The Washington Jewish Film Festival December 2 through 12 offers movies about Jewish baseball players, tango musicians, an Egyptian spy and reporter for “Palestine Post” – and even a Jewish Muslim.  

Coinciding with Chanukah, the 21st Washington Jewish Film Festival (WJFF), with 53 movies from 14 countries, is a true celebration of cinema. But you certainly don’t have to be Jewish to love these movies.

Here’s just a sampling of the many highlights. For a complete program of films – including their trailers – click here:

• The US Premiere of France’s box office hit, “La Rafle” (“The Round Up”), about Nazi-occupied France in 1942 rounding up its Jews and sending them to their death in concentration camps. A sold-out wine reception and discussion with the director Roselyne Bosch opened the festival on December 2 at the Avalon Theatre, one of the WJFF's many venues.
• A sneak preview of Helen Mirrin’s “The Debt”, directed by fellow Oscar-winner John Madden (“Shakespeare in Love”). Three Israeli secret agents had attempted to capture a Nazi war criminal in a covert mission that ended with his death 30 years ago in East Berlin. But now, someone claiming to be that man has surfaced, and the former agents must return to Eastern Europe to uncover the truth. They relive the trauma and, ultimately confront an old debt. December 4, 7 PM, AFI Silver Theatre
• “Force of Evil” with John Garfield. A restored print of this rarely screened film noir is shown on the 100th anniversary of the birth of blacklisted Hollywood writer-director Abraham Polonsky. In his 1948 film, corruption in the numbers racket is a backdrop for the tragedy of two brothers, amid the shadow of fear created by the McCarthy witch hunts. Free screening December 5, 5 PM, National Gallery of Art
• “Sixty in the City”. “ISO SWM:  I’m really funny (especially to myself), a shrewd backgammon player and crazy about Clint Eastwood. Anyone who thinks he’s suitable should respond.” When 61-year-old filmmaker Nili Tal posted that and her photo on a dating site, nothing happened. So she posted more provocative photos, and moments later 1,320 men between the ages of 20 and 80 e-mailed her. The film follows Tal’s humorous and touching journey through the dating world, including her personal transformation, and discussions with other women on dating for the over 50s. December 7 and 8, Washington DC Jewish Community Center
• “Tango, A Story with Jews”, and with a tango party. Jewish musicians who fled Russia for Buenos Aires at the end of the 19th century contributed greatly to the development of tango music. Family memories and enticing historic recordings bring to life the talented figures in this engaging story of cultural and artistic fusion. A tango party follows, with tango masters Viviana and Isidoro Levenson, who emigrated from Argentina’s capital to the US capital.  December 9, 8:30 PM, Washington DC Jewish Community Center
• In “The Infidel”, a Muslim family man discovers he’s adopted --  and was born a Jew! (What’s the Arabic equivalent of “oy vey”?) Mahmud’s identity crisis is somewhat eased by the caustic Jewish taxi driver Lenny (Richard Schiff, who was rather caustic in the TV show “The West Wing”).” Lenny introduces Mahmud to the joys of matzah ball soup, the hora, etcetera. This outrageous satire offers light-hearted hilarity around the serious subject of religious animosity between Muslims and Jews. December 11, 9:30 PM, AFI Silver Theatre
• “The Klezmatics: On Holy Ground”, followed by a dessert reception. The Klezmatics band offers a unique, ground-breaking fusion of klezmer and world music. Their 2006 Grammy Award (World Music) was the result of a collaboration with the Woody Guthrie family. The very popular band has collaborated also with renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman. Closing night, December 12, 7:30 PM, Washington DC Jewish Community Center

The screenings, some of which are free, are at 11 venues (click here for addresses and directions). The sites include several embassies, museums such as the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the Library of Congress, as well as the Washington DC Jewish Community Center, where Susan Barocas is the director of the very popular event.

For more info and tickets:  Washington Jewish Film Festival, www.wjff.org, 800-494-8497. Washington DC Jewish Community Center, www.washingtondcjcc.org, 1529 16th Street at Q Street, NW, Washington, DC.