Sisai Bayo, Dr. Ephraim Isaac, and others.

Winner of the 1st Prize for Documentary Film at the Jerusalem International Film Festival Sisai is an emotional and eye-opening portrait of immigrants caught between two worlds and two identities. When 23-year-old Sisai, an Ethiopian Jew living in Israel, learns that his adoptive dad has located his biological father in Ethiopia, the two of them, along with his brother (and filmmaker) David Gavro, embark on an unforgettable journey back to Africa.

Note for Families with Children:
While the film is unrated, Sisai deals with themes of adoption and death from the perspective of a 23-year-old and may not be suitable for younger children. Older children familiar with adoption may be confused by some of the language used to describe Sisai’s biological family (e.g. referring to Sisai’s birthfather as his ‘real’ father).

Additional Film Festival Showings of Sisai:
Tuesday, August 3, 2006
Mountain View Century

Sunday, August 6, 2006
Smith Rafael Film Center