Catch Up With Director Lynn Roth Plus 919 Film Fest: Q & A Zoom Event April 16

By Quendrith Johnson, Los Angeles Correspondent

Director Lynn Roth, who is among Showtime’s first female TV showrunners for “The Paper Chase,” will join a 919 Film Festival Q & A for her film THE LITTLE TRAITOR on April 16 via Zoom. This streaming event is open to the public, and is hosted by the Chapel Hill, NC, based 919 Film Fest. 919 was founded by Randi Emerman and Carol Marshall, with Los Angeles Film Critics Association President, Claudia Puig, as Program Director. Emerman’s credits include the Palm Beach International Film Festival, and Carol Marshall, a long-time Hollywood citizen, is known for her A-List talent roster.

Veteran TV executive turned writer/director, Lynn Roth is best known for the Amos Oz sourced feature film LITTLE TRAITOR, starring Alfred Molina. Roth’s film is available for pre-viewing prior to the Q & A on Amazon Prime, and other streaming services. Her newest work is SHEPHERD: STORY OF A JEWISH DOG, another feature film that came about from a student pitch for the author while she was teaching a Master Class in Israel. Asher Kravitz wrote the novel, and Lynn wrote and directed this feature (see https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3278810 ). SHEPHERD was showcased at last year’s Film Fest 919, will be coming to theaters soon. Kravitz is a favorite Israeli author, and SHEPHERD will be released with an arthouse roll-out.

LITTLE TRAITOR began life as a best-seller from legendary Amos Oz, as mentioned; but the task fell to this helmer to both adapt and cast not only the lead dog/s, yet also assemble an authentic visual representation for the project. This film was part of the 2019 919 Film Festival held at the Silver Spot Cinema in Chapel Hill. Alfred Molina, world-renown as “Doc Ock” from SPIDER-MAN 2 fame, joins newcomer Ido Port as Proffy Liebowitz, and a talented cast for this screen story, which was filmed in Israel and has won multiple awards.

A short interview with the writer/director follows, along with details on how to join the 4/16 Zoom event from your device, after her words behind-the-scenes of LITTLE TRAITOR.

Here’s is Lynn Roth’s Director’s Statement

Based on the novel “Panther in the Basement” by the world-renowned author, Amos Oz, the movie takes place in Palestine in 1947, just a few months before Israel becomes a state. Proffy Liebowitz, a militant yet sensitive eleven year old wants nothing more than for the occupying British to get the hell out of his land. Proffy and his two friends spend most of their time plotting ways to terrorize and/or blow up the British until one evening, while he’s out after curfew, Proffy is seized by Sergeant Dunlop, a British officer. Instead of arresting him, he deposits him back home,but what ensues in the weeks to come is a friendship between these two foes. Proffy looks to Dunlop as a father figure as his own father is cold and remote. Dunlop, lonely and poetic, loves the spirited boy and they find lots to talk about in their meetings which Proffy must keep a secret from his friends and family. [Editor’s note: Truncated to avoid spoiler alerts.]

Lynn Roth on Making Films That (Really) Matter

“I’ve been doing this my entire life. I come out of TV. I was not even 20, when I started. ‘The Paper Chase’ was the first dramatic series on Showtime, and I was the first dramatic female showrunner. I was known for (projects) about women overcoming obstacles.”

“After that, I went into the low-budget feature business. Monty Hall’s wife, Marilyn Hall, said she optioned a book and could I read it? I finally said ‘okay, okay.’”

“The book was by Amos Oz, Israel’s foremost writer, I read it in like the fastest I ever read any book. It took a while for a us to get the financing. Alfred Molina agreed to star in it, and the film is shot entirely on location in Israel Because I have had a lot training, I pretty much know what can work visually or budget wise. I started as a writer, so writing is the most important. I met with him (Amos Oz) in Israel. I said: “you’re my favorite writer,… but there are certain things I have to change.”

“He told me, he said – ‘you don’t have to be faithful to the novel, just loyal.” I’m crying as I’m telling you this — the good news is that we stayed friends.”

How to Join Zoom for Lynn Roth’s Q & A from 919 Film Fest

Watch the film at your convenience and register to join us for a live ZOOM Conversation with the filmmakers and your friends from Film Fest 919. Be sure to register as the number of attendees is limited…and bring your wine!

Thursday, April 16 at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT

The Little Traitor

We will be joined by the director/writer Lynn Roth.

Watch the film on Amazon Prime first (here’s the trailer)

The Little Traitor

Starring Alfred Molina, Ido Port

Synopsis:

Based on the novel, Panther in the Basement, by world-renowned author Amos Oz, the film is a coming-of-age tale about the unlikely bond between a kindly British soldier and a spirited Jewish boy set against the backdrop of the birth of the State of Israel.  A true gem!

Sign Up through Zoom: 

 Click HERE to register and 24 hours prior you will receive a private link to join the Zoom conversation on April 16. Remember, space is limited. The next 919 Film Festival is currently slated for Oct. 14, 2020. You can sign up and virtually visit them here.

STAY HOME & STAY HEALTHY!

Enjoy!

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