Toronto Jewish Film Festival
4 -11 May
The 8th edition is presenting 5760 years of Jewish culture, reflected in one week of film. As the second largest Jewish festival in North America (50 worldwide), the festival views more than 200 films before selecting the 60 to be presented to its 15,000 festival-goers. The film fare includes Aaron Cohen's award-winning film Debt, Next Stop, Greenwich Village by Paul Mazursky, the rarely seen Der Yiddishe Nigun (The Jewish Melody) from legendary director Josef Seiden, and the festival circuit eye-catcher July Berlin by Eric Mendelsohn. Also on the agenda, a special 90-minute panel discussion "Enough Holocaust Films, Already!" examining whether the Holocaust, in all its horror, has reached saturation point as a topic for films, documentaries and shorts.
Toronto Jewish

Lake Arrowhead International Film Festival
5 - 7 May
24 films from around the world, including Japan, Australia, Mexico, Switzerland, Russia, England, India and France. This third edition located 90 minutes from Los Angeles in the San Bernardino Mountains is opening with the award-winning Ghengis Blues by Roko Belic, the story of a blind blues musician's triumphant journey to the lost land of Tuva, and closing with the screening of the restored psychedelic animated classic Yellow Submarine.
Lake Arrowhead

Spin Cycle Film Festival
5 - 7 May
A new festival that supports the efforts of student and beginning filmmakers by promoting their works, awarding prizes, and raising money for student film productions. The festival is held at the Little Theater at San Diego State University and all proceeds raised from the event go straight to student film projects.
The 5th: films with live musical accompaniment, music videos, and other short films that rock! The 6th: works in progress + movie memorabilia auction. The 7th: festival of animation and short films.
Spin Cycle