May 25, 1977: I was standing outside the Continental Theatre, basking in the mild warmth of a Denver, Colorado summer that would soon turn into a month of scorching 94-degree days. But today was a comfortable 75, with a cool breeze drifting down from the scenic Rocky Mountains, providing a perfect backdrop as we waited in a line that wrapped around the massive building on S. Monaco Parkway.
The Continental was a 70 mm giant screen theater seating over 900 people. On this day, there were at least a thousand of us eagerly waiting for the doors to open and our chance to buy tickets to the world premiere of Star Wars. Dolby surround sound had just come out the year before, so we had no idea how our seats were about to shake and vibrate as the opening image of Darth Vader’s Star Destroyer chasing down Princess Leia’s starship moved across the screen.
The buzz in line focused on the anticipation of a movie experience unlike any other. Most of us saw the trailer in theaters as opposed to its limited showing on television. We had no context for what we were about to encounter, but the electricity of expectation touched all of us with no respect to age or gender.
I was 9. My older brother, Tom, was 11. So, basically a full-grown man as far as I was concerned. Each of us stood on one side of my 6’3” father tightly clenching his hands and restlessly shifting back and forth, waiting for the line to move. Our conversation was focused on the event before us; how “cool” it was going to be, and how we had some prophetic sense that we were all going to be different once we emerged from the imaginary world we were about to enter.
This is one of my favorite memories with my dad and brother. We bonded in the anticipation, and those connections only deepened as we emerged from The Continental, excitedly sharing our favorite parts of the film. (THE LIGHTSABERS!WHAT?) We talked about Star Wars all summer long.
Years later, my father and I reminisced about that day just a couple of months before he passed away in 2022.
Why do I remember that day in 1977 so clearly?
Having gone through my parents’ divorce at the age of 3, standing in line for a summer blockbuster with my dad and brother felt refreshingly normal. It made us inseparable emotionally, despite the physical separation we lived with daily. And Star Wars awakened in all three of us the boyhood desire to be heroes, to embark on an epic journey of purpose, overcoming the nearly impossible while facing down an empire of menacing evil.
We imagined getting the girl (which my young romantic heart latched onto—until I realized Luke and Leia were siblings, ew!) and earning the reward (which captivated my Han Solo-identifying brother). Years of quoting lines, reenacting lightsaber battles, and feeling like we shared something no one else could understand kept us deeply connected, as so many father/son/sibling experiences do.
I later shared the next Star Wars trilogy with my children, the final trilogy with them as adults, and I know my oldest son and I are looking forward to taking my grandson, Jude, to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland, introducing him to the world that has helped shape our father/son relationship over time.
Movies don’t just entertain. They awaken parts of our heart, intellect, and imagination, unlocking new understanding of our identity—especially in relationships. They cultivate bravery, fear, ambition, love, empathy, righteous indignation, and a zest for finding ourselves in the comedies and tragedies of life. And they become romantic markers we never forget, like Moulin Rouge, the first film I ever saw with my wife, Jill, over 23 years ago.
I love how our annual Jewish Film Festival gives our community an opportunity to share bonds as we laugh, dream, cry, and sit in shocked silence together, living out the emotional truth of both the imaginary plots and real-life stories we witness in unison.
I know we’re still several months away from JFF 2025, but I’m already excited. Excited to reconnect with all of you. Excited to be transported. Excited to be challenged and changed. I hope you are too.
To whet your appetite, here’s a sneak peek at one of the films under consideration for next year’s festival!