The 26th edition of the Jerusalem Jewish Film Festival will take place from December 28, 2024 – January 2, 2025, at the Jerusalem Cinematheque. In recognition of current events and issues, the festival this year will place an emphasis on themes of Jewish identity, connecting between cultures, and the role of art in complex and challenging times.
Opening the festival will be Brady Corbet’s much acclaimed film The Brutalist, starring Adrien Brody. The film held its world premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival, where Corbet was awarded the Silver Lion for Best Direction. The Brutalist is currently nominated for 7 Golden Globe Awards. Opening ceremonies will take place on December 28th at 19:00 at the Jerusalem Cinematheque. Festival events will include conversations with filmmakers and actors following the screening of select films, as noted in the program. The full program and ticket information may be found on the festival website: https://jer-cin.org.il/en/80181
International Films
The Brutalist
Directed by Brady Corbet, the film follows Jewish architect László Toth (Adrien Brody) who escapes post-war Europe to rebuild his life and work in America, reunited with his wife Erzsébet (Felicity Jones). Settling in Pennsylvania, his talents come to the attention of the wealthy and prominent industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce), and he lands a massive project that will transform his life.
Führer and Seducer
Directed by Joachim A. Lang, the film focuses on Joseph Goebbels, who was the propaganda minister responsible for the imagery, speeches and films created to support and further Hitler’s Nazi regime. Portrayed by Robert Stadlober, the film also focuses on Goebbels’ private life. The dramatic film is interwoven with archival newsreels. Preceding the screening there will be opening remarks in Hebrew by Dr. Daniela Ozacky Stern, Western Galilee College.
Marco, the Invented Truth
Directed by Aitor Arregi and Jon Garaño, the film tells the story of Enric Marco, who falsely claimed to have been a concentration camp survivor and represented an association of survivors. When a reporter researches Marco’s past, the truth comes to light. Eduard Fernández portrays Enric Marco.
Most People Die on Sundays
Directed by Yair Said, who also stars as David, a gay Argentine Jew in his thirties, who returns to his homeland from Italy, where he is studying, to attend his uncle’s funeral. Overweight, solitary, and unemployed, with an unconventional sense of humor that often leaves those around him uneasy, David wanders around Buenos Aires, making blunders, spending money he doesn’t have, and relying on the kindness of others – especially his mother’s.
September 5
Directed by Tim Fehlbaum, the film presents a different perspective on the tragic events of the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, when terrorists murdered 11 Israelis. In the film, the Munich massacre is related through the coverage of the ABC Sports crew. September 5 stars Peter Sarsgaard as ABC executive Roone Arledge and held its world premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival.
From Darkness to Light
Directed by Eric Friedler and Michael Lurie the documentary focuses on the popular comedian Jerry Lewis, who was at the peak of his fame in 1972. In his desire to portray a dramatic role, Lewis wanted to make the film The Day the Clown Cried, but the project never came to fruition. Friedler and Lurie’s documentary employs previously unseen footage from the film that was never made, as well as interviews with actors, crew, and Jerry Lewis himself.
Unspoken
Directed by Jeremy Borison, the film focuses on Noam (Charlie Korman), a closeted, religious teenager who finds a mysterious love letter written to his grandfather by another man before the Holocaust. Struggling with his own identity and hoping to find validation in his grandfather’s history, he sets out on an odyssey to discover the truth.
The Future Awaits
Directed by Nils Tavernier. Paris, 1942. Thirteen-year-old Tova and her parents are expelled from their home and are forced to hide in a tiny room, relying on the mercy of neighbors. In the small room that becomes her entire world, young Tova refuses to succumb to the harsh reality and manages to harness her imagination and innocence to breathe life and hope into their situation: she draws a piano on the floor to bring music back into the family’s life, improvises a makeup corner where she can comb her mother’s hair and restore her smile, and, above all, gazes upon Paris through a small skylight, remembering life before the war and imagining the day after—and the future that awaits. The film is based on a true story.
Israeli Films
Christiane
Directed by Eden Emilie Maarek. Eden travels with her grandmother Sarah to France, to her home in the Savoy region, where she was previously known as “Christiane.” While mapping out memories, Eden tries to fill in the gaps. She empties the lost memory box, reflects on time and space, and revives secrets that were never told. Through the camera lens, Eden witnesses the life, culture, and Christian religion, which her grandmother abandoned when she chose to become Jewish. A personal recreation of history and identity. The film will be screened at the festival in the presence of the director.
Kugel
Created by Yehonatan Indursky and directed by Erez Koel, Kugel is a prequel to the popular Shtisel. Kugel depicts the past lives of Nuchem and Libbi, a father and daughter living in Antwerp’s Orthodox Jewish community, before their move to Israel. Nuchem, a witty jewelry dealer, makes his living selling both gems and tall tales to widowed women, while Libbi teaches at seminary, but her true passion lies in writing. Both are natural storytellers in their own ways. In the meantime, Nuchem and his wife Yides, are on the brink of separation, but can’t seem to find the right match for Libbi before their impending divorce. When Libbi has an unexpected encounter with a handsome, slightly odd Orthodox young man on the tram, it’s love at first sight. But who’s ever heard of an upstanding young couple who met on a tram? The film will be screened in the presence of the series creators and the actor Sasson Gabai.
Modesty
Directed by Mordechai Vardi and Raya Vardi Teboulle. Father and daughter, both filmmakers, discuss their differing levels of commitment to Jewish law. They embark on a cinematic journey to explore the discourse on sexuality within the religious Zionist community. They turn the camera toward the gaps between religious texts and real-life experiences, aiming to shed light on unresolved issues in education, community life, and romantic relationships. The film examines boundaries, dynamics between men and women, and taboo subjects not usually discussed. Key questions include whether romance is possible while observing “Negiah” – the Jewish law forbidding physical contact, and whether there’s a place for feminism in a conservative society. Following the screening there will be a conversation with the filmmakers Morderchai Vardi and Raya Vardi Teboulle, as well as poet and author Bacol Serlui, and educator and author Dr. Yaron Schwartz. The conversation will be in Hebrew.
Marathon Mom
Rebecca Shore and Oren Rosenfeld’s documentary Marathon Mom will also be screened on opening night. Beatie Deutsch, an ultra-Orthodox mother of five, is racing to fulfill her dream to become an Olympic athlete. Defying the stereotypes assigned to ultra-Orthodox women, Beatie is a world-class athlete who is proud to share her beliefs and inspiration with people of all faiths and backgrounds. We watch her grapple with setbacks, injuries and psychological challenges. When the COVID epidemic derails Beatie’s qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the trajectory of her career goes awry. Will the single-minded pursuit of qualifying within the Olympic standard destroy her joy and passion for what she loves? Following the screening there will be a conversation (in English) with Beatie Deutsch, Filmmakers Rebecca Shore and Oren Rosenfeld, and Co-Producer, Azrieli Board Director, and Sports for Social Impact Founder Danny Hakim. Moderated by: Shmuel Hedges, Artistic Director, Psik Theater.
The Community
Directed by Alex Osmolovsky, who describes the film thus: A portrait of Jewish life in Ukraine today, in the mirror of history and in the shadow of Russia’s full-scale invasion. The Community captures the strength and resilience of Ukraine’s diverse Jewish community as it navigates the hardships of war. Through personal stories and interviews, the film reveals Ukraine’s struggle amidst accusations of Nazism that have cast a shadow over the nation. As the film’s director and someone who once called Ukraine home, I return to witness this powerful reality firsthand, seeking to understand why, despite everything, the Jewish community continues to see Ukraine as its home. The film will be screened in the presence of the director.
A Jew in America – Torn Identity
Directed by Naftaly Gliksberg. A Jew in America is a three-part documentary series offering an in-depth and up-to-date perspective on American Jewish identity from the establishment of the State of Israel to the present day. The series examines the connections, tensions, and challenges accompanying the American Jewish community and its relationship with the State of Israel. It also addresses American Jewish identity in an era of rising antisemitism and shifting dynamics with Israel, particularly in the wake of October 7th.
Screening of Episode 2: Jewish Identity – On the cultural tensions and gaps that emerged following Israel’s wars and the question of Jewish Identity. A post-screening discussion will explore the relationship between American Jews and Israel in the aftermath of October 7th.
