OLDER NEWS…
THE 2025 LAJFF AUDIENCE AWARD WINNERS!
“MIDAS MAN”
WINNER
Audience Award for
Best Narrative Feature Film
Presented to Brigit Grant & Joe Stephenson
“CHARLES GRODIN:
REBEL WITH A CAUSE”
WINNER
Audience Award for
Best Documentary Feature Film
Presented to James Freedman
“FIDDLER ON THE MOON”
WINNER
Audience Award for
Best Documentary Short Film
Presented to Daniel Miller
“OPENING NIGHT”
WINNER
Audience Award for
Best Narrative Short Film
Presented to Omer Ben-David
With support from
THE 2024 LAJFF AUDIENCE AWARD WINNERS!
June 19 – 24, 2024
To view the Print Source List, click HERE
“GUNS & MOSES”
WINNER of the
Festival Choice Award
presented to Salvador Litvak
“NINA IS AN ATHLETE”
WINNER
Audience Award for
Best Documentary Film
presented to Ravit Markus
“UNSPOKEN”
WINNER
Audience Award for
Best Narrative Feature Film
presented to Jeremy Borison
“COLLEYVILLE”
WINNER of the
Humanitarian Award in Filmmaking
presented to Dani Menkin
We had a great event at Hershey Felder’s World Premiere of
“NOBLE GENIUS
Chopin and Liszt”
at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills
The film is dedicated to the memory of the world class cellist, who appeared in both “NOBLE GENIUS” and “VENETIAN JEWISH GHETTO”
ANTONIO LYSY
Click on the image below to see him play at LAJFF in 2023
“SEVEN BLESSINGS”
Click on the image below to watch the Q&A with director Ayelet Menahemi
You’ll want to watch these YouTube videos if you’ve seen
“GOLDA”
Click on the picture to watch
Q&A with Meron Medzini (91), director of the Israel Government Press Office and Golda Meir’s spokesman (1973–1974) and confidante.
Watch the Q&A with Guy Nattiv, director of GOLDA click below!
Watch the trailer here!
Helen Mirren stars alongside Liev Schreiber and Lior Ashkenazi in GOLDA, as Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir.
Directed by Academy Award® winning Israeli director, Guy Nattiv, GOLDA is a ticking-clock thriller set during the tense 19 days of the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir (Academy Award® winner Helen Mirren), faced with the potential of Israel’s complete destruction, must navigate overwhelming odds, a skeptical cabinet, and a complex relationship with US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger (Liev Schreiber), with millions of lives in the balance. Her tough leadership and compassion would ultimately decide the fate of her nation and leave her with a controversial legacy around the world.
Drama – 2023 – Israel, USA/Language: English, Hebrew, Arabic (with subtitles)
Runtime: 100 minutes/Rating: PG-13
Thanks to the over 200 people who came out to the screening of
“THE ONLY HOPE”
Directed by Paul Freedman
at the NOVA MUSIC FESTIVAL EXHIBITION
L-R: Bill Neiman, Exec Producer; Cecily Selden, Birthright volunteer participant; Paul Freedman, Filmmaker; Bar Hinitz, Nova Festival survivor; and Hilary Helstein, LAJFF Director
Thank you to all who donated to Shaylee and baby Shaya. We successfully raised over $5000 to help them through this dark time after losing their home and her husband, filmmaker Yahav Winner. Yahav was brutally murdered on October 7 after bravely confronting terrorists who invaded his home during the Hamas attack on his village, Kfar Aza. Winner stalled the attackers in order to rescue his wife, Shaylee Atary, a filmmaker as well, and his newborn daughter Shaya who hid for 26 hours with no water or food before being evacuated by the IDF. They are safe now.
Watch the video below of how Shaylee and baby Shaya survived the terrorists on October 7.
ch the Q&A and film here.
Click on the Youtube link below.
Watch now the Q&A for
“Fiddler’s Journey to the Big Screen”
The story of the making of the beloved classic film, “Fiddler on the Roof,” and director Norman Jewison.
click on the pic below to play
Watch now the Q&A with cast and crew for
“STAND!”
“Hamilton meets Fiddler on the Roof meets West Side Story” – Reel Chicago
Watch the “AULCIE” Q&A below
We honored Aulcie Perry for his contributions to combating racial discrimination and to building bridges of understanding between African Americans and Jews and Israelis.
Click here to watch the Q&A webinar
Panelists included (L – R) LAJFF Director Hilary Helstein, Filmmaker Dani Menkin, Consul General of Israel, Dr. Hillel Newman, K.J. Matthews, journalist of the AAFCA, producer Jon Weinbach and Aulcie Perry himself!
In Loving Memory of
RUTH BADER GINSBURG
We honor her legacy and pay her tribute
Watch the Q&A with JULIE COHEN, acclaimed director of the Academy Award nominated sensation, “RBG”
Click on the picture below to stream the YouTube Q&A
LAJFF conducted a virtual discussion with acclaimed filmmaker Julie Cohen, co-director of the inspiring, Academy Award nominated documentary, “RBG.” She gives an insider’s view of one of the most influential women who ever lived, the heroic Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and her journey in the making of this film that became a worldwide sensation.
If you have not seen the film, it is available to stream anytime on Hulu, Amazon Prime and other platforms.
THIS Q&A IS A MUST SEE!!
SHARED LEGACIES
In honor of “good trouble” Congressman John Lewis
and Rev. C.T. Vivian
LAJFF made history with this superb Q&A panel with activists and speakers from the film SHARED LEGACIES who came together to discuss the African American-Jewish relationship during the civil rights era and NOW! It included Dr. Shari Rogers, Dr. Clarence B. Jones, Gina Belafonte, Dr. Susannah Heschel, Sherry Frank, moderated by Dr. Michael Berenbaum.
Watch by clicking this picture.
Directed by Dr. Shari Rogers
RIP Carl Reiner, the legend!
You were a friend and honoree of LAJFF. We will never forget your wit and wisdom!
Click on the headline to read the full Jewish Journal article.
Watch the Q&A from OUR (almost completely true) STORY with
MARIETTE HARTLEY, JERRY SROKA and director DON SCARDINO!
Click below to watch Q&A
An aging screen legend, tall, famous and classy and a short Jewish out-of work voice actor navigate the LA senior dating scene, in this (mostly) true-life romantic dramedy. Despite their baggage and health crises, as these opposites attract, they find it’s never too late for love. Set against the beautiful backdrop of Los Angeles, this adorable crowd-pleaser is also a love letter to Hollywood, written by Hartley and Sroka and directed by Emmy winner Don Scardino (30 Rock).
If you missed the Q&A from
“HEALING INK”
Click on the image below to watch anytime on
Facebook Live !
THAT’S A WRAP ON THE 2019 FESTIVAL!
Pictures courtesy of LA Jewish Film Festival and Todd Felderstein
2019 PRINT SOURCE LIST(click here)
In the news!
Thank you to everyone who came out to see
ON THE MAP
Thanks to everyone who came out to LAJFF 2016.
And the winners are….
2016 Audience Award Winners
Best Drama
FEVER AT DAWN
Directed by Peter Gardos
Best Comedy
THE PICKLE RECIPE
Directed by Michael Manasseri
Best Documentary
SURVIVING SKOKIE
Directed by Eli Adler & Blair Gershkow
Best Narrative Short
THE LITTLE DICTATOR
Directed by Nurith Cohn
A TIE!
Best Short Documentary (under 60 mins
EAST LA INTERCHANGE THE LIBERATORS
Directed by Betsy Kalin Directed by Emanuel Rotstein
SPECIAL MENTION!
Lasting Impact Award
SHNEI KUNI LEMEL
Directed by Israel Becker
50th Anniversary screening
CONGRATULATIONS TO MIKE BURSTYN!
Find the 2016 film print source list here.
See you at our year-round programs.
OLDER NEWS…
Thank you for attending the screening of
“REMEMBER”
See pre-film discussion with Academy Award® winner, MARTIN LANDAU here!
Mazel Tov to Laszlo Nemes, Geza Rohrig and the team of “Son of Saul” on winning the Academy Award for
Best Foreign Language Film!
Stay tuned for the Sony DVD release where you can see LAJFF’s live recorded Q&A with the director and actor!
(L-R) Actor Geza Rohrig, director Laszlo Nemes, DP Matyas Erdely
Please like us on Facebook HERE!
Thanks to everyone who came out to the exclusive screening of “Labyrinth of Lies”
Photos from the Q&A with director Giulio Ricciarelli
and lead actor Alexander Fehling.
Currently playing at the Laemmle Royal.
‘Labyrinth of Lies’ to be Germany’s Academy Award Entry for 2016
10th Annual LAJFF!
April 30 – May 7, 2015
And the winners are….
2015 Audience Award Winners
Best Documentary
TREBLINKA’S LAST WITNESS
Directed & Produced by Alan Tomlinson
Best Emerging Filmmaker (Documentary)
ZEMENE
Directed & Produced by Melissa Donovan
Best Comedy
DOUGH
Directed by John Goldschmidt
Best Drama
SECRETS OF WAR
Directed by Dennis Bots
Honorable Mention for Best Drama (a tie!)
AUF DAS LEBEN BELLE & SEBASTIAN
Directed by Uwe Janson Directed by Nicolas Vanier
Best Short
CURT LOWENS: A LIFE OF CHANGES
Directed by Justin Binder, August Blum, Robert Carlson, Levin Glaser, George Khabbaz, Kayla Mossanen, and Tammy Shine
Runner Up for Best Short
LIFE & HUMMUS
Directed by Alex Matros
Link to the 2015 Print Source List
2015 Photo Gallery
Credit: Bob Delgadillo and Amy Graves/GettyImages
Please enjoy some photos from LAJFF’s 2015 opening night gala with the LA premiere of
The Outrageous Sophie Tucker!
Thank you for joining us for LAJFF 2014
We’re proud to announce the 2014 Audience Award Winners…
Best Drama RUN BOY RUN
Directed by Pepe Danquart
Best Comedy CUPCAKES (BANANOT)
Directed by Eytan Fox
Best Feature Documentary BRAVE MISS WORLD
Directed by Cecilia Peck, Produced by Inbal Lessner
Best Short Documentary THE STURGEON QUEENS
Directed by Julie Cohen
Best Narrative Short BAMIDBAR
Directed by Onn Nir, Produced by Keren Hantman
Photos from Opening Night Tribute to Carl Reiner
Link to the 2014 Print Source List
Watch the full video of the 2014 Opening Night Q&A with Carl Reiner and Phil Rosenthal here.
Also enjoy a glimpse into 2013’s celebratory opening!
Thanks to everyone for attending the 2013 Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival!
Our festival in pictures
The 2013 Audience Award Winners Are…
Best Short Film “Road Angel”by Steve Lainer
Best Documentary “Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir” by Laurent Bouzereau
Best Narrative Feature “Disobedience: The Sousa Mendes Story” by Joel Santoni
Runners Up Include:
Short film: “All the Broken Pieces” by Daniella Kahane Best Documentary: “Beyond Right and Wrong: Stories of Justice and Forgiveness” by Roger Spottiswoode and Lekha Singh Best Feature film: “Sonny Boy” by Maria Peters
Thank you for attending the special sneak preview of “THE GATEKEEPERS” NOMINEE, Best Documentary Feature 85th Academy Awards
(L-R) Festival Director, Hilary Helstein with Ambassador Carmi Gillon, one of the six former heads of the Shin Bet, profiled in this film, and moderater David Suissa, President of The Jewish Journal
Read Jewish Journal article on Henry Jaglom and “Just 45 Minutes From Broadway” HERE
Read here for a piece on LAJFF! ENTERTAINMENT TODAY
