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Since Adam bit the apple
Previewing the 45th Annual Philadelphia Jewish Film and Media Festival
When I asked Larry Fried, the new program director for the 45th Annual Philadelphia Jewish Film and Media Festival which runs in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs, why so many of the films address the tension between the Orthodox Jewish community and the secular culture, he said “When you boil it down, orthodoxy versus secularism has been at the heart of the Jewish condition since Adam bit the apple.”
The spectrum of storytelling
From November 12-23, you can enjoy 12 days of international films, workshops, and panels. The festival brings over 25 unique Jewish international films from around the world. The mission of the festival is “to create connection and community through Jewish cinema and digital storytelling.”
Fried noted that “for thousands of years, Jews of all kinds have had to wrestle with whether to hold onto their traditions or assimilate into the secular world. Yes, some of our films see communities at different sides of this spectrum try to coexist and even connect, sometimes to mixed results.”
On the opening night, November 12 at the Weitzman, enjoy a talk back with Janis Ian and director Varda Bar-Kar. On November 22, Philadelphia-born siblings and producers Becky and Shai Korman—together with director Rachel Israel—will hold a post-screening talkback and reception for The Floaters. The Floaters is a Jewish summer camp comedy about community and individualism, based on the writers’ actual lives.
Since October 7, when Hamas attacked Israeli citizens, Jewish film makers have responded to the crisis through storytelling. Holding Liat recounts the true story of Liat and Aviv, American citizens captured by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Caught between international diplomacy and a rapidly escalating war, their family faces conflicting political perspectives in the pursuit of their release. The premiere on November 20 will include a Q&A with the director.
Fantasy Life, directed and starring Matthew Shear, chronicles the life of an anxious paralegal. This uneven comedy delivers an excellent performance by Amanda Peet, who plays the anxious mother of the three girls. A promising directorial debut by Shear, which handles mental health and the portrayal of family with humor.
The global collection of Jewish films are the most exciting offerings at the 45th Annual Jewish Film Festival. These films hail from Israel, France, Poland, Columbia, and Brazil and all reflect on the Jewish diaspora in wildly different ways.
Mama, directed by Or Sinai, is a standout amongst these international films and tells the story of Mila, who has been working in Israel, separated from her husband and daughter. Led by Israeli-Russian screen star Evgenia Dodina in a beautifully rendered performance, Mama premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. The film is a riveting portrayal of a woman caught between two worlds.
What, When, Where
The 45th Annual Philadelphia Jewish Film and Media Festival. November 12-23, 2025, at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, 101 S. Independence Mall E, Philadelphia. $10-$25. (215) 545-4400 or phillyjfm.org.
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