5 events, movies you don't want to miss at 10th annual Palm Springs Jewish Film Festival

The 10th annual Palm Springs Jewish Film Festival is just around the corner with a lineup of films that will make audiences laugh, cry and appreciate stories being told about and by Jews around the world.

The festival runs Sunday through Wednesday at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. Chairman Michael Frydrych said there are 17 films showing this year that have been selected from various U.S. and international film festivals. Many of the screenings will be followed by Q&As with actors, directors, writers and producers.

"It's the 10th anniversary. I wanted to make it a little more special, and I wanted to make it one of the top Jewish film festivals," Frydrych said. Additionally, many titles selected are ones audiences are "not going to find so fast on streaming or even at a local theater," he added.

There's a wide assortment of stories being told this year, from a Jewish astronaut taking a Torah into space ("Space Torah") to a bachelor who has karaoke evenings at his apartment ("Karaoke") to 16 mm film offering a glimpse into the lives of Jewish people at the precipice of WWII ("Three Minutes: A Lengthening").

Here are just a few titles to look out for at this year's festival.

Concert with Svetlana Portnyansky

2 p.m. Sunday

The festival opens with a concert from Jewish singer Svetlana Portnyansky. She graduated from the famous Gnesin Musical State Academy in Moscow with honors in 1986, and began her singing career at the Jewish Theater Shalom. She has performed on stages around the world, including Carnegie Hall, the Lincoln Center and even Dodger Stadium.

Portnyansky produced the documentary “Terezin: The Code to Life,” which will screen following her concert along with a Q&A.

"iMordecai"

7 p.m. Monday

Fresh off his Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor in "The Fabelmans," Judd Hirsch is back on the big screen in "iMordecai." In this comedy, Mordecai (Hirsch), a Holocaust survivor who does everything old-school, gets a crash course in the modern world when he gets an iPhone. Not sure how to work the gadget, he befriends a young salesperson (Azia Dinea Hale), who teaches him how to use his phone, all while forging a bond with him. Mordecai also must face a rocky relationship with his son (Sean Astin) and wife (Carol Kane), who is distrustful of technology.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Marvin Samel and Hale.

Q&A with Helen Ayer Patton

2:30 p.m. Tuesday

Helen Ayer Patton, granddaughter of Gen. George S. Patton Jr., will hold a special Q&A with the Palm Springs audience. Patton has attended ceremonies commemorating WWII anniversaries, formed the Patton Foundation, which aids returning troops and veterans in need, and held discussions about her grandfather, who led American forces during WWII. She is a singer, actress and producer of two documentaries, "Black Jack" about Gen. John J. Pershing and "In the Shadow of War" about the continued struggles of war long after troops return home.

"The Last Laugh"

1 p.m. Wednesday

Comedians can make us laugh at almost anything, but what happens when they poke fun at a topic that is a painful chapter from history? Director Ferne Pearlstein explores that and more in "The Last Laugh." The 2016 documentary gathered well-known comedians Mel Brooks, Sarah Silverman, Gilbert Gottfried and others to share their thoughts on making light of the Holocaust and anti-Semitism and pushing the boundaries of comedy, especially in our politically correct world. RogerEbert.com called "The Last Laugh" a "celebration of Jewish humor as a survival mechanism."

"Tiger Within"

7 p.m. Wednesday

The Jewish Film Festival will close with a screening of "Tiger Within," one of Ed Asner's final film performances. The movie follows an unlikely friendship between a homeless teen (Margot Josefsohn) and a Holocaust survivor (Asner), sparking larger questions of fear, forgiveness, healing and world peace.

A Q&A with writer Gina Wendkos and Josefsohn will take place following the screening.

If you go

What: 10th annual Palm Springs Jewish Film Festival

When and where: Various times Sunday through Wednesday at the Palm Springs Cultural Center

How much: $12 for individual films, $35 for concert, $150 for a platinum pass, which includes admission to all films and the concert

More info: www.palmspringsjewishfilmfestival.org

Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: 5 must-see events at 10th annual Palm Springs Jewish Film Festival