Atom Egoyan's "Remember" Opens Up 16th Atlanta Jewish Film Festival (***½)

Christopher Plummer stars in "Remember."

Kicking off this year’s much anticipated Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, “Remember” stars Academy Award winner Christopher Plummer as an elderly Holocaust survivor who embarks on a journey for revenge. Plummer plays Zev Gutman, a Jewish man who has just lost his wife to cancer and can’t seem to remember who or where he is for more than a few hours at a time. Zev is sent on a mission by a friend of his at the nursing home to find and kill a man who murdered both of their families in Auschwitz during WWII.

What to See at the 2016 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival

The largest Jewish film festival in the world returns for its Sweet Sixteen. Here is a list of titles for you to check out during the 23-day event.

We love that each new year of the Georgia film festival circuit kicks off with the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. The city's most widely attended film event stretches out over three weeks at eight different venues across Midtown Atlanta, Buckhead, Alpharetta, Marietta, Vinings and Sandy Springs. No film festival in the state packs the house as consistently as AJFF and we are looking forward to joining in the opening night ceremonies on Tuesday, January 26 at the Cobb Energy Centre.

This year's lineup is as strong as ever, with films pouring in from all over the world and covering all sorts of thematic ground. Whether you want academic documentaries, Israeli award-winners, Japanese biopics, romantic comedies, musicals or whatever else you can think of—AJFF '16 has it.

We've compiled a long list of films you must see this year! See our picks after the jump.

Photos: 2,200+ Turn Out for Atlanta Jewish Film Festival's Opening Night

The huge crowd awaits AJFF's opening night presentation of "Above and Beyond."

For the third year in a row, the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Vinings served as the venue for the opening night gala and film presentation of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. Formerly held at the similarly sized Fox Theatre in Midtown, the Cobb Energy Centre's large ballroom and 2,700+ seat capacity make for an exceptional space for the largest annual film event in Atlanta.

Nearly a dozen of Atlanta's finest restaurants catered the event, offering up custom dishes for the enthusiastic audience. Live music—presented by the Atlanta Jewish Music Festival—and an open bar aided in the festivities, which included several raffles, an interactive red carpet photo booth and lots of mingling with Atlanta's movers and shakers.

The film presentation was documentary "Above and Beyond," which Christo reviewed earlier this week. Directed by Roberta Grossman (AJFF alum with 2013's "Hava Nagila (The Movie)") and produced by Nancy Spielberg (Steven Spielberg's sister), "Above and Beyond" chronicles the incredible story of Israel's first air force and their growth from a rag-tag team of volunteers to a powerful military force.

It was an incredible evening and a great start to the 23-day festival. Check out several photos after the jump!

Atlanta Jewish Film Festival kicks off its 15th Edition with "Above and Beyond" (****)

An image from "Above and Beyond."

Tonight, the 15th annual Atlanta Jewish Film Festival kicks off at the Cobb Energy Centre in Vinings. Following a luxurious gala event, a screening of "Above and Beyond" will play to an audience of several thousand.

"Above and Beyond," directed by Roberta Grossman and produced by Nancy Spielberg, tells the little-known story of the group of young men who volunteered to help create the Israeli Air Force following World War II. The documentary explores historical, factual happenings as told by the actual men involved. Filled with nostalgic disbelief and whole-hearted appreciation for one another, the men (now in their 70s and 80s) recall their experiences and walk us through this immensely important time in Jewish history. The outcome is a moving and engrossing story of bravery, loyalty and faith.

What to See at the 2015 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival

Six continents are represented across dozens of narratives, documentaries and short films in this diverse program from the 15th edition of the Southeast's largest film festival. Here are 23 films you need to see this year.

In its 15-year history, the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival has risen to the top of Georgia's and the Southeast's film festival circuits in terms of both attendees and expansive programming. Now spanning 25 days of film screenings at 7 venues—plus numerous parties—AJFF is one of the most well orchestrated and highly publicized events in the state each year.

This year's program offers the same great range in international Jewish or Jewish-interest films we've come to expect from the festival. You certainly don't have to be Jewish to attend or to enjoy these films; the festival's biggest hurdle being that of reaching beyond their obvious clientele. All that simply matters for you to enjoy AJFF is that you must like great films!

Whether you check out Israel's biggest hit films from the last year (Golden Globe nominee "Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem" or "Zero Motivation") or you want to educate yourself through a variety of non-fiction films ("Above All Else," "Raise the Roof"), there is something for everyone. There are world premieres ("Dough") and special anniversary screenings ("Avalon," "The Shop on Main Street").

The 15th annual Atlanta Jewish Film Festival kicks off next Wednesday, January 28th at the Cobb Energy Center and runs through February 19th at several different venues in Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Marietta and Alpharetta.

Check out nearly two dozen of our picks for this year's festival!

Atlanta Jewish Film Festival kicks off with "Run Boy Run" (***½)

'Snow Jam 2014' postponed opening night events until Thursday, but the popular film festival was still kickstarted in style.

The beautiful Cobb Energy Centre, home to the AJFF opening night extravaganza.

I suppose just about everyone knows what this week looked like in Atlanta. Mid-day Tuesday, as the entire Metro Area poured out of their workplaces and schools, simultaneously making their way home, the snow began to cover the roads with equal fervor. Needless to say, the resulting mess brought international attention to the city.

Wednesday, nearly everything was shut down—schools, offices, Starbucks, even the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival's opening night gala and film presentation. Strangely enough, last year's January weather was extreme in a different way. Severe thunderstorms and tornado warnings forced AJFF to issue a weather alert via email reminding patrons to drive carefully to the opening night event.

Alas, Georgia's less-than-predictable weather can only postpone—not cancel—events as big as the Southeast's largest film festival and the opening night festivities went on as planned just one day later at the Cobb Energy Centre in Vinings. The chosen film was "Run Boy Run" and director Pepe Danquart was in attendance along with a couple thousand of the city's film fans. —Cameron McAllister

Atlanta Jewish Film Festival poised to become the world's largest

The Southeast's largest film festival is getting ready to blanket the Metro Atlanta area with films for 23 days.

Last year's opening night event at the Cobb Energy Centre

While opening night doesn't take place until well over a month from now, the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival has released their 2014 lineup, kicking off the countdown for when tickets for the mega-fest go on sale. Last year—with no authority whatsoever—I declared the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival to be larger than the previous world's largest (and oldest) Jewish film fest, the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. Both organizations have claimed 30,000+ in attendance for two years running, but the AJFF has maintained a steady growth rate for years. Officially, the AJFF still claims to be the second largest in the world, albeit the largest film festival of any nature in the Southeastern United States.

Sure to put the numbers well over the 30,000 mark this year, the AJFF is expanding its programming by 25%—a move that could easily push the festival into the title-holding position. The 23-day event features dozens of screenings for the 65-film deep catalog across seven venues. The opening night gala and film presentation will once again take place at the Cobb Energy Centre in Vinings. Closing night festivities will take place at the Woodruff Arts Center in Midtown—a new venue for the festival. United Artists Tara Cinemas in Buckhead, Georgia Theatre Company at Merchant's Walk in Marietta, Regal Cinemas at North Point in Alpharetta, Lefont Theaters in Sandy Springs and Regal Cinemas at Atlantic Station in Midtown all return as the principle screening venues.

A few photos from the AJFF opening night

The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival's opening night gala took place last Wednesday at the Cobb Energy Centre in Vinings. The event started off with a swanky red carpet gathering catered by a handful of Atlanta's top restaurants. I was on hand for the gala and the opening night film, "Hava Nagila (The Movie)." I'm no photographer and only had an iPhone on hand, but check out some photos after the jump.

The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival kicks off tomorrow!

Tomorrow night, the 13th annual Atlanta Jewish Film Festival kicks off at the Cobb Energy Centre. The opening night gala begins at 5:00 PM with an open bar and food from landmark Atlanta restaurants like Alma Cocina, South City Kitchen, Woodfire Grill and more. "Hava Nagila (The Movie)" serves as the opening night film and promises to be a very lively start to the festival. Come sing along with us! The film starts at 7:30 PM. Don't have your ticket yet? What are you waiting for? Get them now at www.ajff.org!

Film synopsis and trailer after the jump.