Press and News
Summer 2008
Alistair MacLean: Y'did Nefesh to premier at the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival June 27,2008
philadelphhiaindependentfilmfestival.com
Alistair MacLean:Y'did Nefesh is also an offical selection at the Jewish Eye 2008 World Jewish Film Festival in Israel. More information to follow with dates and times.
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Jewish Film in Seattle
Posted by jbwogan • April 19 2007
Jew-ish.com
Earlier this week, I sat down with local filmmakers Meredith Binder (co-writer and co-producer) and Andy Spletzer (director) to talk about their new project, Alistair MacLean: Y’did Nefesh, a short comedic film about one man’s quest to convert to Judaism for the woman he loves. The movie, shot at Congregation Beth Shalom in North Seattle and a private residence in Madison Park, is set to be released at the end of this year.
In the most basic sense, the protagonist Alistair Maclean’s struggle for acceptance fits within a larger genre of stories about outsiders trying to fit in, which the filmmakers hope will give their work a broader appeal. Meredith explained how someone like Alistair might feel alienated by Judaism, the religion and the culture:
Meredith: I know many people who have converted to Judaism, as I’m Jewish myself. You can learn to read Torah, you can learn to daven, you can learn the religious aspects and learn the rituals behind it, but often the hardest part is the part they don’t teach you: What is Jewish Standard Time? What is Jewish geography? How do you kvetch? And I start seeing people who have converted feel uncomfortable when they hear, “Do you know so and so?” Because they don’t know. They didn’t grow up going to some synagogue in some city, going to Jewish summer camp, or going on teenager tours of Israel—all the places where all the Jews in this country make connections. It’s really fun for those of us who grew up Jewish as we all know a lot of other Jews from various Jewish activites. If you didn’t grow up Jewish, no matter how long you’ve been Jewish, it’s impossible to play along. This is when many “Jews–by–choice” start feeling left out. more on this interview......
Northwest Film Forum Local Sightings 2007
Northwest Film Forum
Alisatir MacLean: Y'did Nefesh screened in the 2007 Northwest Film Forum Local Sightings Shorts Program as a " work in progress"
Saturday, Oct. 6, 9:15pm
COMMON PROBLEMS
Relationship trouble can be a bitch. These five short films explore a variety of strained relationships and draw important life lessons from the unusual situations. You may just learn how to keep your love, family and business relations from ever pushing your buttons again.
Program:
ALISTER MACLEAN Y'DID NEFESH
(Meredith Binder, Andy Spletzer, Seattle, 2007, 16min.)
Alister must convert to Judaism in order to marry the love of his life, but does he have what it takes?more......
Prost Amerika
Women in Film Seattle DVD Release Party
Prost Amerika's Editor Steve Clare i,nterviewed Meredith Binder about her new film Alistair MaLean: Y'did Nefesh at the DVD Release Party. Ms. Binder's short film " Rent's Due" was featured in the Women in Film Seattle DVD.more....
