2023 AJFF Jury Prizes: Jurors, Categories, and Nominees

The Narrative Feature Prize goes to the feature-length fiction film that exceeds all others in total artistry, direction, script, cinematography, acting, and overall storytelling.

2023 Nominees: America, Barren, Farewell, Mr. Haffmann, June Zero, March ’68, SHTTL

(Jury) Yacov Freedman is the Senior Podcast Producer for Turner Classic Movies, where he works on TCM’s award-winning documentary podcast, The Plot Thickens.

(Jury) Bruce Goldstein is the award-winning founder and Artistic Director of the Repertory division of New York’s Film Forum and founder and co-president of the distribution company Rialto Pictures.

(Jury) Harper Lazarov graduated summa cum laude from the University of Georgia with B.A. in Film Studies and Advertising in Fall 2022. She’s currently completing a certificate with the Georgia Film Academy.

The Documentary Feature Prize goes to the feature-length non-fiction film that exceeds all others in total artistry, direction, script, cinematography and overall storytelling.

2023 Nominees: 1341 Frames of Love and War, The Devil’s Confession: The Lost Eichmann Tapes, Israel Swings for Gold, Reckonings, Savoy, The Wild Ones

(Jury) Scot Safon is an Emmy-Award winning marketing expert who’s held leadership roles at CNN, HLN, CNN Digital, TNT, The Weather Channel, MotorTrend and UP. Today, he’s a consultant working with clients that include Ford, Scripps, New America, ICP, Showtime and Audible.

(Jury) Steven Pressman spent many years as a newspaper and magazine journalist before beginning his career as a documentary filmmaker.

(Jury) Caio Jardim was born in the U.S but spent most of his life in Brazil. He is now a rising senior at Emory University with an expected 2023 graduation.

The Short Film Prize goes to the film (run time of 40 or fewer mins.) that exceeds all others in total artistry, direction, script, cinematography, acting, and overall storytelling.

2023 Nominees: Anne, Bourn Kind: The Tiny Kindness Project, The Caretaker, Fledge, The Record, The Victorias

(Jury) Felicia Feaster has been working as an Atlanta art critic, journalist, author, and arts advocate for over 25 years and her writing has appeared in The Economist, Elle, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She is a managing editor at Warner Brothers Discovery and holds an M.A. in film from Emory.

(Jury) Isaac Zablocki is one of the leading presenters of Israeli and Jewish films in America. He is the Director of the film center at JCC Manhattan.

(Jury) Ikki Kaijima is a fourth-year student at Emory University studying Film and Media. He hopes to have the honor and privilege to become an influential filmmaker.

The Human Rights Prize is awarded to the film that best captures the perseverance and strength of those whose sense of justice guides them in the face of bigotry, inequality, and persecution.

2023 Nominees: Cinema Sabaya, Converts: The Odyssey of Becoming Jewish, Killing Me Softly with His Songs, Matchmaking, Prophets of Change, Stay with Us

(Jury) Stephanie Guiloff is the Director of Internal Communications and Advocacy at AJC. She works to create greater organizational alignment and helps establish the organization’s priorities and goals.

(Jury) Deidre McDonald is Founding Artistic Director for the BronzeLens Film Festival, an Oscar Qualifying Festival in the Shorts category. She is an award-winning producer for TV programming shot locally, nationally, and internationally.

(Jury) Keshawn Morgan is a graduating senior at Morehouse College. He is a theatre and performance major with a minor in Africana Studies. Keshawn is an actor and activist that uses different mediums of storytelling to give back to the world.

The Building Bridges Prize goes to the film most exemplifying AJFF’s mission, informed by founder and partner American Jewish Committee, to foster understanding among diverse religions, ethnicities, and cultures.

2023 Nominees: Children of Nobody, The Conspiracy, Everything Went Fine, Exodus 91 , Simone: Woman of the Century, Tantura

(Jury) Julie Ann Crommett (JA) has been a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practitioner for over 13 years in media and tech. She is Founder + CEO of Collective Moxie as well as a producer in animation.

(Jury) Belle Etra Yoeli plays a key role in overseeing AJC’s global advocacy efforts and is responsible for developing and executing advocacy strategy on its priority issues. She previously served as Chief of Staff to former AJC CEO, David Harris.

(Jury) Rebecca Myers is an award-winning writer, director, and producer who loves sharing stories about social equity. She is currently completing her Master of Fine Arts in Film, Television and Digital Media from the University of Georgia.

The Emerging Filmmaker Prize will be awarded to a rising creative talent, whose film shows exceptional skill and artistry.

2023 Nominees: Gabriel Bier Gislason (Attachment), Stéphane Freiss (Where Life Begins), Tal Inbar (Closed Circuit), Moshe Rosenthal (Karaoke), Orit Fouks Rotem (Cinema Sabaya), Ady Walter (SHTTL)

(Jury) Dori Berinstein is a five-time, Tony-winning Broadway producer, an Olivier winner and an Emmy-award-winning director, producer, and writer of film & television.

(Jury) Todd Yellin has recently returned to filmmaking after 17 years running product at Netflix (personalization, UI design, partnerships, interactive, etc).

(Jury) Tara Gause is a senior Film Production major at Clayton State University, graduating in spring 2023. She made her first Capstone short film this year.