JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — A new film wending its way through the film-festival circuit explores our love affair with baseball.

Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story features interviews and footage of players from Sandy Koufax to Kevin Youkilis. New York Times sports writer Ira Berkow penned the script, while actor Dustin Hoffman provides the narration. Here’s a recent Jerusalem Post story on it.

I haven’t seen the film yet; Seventh Art Releasing says it’s holding out on distributing review copies until shortly before the movie’s theatrical release in November. But people in several states as well as Israel can see it at upcoming film festivals. Here’s the running list from Jews and Baseball’s web site (future dates only):

• Jerusalem Film Festival – Jul. 15 & 16
• Stony Brook Film Festival, Stonybrook, NY – Jul. 25
• San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, San Francisco, Catro Cinema – Jul. 25
• Berkshires Jewish Film Festival – Jul. 26
• San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, Palo Alto, Cinearts – Jul. 31
• San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, Berkeley, Roda Theatre – Aug. 1
• San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, San Rafael,
Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center – Aug. 8
• Iowa Jewish Historical Society, Des Moines, Iowa – Aug. 8
• Rhode Island International Film Festival, Providence – Aug. 10-15
• Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center, Montclair, New Jersey – Aug. 19
• Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival
• Museum of Jewish Heritage, New York – Sept. 26
• The Suffolk Y Jewish Community Center, Commack, New York – Oct. 4
• The JCC in Manhattan, New York – Oct. 5
• Quad Cinema, Manhattan – Nov. 5
• Winnipeg – Nov. 8
• Wilshire Temple, Los Angeles – Nov. 13
• Tucson Jewish Film Festival – Nov. 21

– Scott Barancik

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