The late Jake Eberts to be honoured at special Montreal screening of 'JERUSALEM' on October 21

Mr. Eberts was an Executive Producer of documentary film that celebrates Jerusalem's unique historical, cultural and spiritual identity

MONTREAL, Oct. 8, 2014 /CNW/ - The Montreal Chapter of Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (CFHU) and the Eberts family, today announced that a special screening of JERUSALEM will be held on October 21^st at the Telus IMAX^® Theatre in the Montreal Science Centre.

This event will honour the life of Jake Eberts, OC. Two of his three children, Lindsay and David, will be in attendance. Born, raised and educated in Québec, Mr. Eberts passed away in 2012. Throughout his 35-year film career, Jake Eberts helped create many Academy Award-winning films, including Chariots of Fire, Gandhi, Driving Miss Daisy and Dances with Wolves, and documentaries such as Prisoner of Paradise, Journey to Mecca and Oceans.

Filmed in IMAX^® 3D and winner of the 2014 Giant Screen Cinema Association Best Film, Short Subject and Best Cinematography Achievement Awards, JERUSALEM seeks to enlighten public opinion and knowledge about this historic city, generate understanding among Jews, Christians and Muslims, and encourage tourists to visit the city. JERUSALEM is a not-for-profit film that was financed through tax-deductible donations. Proceeds from the film fund a variety of projects in Jerusalem, through the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

"This special screening is important for several reasons," says Daniel Ferguson, Writer, Director and Producer of JERUSALEM. "The message is one of peace, respect and tolerance. Recent events in the Middle East suggest that this perspective is perhaps more relevant now than ever. On a much more personal note, we are gathering to honour our friend Jake. Of all the places he lived and visited, two were particularly close to his heart: Montreal and Jerusalem. Jake Eberts never had the chance to see the final cut of JERUSALEM. If he were still with us, I believe that he would be proud."

"Jake Eberts was a man of exceptional integrity, honesty and compassion," adds Ari Brojde, President, Montreal Chapter, CFHU. "Without Jake's tireless support, it would have been virtually impossible to make JERUSALEM. As a long time friend of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jake shared our vision of peace, respect and cooperation. On behalf of the CFHU, I would like to honour Jake's memory and draw attention to his critical role in making this project a reality and a source of tremendous pride to all involved."

About Jake Eberts, OC

Jake Eberts entered the film business in London in the mid-1970s. He financed or produced more than 50 films, including Chariots of Fire, Gandhi, The Killing Fields, Hope and Glory, Driving Miss Daisy, Dances with Wolves, Black Robe, A River Runs Through It, Chicken Run, Prisoner of Paradise, Open Range, Journey to Mecca, Oceans and The Illusionist. These films have been nominated for 67 Academy Awards, winning 37, including four for best picture. Mr. Eberts was also Chairman of National Geographic Films and Trustee Emeritus of the Sundance Institute. Jake Eberts passed away in September 2012.

About the Canadian Friends of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

The Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University (CFHU) facilitates academic and research partnerships between Canada and Israel as well as establishing scholarships, supporting research, cultivating student and faculty exchanges and recruiting Canadian students to attend the university. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU), founded in 1925, is Israel's leading university. Albert Einstein, Martin Buber, and Sigmund Freud, were among the university's founders, they were thinkers and visionaries whose genius inspired a university that would have no limits or borders. Ranked as one of the world's leading research universities (3^rd in Asia and 70th globally), HU lies at the forefront of the international academic and scientific communities. Many top prizes and awards have been won by its graduates and faculty including eight Nobel Prizes, and the Fields Medal in Mathematics. HU is a pluralistic institution where science and knowledge are advanced for the benefit of humankind in an atmosphere free of discrimination and prejudice. Visit: www.cfhu.org

Event Details

Date: Tuesday, October 21^st. Reception at 6:30 pm. Screening at 8:00 pm.
Location: Telus IMAX^® Theatre, Montreal Science Centre, 2 rue de la Commune O. (Old Port), Montreal.
Format: The screening of JERUSALEM will be immediately followed by a conversation with Montrealer Daniel Ferguson, Writer, Director and Producer of JERUSALEM. The session will be moderated by Anne Lagacé Dowson, Director General of the Tolerance Foundation and well-known broadcast journalist.
Tickets: $75.00. To reserve please visit: www.cfhu.org/jerusalem-montreal or call [phone].

Journalists interested in attending the event, or interviewing David Eberts, Daniel Ferguson or Ari Brojde, are invited to contact Mark Lowe at [email protected] or [phone].

SOURCE: Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Media Contact: Mark Lowe, Seefeld Group, E-mail: [email protected], Mobile: [phone]