DAYTON — The Eighth Annual Dayton Jewish International Film Festival will open April 1 at the Dayton Art Institute with the Academy Award-nominated film, "Twin Sisters."

The two-week festival runs April 1-13 and presents 15 feature films, plus shorts and panel discussions. Festival venues also include the Neon theater in Dayton and the Little Art Theatre in Yellow Springs.

"The festival is open to the entire community and the variety of films we present ensures that there will be something that will appeal to everyone," said Marc Jacob, director of the Dayton Jewish Community Center, in a media release.

Last year's Dayton Jewish International Film Festival drew more than 2,000 people, Jacob said.

"Twin Sisters," a 2003 Dutch film nominated for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, follows two orphaned sisters who are separated at age six and sent to live with different family members. When World War II breaks our, each girl takes a dramatically different path.

"Twin Sisters" will be shown at 7 p.m. on April 1 at DAI's Renaissance Auditorium.

This year's festival also is highlighted on April 13 by "Beaufort," an Israeli film nominated for the 2008 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

Former University of Dayton head basketball coach Don Donoher on April 10 will offer his perspective on "The First Basket," a documentary about the early contributions of Eastern European Jewish immigrants on American intercollegiate and professional basketball. Retired Dayton Daily News sportswriter Bucky Albers will facilitate Donoher's question and answer session.

Murray Horwitz, a Dayton native and chief operating officer of the American Film Institute's Silver Theater, on April 13 will moderate a "Works-in-Progress Symposium." The event features Aviva Kempner, writer-director of "The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg," introducing her current work-in-progress, "Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg!" Dayton-area filmmakers Karen Levin and Aileen LeBlanc will discuss their current production, "Take Us Home," about the immigration of Ethiopian Jews to Israel.

Festival passes and tickets for single events are available at a discount in advance. For the festival schedule or more information, call the Dayton Jewish Community Center at (937) 853-0372 or visit www.daytonjewishfilmfest.org.