FAIRBANKS - Twelve years is a long time for anything. But for the Farthest North Jewish Film Festival, that time span represents a healthy growth and the enduring commitment to community while showcasing fine films.

“The word is spreading, ” said Janet Schichnes, who co-founded the festival with her husband. Films take place over the next two weekends, beginning Saturday with “A Matter of Size,” shown at Alaska Coffee Roasting Company.

Schichnes said the idea to start the festival followed a visit to “the mother of all Jewish film festivals,” in San Francisco (which she and her husband now attend frequently). The pair attended movie showings, listened to directors and actors speak, and overall had an “amazing” time.

“It was a wonderful ambiance. We wanted to bring, on a much smaller scale, something like that to Fairbanks,” she said of that visit 13 years ago. “We like movies, belong to the Jewish congregation and just thought it would be a nice addition to the community.”

Schichnes and a small team review films over the course of the year, often 20 or more, looking for material with Jewish themes, though that can cover a wide variety of topics.

“Sometimes they are Israeli or have to do with history or moral dilemmas,” she said.

This year’s films cover all the bases, including documentary, animated feature and the controversial black comedy “My Fuhrer.”

“You have a very serious topic of Hitler and the Holocaust and you’re making fun of it,” Schichnes said of the controversy surrounding the film. “It’s really a black comedy.”

She added that she wanted to bring the film in last year but was unable to find a U.S. distributor. This year the film finally appeared on a distributor’s list, she said. “So we got it.”

“A Matter of Size” follows the story of Herzi, a 340-pound chef ashamed of his body. He tries dieting and weight-loss classes before stumbling onto a sport that celebrates his larger-than-life stature.

“Waltz with Bashir” is Ari Folman’s animated documentary about the horrors of the 1982 Lebanon war. His inspiration for the film came after meeting an old friend who told of a recurring dream in which he is chased by 26 vicious dogs. Folman makes a connection to the Lebanon war, and this film chronicles his search for answers about that time in his life.

The documentary “Holes in My Shoes” looks at the unusual life of a lower east side New York City immigrant Jack Beers and his unexpected role in important historical events. Beers was involved in the construction of Radio City Music Hall and the Empire State Building, the creation of the atom bomb and became a character actor in over 200 films. He could also rip a phone book in half.

“Lemon Tree” is set in Israel and follows the legal battle of a Palestinian widow to stop her next door neighbor — the Israeli defense minister — from destroying the lemon trees on her family farm. At the same time, she develops a friendship with the minister’s wife.

Schichnes said open discussion with guest speakers will follow “My Fuhrer” and “Waltz with Bashir.”

“We hope people enjoy the films,” she said. “They (can be) either educational or really provocative.”

Contact features editor Glenn BurnSilver at 459-7510.

IF YOU GO

What: Farthest North Jewish

Film Festival

When: Feb. 27, 28, March 4, 6, 7

Where: Various locations, see Web site for details

Tickets: Suggested donations: $10, students $5

Information: 456-1002, www.mosquitonet.com/~orhatzafon