Both sports heroes and real world heroes will be celebrated at the 2016 Milman-Kover Jewish Film Festival, which kicks off next weekend with an event at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota. Nine programs submitted from filmmakers around the globe will bring to screen stories of Israel Defense Force draftees, odds-defying basketball stars and even a group of Muslims that harbored Jewish refugees in the wake of World War II.

“Choosing among our nine excellent films is like asking a mother to decide which is her favorite child,” said Roz Goldberg, festival founder and co-chair. “It’s really hard to do, but naturally, we are particularly excited about our Opening and Closing Night films because we have such special guests.” On March 6, the festival opens with a screening of Beneath The Helmet, a documentary directed by Oren Rosenfeld, who will be in attendance. Also at the event will be two of the soldiers featured in the film, which tells the story of IDF recruits. Israeli musician Idan Haviv will also perform before the film screens, Goldberg said.

The Closing Night reception, scheduled for March 13 at the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee’s Macintosh Road campus, will include a screening of On The Map, a work in progress by documentarian Dani Minkin, who will also attend festivities. The film tells the story of the 1977 Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball team that against all predictions defeated the Russian Army Team in a special match. Two players from the team, Captain Tal Brody and Eric Minkin (a Sarasota resident), will also attend the event.

But Goldberg also feels excited about other films playing during the week. She spoke particularly highly about Besa-The Promise, a film about Albanian Muslims who rescued Jews during the Holocaust. “The tradition of protecting the guest is sacred to these Albanian Muslims,” Goldberg said

For the first time, the rest of the program will play at the Hollywood 20 in Downtown Sarasota with three matinee screenings scheduled every day. Tickets can be purchased by phone at 866-465-3995 or through a link at the Jewish Federation website, www.jfedsrq.org.

See the festival's complete line-up at SRQ Backlot.