Celebrating 20 years of bringing the best in international cinema to Maine featuring more than 30 films from around the world, the 2017 Maine Jewish Film Festival is primed for another dynamic week of special events.

Screenings in Portland, Waterville, Brunswick and Lewiston-Auburn, extend the festival’s reach.

“We’re excited to usher in our 20th year with a diverse selection of films that takes audiences from Hollywood to Great Britain to Ghana, without leaving Maine. Our mission is to present films that enrich, educate and entertain a diverse community about the global Jewish experience,” MJFF Executive Director Barbara Merson said in a news release.

Railroad Square Cinema in Waterville will screen “The Last Laugh” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 18, “White Night/Demonstration in the White City” with Filmmaker Tal Haim Yoffe, at noon Sunday, March 19,”The Women’s Balcony” at 2:45 p.m. Sunday, March 19. and “A Quiet Heart” at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 19.

“The Women’s Balcony” is a comedy about the complex relationships between diverse Jerusalem communities and their men and women. The Collapse of a women’s balcony in a synagogue in Jerusalem sets off a war between the sexes when an ultra Orthodox Rabbi decides to replace it with a small room behind bars. A funny and endearing film that recognizes complex relationships and challenges perceptions of women’s and men’s roles. Unrated, In Hebrew with English subtitles. 93 minutes.

“A Demonstration in the White City” Israeli filmmaker Tal Haim Yoffe will discuss his documentary about the plight of African asylum-seekers in Israel. Every night, Arab domestic laborers living in the Occupied Territories risk their lives sneaking through the security barrier to clean houses in Jerusalem. These extraordinary, determined, strong, fearless women maneuver their lives between men who forbid them to work and Israeli soldiers who pursue them. White City: 10,000 asylum seekers from Eritrea and the Sudan and Israeli supporters gather for a demonstration. This documentary jewel captures the streets of Tel Aviv while providing invaluable insight into Israel’s political and cultural history. Unrated. In Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles. 95 minutes.

“The Last Laugh” — is it ever acceptable to make jokes about the Holocaust? When is it “too soon” after a tragedy? This lively film delves deep into pop-culture to find out where or even whether to draw those lines. With Mel Brooks, Sarah Silverman, Louis CK, Chris Rock, Rob Reiner and others. Unrated. 93 minutes.

“A Quiet Heart” starring Ania Bukstein (Game of Thrones). A professional pianist seeks refuge from the pressures of the concert stage in an ultra-orthodox Jerusalem neighborhood. Rejecting pressure to conform to the religious lifestyle, she receives escalating anonymous threats. This film conveys an air of creeping unease that leads to a surprising resolution. Unrated. In Italian and Hebrew with English subtitles.92 minutes.

Tickets cost $10 for adults, $8 for seniors.

For complete listings, visit mjff.org.

For more information, call 873-6526 or visit www.railroadsquare.com.