West Palm Beach, Florida (May 21, 2024) – The Donald M. Ephraim Sun & Stars International Film Festival© (SASIFF) is presenting a special summer screening of Bella!, an award-winning documentary about trailblazing Congresswoman Bella Abzug, on the 104th anniversary of her birth July 24 at 4 pm at Cinemark Boynton Beach 14.

“Part of our mission is to bring thought-provoking films to Palm Beach,” said SASIFF Founder Donald M. Ephraim. “I can only imagine what a firebrand like Bella Abzug would make of this election year and our hope is that this sparks audience interest on both sides of the political aisle.”

In 1970, Abzug entered Congress ready for a fight. With her trademark hat and Bronx swagger, the first elected feminist upended the Washington patriarchy, battling for women’s equality, civil rights, and LGBTQ+ protections. Using never-before-seen home movies, audio diaries and a vast trove of newly discovered news footage, Bella! also features new interviews with Barbra Streisand, Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, Gloria Steinem, Lily Tomlin, Maxine Waters, Shirley MacLaine, Phil Donahue, Marlo Thomas, Charlie Rangel, Scott Stringer and David Dinkins.

The audience will have the opportunity to meet the film’s writer-director Jeff L. Lieberman who will participate in an audience Q & A following the film, which was the 2022 winner of the Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film.

Celebrated documentary filmmaker Ken Burns called Bella!, “One of the most energetic and wonderful films,” while The New York Times reported the film “Illustrates the merciless challenges of electoral endurance event for the fiercest fighter.”

SASIFF returns for a new season with screenings at the Rinker Playhouse at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (Jan. 23-Jan. 30, 2025) and EVO Entertainment Delray (Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 2025).

Now entering its third year, the SASIFF is overseen by Artistic Director Barbara Scharres, the former director of programming at the Gene Siskel Film Center at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Cinemark Boynton Beach 14 is located at 1151 N. Congress Ave. in Boynton Beach. Tickets to Bella! are $14 and may be purchased at https://sasiff.org/. For more information, call 561.220.6735 or email [email protected].

About The Donald M. Ephraim Sun & Stars International Film Festival:

The Donald M. Ephraim Sun & Stars International Film Festival©, presented by MorseLife, aims to bring highly anticipated, critically acclaimed, and thought-provoking films to Palm Beach County. As a world-class film festival, The Donald M. Ephraim Sun & Stars International represents a major contribution to the cultural life of Palm Beach County. SASIFF returns for a new season with screenings at the Rinker Playhouse at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (Jan. 23-Jan. 30, 2025) and EVO Entertainment Delray (Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 2025).For more information, please visit www.sasiff.org, www.facebook.com/DME.SASIFF and www.twitter.com/dmesasiff or www.instagram.com/dme_sasiff or contact [email protected] or 561.220.6735.

About MorseLife:

MorseLife serves more than 3,600 seniors every day on its campus in West Palm Beach and through its community outreach programs. Founded in 1983, MorseLife is a provider of health care and residential services for seniors in Palm Beach County. A charitable, not-for-profit organization, its programs also include short-term rehabilitation, long-term care, independent and assisted living, memory care assisted living, hospice, home health care, care management, meals-on-wheels, and PACE. Since its beginnings, MorseLife has built a reputation and tradition of caring for seniors with excellence, dignity, and compassion. For more information, visit morselife.org, www.facebook.com/MorseLife, www.twitter.com/MorseLifeHealth, www.instagram.com/morselifehealth or www.linkedin.com/company/morselife-inc-/ or contact [email protected].

Attached Image:

Bella!

Available for Interview:
Barbara Scharres, Artistic Director

The Donald M. Ephraim Sun & Stars International Film Festival

773.875.0304

[email protected]

Media Contact:

Gary Schweikhart

PR-BS

561.756.4298

[email protected]