The Maine Jewish Film Festival will offer film screenings statewide of the new documentary film, “Four Winters,” written, produced and directed by Julia Mintz. Described as a “stunning, heartfelt narrative of heroism and resilience,” this film tells the story of the 25,000 Jewish partisans who organized in the forests of Ukraine and Poland to resist and sabotage Nazis and their collaborators.

The partisan survivors, in their eighties when the film was made, look back with startling recall at their years of tragedy and uncertainty in interviews interwoven with movies and images of the time. Together, these survivors deliver an authentic and uplifting narrative that has until now occupied only the slimmest volume of knowledge about the Holocaust.

Screenings

Sunday, April 2: 2 p.m. at Bates College in Lewiston
Saturday, April 15: 5:30 p.m. at the Strand Theater in Rockland
Thursday, April 20: 6 p.m. at UMaine/Orono
Saturday, April 22: 2 p.m. at the Maine Film Center in Waterville
Sunday, April 23: 3 p.m. at the Portland Museum of Art
Sunday, April 30: 6:30 p.m. at Bowdoin College in Brunswick

Most of the screenings will be followed by an audience discussion with guest speakers. Director Julia Mintz will be on hand for the Portland Museum of Art screening. At Bates and Bowdoin, the guest will be Maine poet, daughter of partisans and Holocaust educator Anna Wrobel. At UMaine/Orono the screening will be followed by a conversation between Anne Knowles, Professor of History, and Derek Michaud, Lecturer of Philosophy, Coordinator of Religious and Judaic Studies.

All of these screenings are free of charge to the public – With the exception of the Strand Theatre in Rockland ($9 for Adults; $8 for Seniors, Under 12, Matinees, Mondays; and $7 for Strand Members. For more information, visit www.mjff.org.