Rockland — The historic Strand Theatre and Maine Jewish Film Festival will co-present a special sneak preview of one of the festival’s 20 films Sunday, March 3, at 3:30 p.m. at the Strand, 345 Main St. The screening was originally scheduled for Feb. 10 but was postponed due to the blizzard. The 2013 Maine Jewish Film Festival will run March 9 through 16 in Portland.

The Strand will screen the Israeli-French dramatic feature “A Bottle in the Gaza Sea,” which has been described as an Internet-age “Romeo and Juliet.” "A Bottle in the Gaza Sea," directed by Thierry Binitsi, is based on the award-winning novel of the same name written by Valérie Zenatti. Moviegoers also will enjoy a short film about Rockland’s Adas Yoshuron Synagogue Choir.

“A Bottle in the Gaza Sea” deals with 17-year-old Tal who has emigrated from France to Jerusalem with her family. Following a bombing, Tal writes a letter refusing to accept that only hatred can reign between the Israelis and the Palestinians. She slips the letter into a bottle and her brother throws it into the sea. Her letter brings a response from Naïm, a young Palestinian. A turbulent but tender long-distance friendship develops as they both seek to understand and change the history that divides them.

Tickets for admission are $8.50 and may be purchased at the time of the showing. The Strand Theatre has been entertaining audiences since 1923; in 2005, it underwent a renovation and was fully restored. The Maine Jewish Film Festival is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide a forum for the presentation of films to enrich, educate and entertain a diverse community about the Jewish experience. Portland is the smallest city in the nation to boast an independent, professional Jewish film festival.

Courier Publications’ A&E Editor Dagney C. Ernest can be reached at (207) 594-4401, ext. 115 or dernest@courierpublicationsllc.com.