The 16th New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival (presented by the American Sephardi Federation here at the Center for Jewish History) kicks off this Thursday with the film Free Men (Les Hommes Libres). 

Perhaps you read about the film in The Forward article “Muslims Who Helped Save French Jews” (January 10th).

Here is more information about it:

Paris 1942: Inspired by true events, Free Men tells the story of a group of Muslim agents who fought for the French Resistance, and who used the Mosque of Paris as the base for operations. Younes, a young Algerian immigrant, is peddling goods on the black market. When German occupation forces arrest him, he agrees to spy on the activities of the Mosque of Paris, whose rector is suspected of providing Jews with false papers. Younes’ friendship with a cabaret singer, mixed up in various underground affairs, eventually pushes him to join the fight against the Germans.  

France, 2011.  99 mins.  French w/ English subtitles.

Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Winner of “Best Director from the Arab World” for his excellent telling of an unknown and important story. Abu Dhabi Film Festival 2011. 

To discover other great film fest selections this year, click here. To download a full schedule of films, click here. There is still time to buy your tickets–but hurry!