HJFF: The Art of Silence*

MFAH - Museum of Fine Arts Houston 1001 Bissonnet St, Houston, Texas

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Brown Auditorium Theater  Directed by Maurizius Staerkle Drux Switzerland, Germany, 2022, 81 minutes Language German, English, French with English Subtitles Foreign Language Title L’Art du Silence Genre Documentary Staerkle Drux’s uplifting and resonant documentary about legendary mime Marcel Marceau intertwines World War II footage, insight into Marceau’s Jewish background […]

HJFF: Cinema Sabaya*

MFAH - Museum of Fine Arts Houston 1001 Bissonnet St, Houston, Texas

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Brown Auditorium Theater Directed by Orit Fouks Rotem Israel, 2021, 91 minutes Language English, Hebrew, Arabic with English Subtitles Genre Drama Israel’s entry for Best Foreign Film at the 2023 Academy Awards portrays a fictional group of Arab and Jewish women, municipal workers in Hadera, taking part in a […]

HJFF: Bad Nazi, Good Nazi

Evelyn Rubenstein JCC 5601 S. Braeswood, Houston, TX, United States

Directed by Chanoch Ze’evi Israel, 2021, 52 minutes Language Hebrew, German with English Subtitles Foreign Language Title Yomano Shel Nazi Genre Documentary This documentary explores the complicated story of Nazi-turned-rescuer Wilm Hosenfeld, known as the person who saved “The Pianist” (portrayed by Adrien Brody in Roman Polanski’s 2002 Award-winning film). As Hosenfeld rises in the […]

HJFF: More Than I Deserve

Evelyn Rubenstein JCC 5601 S. Braeswood, Houston, TX, United States

Directed by Pini Tavger Israel, Germany, 2021, 82 minutes Language English and Russian with English Subtitles Foreign Language Title Yoter Mema Shemagia Li Genre Drama This sweet coming-of-age drama portrays a single mother and her 12-year-old son who recently immigrated to Israel from Ukraine. The son, Pinchas, tries to fit in and starts studying for […]

HJFF: J’Accuse

Evelyn Rubenstein JCC 5601 S. Braeswood, Houston, TX, United States

Director Michael Kretzmer in attendance for Post Film Q&A Directed by Michael Kretzmer United Kingdom, 2022, 87 minutes Language English Genre Documentary This chilling Holocaust documentary — for adult audiences only — reveals the barbaric genocide of 220,000 people, or 95% of Lithuania’s Jews. Jonas Noreika was a Nazi collaborator personally responsible for slaughtering 8,000 […]

HJFF: Barren

Evelyn Rubenstein JCC 5601 S. Braeswood, Houston, TX, United States

Directed by Mordechai Vardi Israel, 2022, 108 minutes Language Hebrew with English subtitles Foreign Language Title Akara Genre Drama This sensitive film — for adult audiences only — portrays a young ultra-Orthodox couple struggling to conceive their first child. The family seeks spiritual help by turning to religious customs and an itinerant “Rabbi” whose shofar-blowing […]

Love and Mazel Tov – Sip and Savor

Evelyn Rubenstein JCC 5601 S. Braeswood, Houston, TX, United States

Join us for a pre-film sip and savor event. What better way to gear up for this comedy of errors than with light bites and a glass of champagne before the film! Menu: Champagne strawberries Fig and brie crostini Tahini honey whipped butter over toast with tomatoes/toppings Instructor: Hannah Abney The Cramer-Jacobs Family Culinary Studio […]

HJFF: CLOSING NIGHT: Love & Mazel Tov

Evelyn Rubenstein JCC 5601 S. Braeswood, Houston, TX, United States

Directed by Wolfgang Mumberger Germany, 2020, 88 minutes Language German with English Subtitles Foreign Language Title Schönes Schlamassel Genre Comedy Anne, whose gentile grandparents profiteered in WWII, runs a Berlin bookstore specializing in Judaica and volunteers in a Jewish retirement home. Daniel, a newly single doctor, pretends to be Jewish at a party to impress […]

HJFF: Best of the Fest

Were you not able to make it in person for some of our films? Purchase the Best of the Fest pass to see America, Barren and Love & Mazel Tov virtually. The films will be available to watch from March 31 to April 2nd and will be sent as a direct link. $33 Member | $41 Public

Arts in the Afternoon: Remembering Gene Wilder

Kaplan Theatre @ the J 5601 S. Braeswood, Houston, TX

Wednesday, October 4 at 1:00 PM This special sneak peek of the 20th annual Houston Jewish Film Festival will take place on October 4 featuring "Remembering Gene Wilder," a must-see documentary revealing intimate insights into Gene Wilder's life and career with many astonishing surprises. Gene Wilder, the prolific actor and screenwriter, is known all over […]