One of the Bay Area’s top cinema events is back – the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival (SFJFF), running from July 16 to August 2. The SFJFF is the world’s oldest and largest Jewish film festival – this year’s festival is the 46th! The program offers 65 films from Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Palestine, Qatar, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
After opening night at the Herbst Theatre, films will screen at the Castro Theatre (for the first time since 2022) , the Herbst, the Roxie, the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco and Landmark’s Piedmont.
Highlights include:
- The lineup brings many notable premieres to the Bay Area, including 8 World Premieres, 2 International Premieres, 2 North American Premieres, 5 United States Premieres, and numerous West Coast, California, and Bay Area Premieres. Many, perhaps most, of the feature filmmakers are expected to attend.
- Opening night with the California Premiere of Tell Me Everything, the second feature from Israeli director Moshe Rosenthal, fresh off its premiere at Sundance.
- Centerpiece program with include US Premiere of Assaf Machnes’ Where To? with its mixed Israeli, Palestinian, and European cast and crew and a story set in Berlin.
- Closing night with Paula Eiselt’s We Met at Grossinger’s about the iconic Catskills resort.
- Nationally acclaimed actress and writer Rachel Bloom will appear to receive the Freedom of Expression Award.
Just before the fest, I’ll be publishing some recommendations. I’ve already screened a sample of the program, and I’ve seen some good ones. Check out the program and buy tickets at SFJFF.
