The 2024 San Diego International Jewish Film Festival gets under way this week with 30 films that will be presented over 12-day period.

The festival kicks off Thursday and will continue through Feb. 10 in the David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center in La Jolla.

The opening night film will be “Left Alone Rhapsody — The Musical Memoir of Pianist John Bayless.”

The documentary by filmmaker Stewart M. Schulman tells the inspirational story of the Texas-raised pianist and composer who studied under Leonard Bernstein and made his Carnegie Hall debut at age 25. Bayless went on to enjoy a successful 30-year career as both a concert and recording artist and composer.

Then in 2008, at the age of 54, he suffered a stroke and loss the use of his right arm and hand. Then, he lost his life partner of 27 years to cancer.

“It was like God took the light switch and turned it off. It was an incredibly dark period,” he said, in a scene from the film.

But when asked to perform at a friend’s memorial, he composed an elegy for the left hand and was encouraged by the experience. Then, with the help of Yamaha piano technology, he was able to accompany his own recorded-in-the-moment playing to perform music as if two hands were playing.

During his recovery, Bayless found spiritual healing by studying Hebrew and he converted to Judaism. Raised a Southern Baptist, he was first exposed to Judaism at the age of 13 when he began playing piano at synagogue services in Amarillo, Texas.

At a pre-screening reception on Friday, Bayless will talk about his career, recovery, conversion to Judaism and the new piano technology that has allowed him to perform again. He will also play a brief concert. Film director Schulman will also speak.

In early January, Bayless spoke about his life, career and faith in an interview with Linda Chase, for an article in the Florida Sun-Sentinel. These are quotes excerpted from their conversation.

Q: How did the film “Left Alone Rhapsody” come to be?

A: Stewart Schulman and I collaborated on his thesis film for NYU Grad Film School when we were in our early 20s for which I composed the (musical) score. Then, about six years ago, after my stroke, I was in (New York City) to record an album at Yamaha. I’m a Yamaha artist now. Bonnie Barrett, director of Yamaha Artists Services, and I, decided that if I was going to ‘come back’ and record again, I should start by reimagining some of my two-handed recordings with just my left hand — which is how I play now.

Q: When did you start playing the piano?

A: “I was born in a small town in West Texas called Borger. My mother was a singer and played piano so there was always music in the house. I started playing by ear at the age of 4. Of course, I didn’t want to learn to read music because when I played anything I heard (by ear) I would get applause. But my mother insisted that I wouldn’t improve if I didn’t learn to read music. I admit that she was right. We had a TV and on Sundays we’d fight between watching football and Leonard Bernstein’s Young People’s Concerts. I’d often win. That show changed things for me. I learned about music, orchestrations and composing. I loved it!

I was later mentored by Bernstein and I often wondered why he chose to mentor me over other talented pianists. Perhaps it was because he loved improvisation and I was so adept at it. Lenny loved to create a musical environment where anything could happen in an instant. He saw that in my improvs. And he also saw that I could achieve any mentoring challenge that he suggested, for instance having me play something in a different meter, faster, slower … I would always deliver that. But, I think the most important thing about having Lenny as my mentor, is that he encouraged me to trust my instincts, to believe in myself and create my style of music as I wanted and not worry if it would fit into a mold that ‘the industry’ might approve of.

Q: Tell me about how you recovered from your stroke.

A: “The stroke recovery was hard, especially as a pianist. You’ve lost your mobility and your identity in a flash. One minute you can do anything you want at the piano, the next you can’t do anything. I lost the use of my entire right side. Thinking, who am I now? But you realize that you must surrender to what is. The thing that people don’t necessarily understand is that recovery is both physical and mental. There’s the work you do to try to activate any remaining connections that are frozen in the brain. And you also try to make new connections to enable you to work around your deficit. But it’s also a mental recovery. Everything changes in an instant. The old life is gone. You need to adjust yourself to the idea of a whole new paradigm in your life.

Q: How did Judaism help you heal?

A: Religion was always a big part of my life and I liked being in a spiritual environment. But I never felt completely connected to my spiritual side until I went to a friends bar mitzvah in Amarillo, Texas. I felt connected in a way I hadn’t before. The sermon that day was about Tikkun Olam. I guess the idea of “repairing the world” really affected me. After that I started playing the organ in synagogue on Friday nights. I always felt Jewish, but I never had time to deal with that, because of a busy performing schedule, until after my stroke. Then I had nothing but time. That’s when I started learning Hebrew. One thing led to another and I eventually converted. I found a community where I knew I belonged.”

Q: What has it been like on the film festival circuit?

A: My path to my Judaism generally seems to be a very impactful part of my story for most audiences. I think that’s because finding faith and connecting to and expressing spirituality is a universal goal. When you see that in someone else’s life, you can relate to it, in some way, in your own. Obviously my journey, given my Southern Baptist background is surprising.

As far as what viewers might take away from seeing “Left Alone Rhapsody,” the biggest thing I hope audiences get is that life may throw you curve balls, hand you impossibly difficult circumstances, however things needn’t end there. If there’s still more life in you, embrace that. Live!

“Left Alone Rhapsody — The Musical Memoir of Pianist John Bayless” will be presented at 7 p.m. Friday, with a pre-film reception and performance at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $18 at 2024sdijff.eventive.org/schedule.

The 34th annual San Diego International Jewish Film Festival

Highlights: This year’s festival will feature both in-person screenings and at-home streaming options. There will be 30 screenings, as well as the sixth annual Joyce Forum Jewish Short Film Festival with 25 shorts. Genres will include dramas, documentaries, comedy, animation, art, music, biopics, sports, women’s interest. There are several films on the Holocaust and a few that touch on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. One of the films, “The Ken,” was locally made. The 43-minute documentary by Sergio Nolasco, is about a thriving Mexican-Jewish community that has flourished in San Diego for more than 50 years. Special events will include filmmaker Q&As; “Schmooze & Schmear” bagel receptions; a wine and cheese community event; and a closing night celebration and havdalah (Shabbat conclusion ceremony)

When: Thursday through Feb. 10

Where: David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre, Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, 4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla

Tickets: $18, or $15 for JCC members. Several screenings are being presented for free.

Online: 2024sdijff.eventive.org

Chase writes for the Florida Sun-Sentinel. U-T staff writer Pam Kragen contributed to this report.