The 23rd Annual Atlanta Jewish Film Festival
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The 23rd Annual Atlanta Jewish Film Festival

The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival returns for its 23rd anniversary with a slate of compelling, emotional and thought-provoking films.

By Kenny Blank January 25, 2023, 2:56 pm Edit
  • "America"
    "America"
  • "SHTTL"
    "SHTTL"
  • "Karaoke," by director Moshe Rosenthal
    "Karaoke," by director Moshe Rosenthal
  • "1341 Frames"
    "1341 Frames"
  • "The Accusation"
    "The Accusation"
  • "Attachment"
    "Attachment"
  • "Barren"
    "Barren"
  • "Broken Barriers"
    "Broken Barriers"
  • "Children of Nobody"
    "Children of Nobody"
  • "Cinema Sabaya"
    "Cinema Sabaya"
  • "Closed Circuit"
    "Closed Circuit"
  • "Concerned Citizen"
    "Concerned Citizen"
  • "The Conspiracy"
    "The Conspiracy"
  • "Converts"
    "Converts"
  • "June Zero"
    "June Zero"
  • "Israel Swings for Gold"
    "Israel Swings for Gold"
  • "Hummus"
    "Hummus"
  • "Hourglass Sanatorium"
    "Hourglass Sanatorium"
  • "Girlfriends"
    "Girlfriends"
  • "Farewell, Mr. Haffmann"
    "Farewell, Mr. Haffmann"
  • "Exodus 91"
    "Exodus 91"
  • "Everything Went Fine"
    "Everything Went Fine"
  • "The Devil's Confession"
    "The Devil's Confession"
  • "David Baddiel"
    "David Baddiel"
  • "Karaoke"
    "Karaoke"
  • "Killing Me Softly With His Songs"
    "Killing Me Softly With His Songs"
  • "Leopoldstadt"
    "Leopoldstadt"
  • "Lost Transport"
    "Lost Transport"
  • "Love Gets a Room"
    "Love Gets a Room"
  • "Mad Aventures of Rabbi"
    "Mad Aventures of Rabbi"
  • "March '68"
    "March '68"
  • "Matchmaking"
    "Matchmaking"
  • "Musical Tales of the Venetian Jewish Ghetto"
    "Musical Tales of the Venetian Jewish Ghetto"
  • "My Father's Secrets"
    "My Father's Secrets"
  • "Serial Bad Weddings"
    "Serial Bad Weddings"
  • "Savoy"
    "Savoy"
  • "Remember This"
    "Remember This"
  • "Reckonings"
    "Reckonings"
  • "Prophets of Change"
    "Prophets of Change"
  • "Perfect Strangers"
    "Perfect Strangers"
  • "Paris Boutique"
    "Paris Boutique"
  • "Never Stop Dreaming"
    "Never Stop Dreaming"
  • "My Neighbor Adolf"
    "My Neighbor Adolf"
  • "Simone"
    "Simone"
  • "Stay With Us"
    "Stay With Us"
  • "Tantura"
    "Tantura"
  • "The Way to Happiness"
    "The Way to Happiness"
  • "Where Life Begins"
    "Where Life Begins"
  • "The Wild One"
    "The Wild One"

Storytelling is our most transformative vehicle for conveying the shared human experience. Good stories investigate life’s intricacies. Great stories unite us through empathy. At a time when we all need a great story, the 23rd Atlanta Jewish Film Festival is proud to showcase 60 world-class films. By curating and contextualizing these dynamic stories, AJFF seeks to entertain, educate, and inspire our wonderfully diverse city.

Karaoke, a delightful comedy helmed by emerging filmmaker Moshe Rosenthal and nominated for 14 Israeli Academy Awards, sets the festival tone as our Opening Night selection. Funny, heartfelt, and sharp, this cautionary tale of midlife ennui and self-discovery captures the poignant nuances of human nature, and the transcendent need to fulfill one’s aspirations.

Killing Me Softly With His Songs bookends the 2023 lineup with its tuneful tribute to songwriter-composer Charles Fox, joined on Closing Night by director Danny Gold. Featuring exuberant performances and an array of entertainers—Rita Wilson, Jason Alexander and Henry Winkler to rapper-actor Common and rock band Barenaked Ladies, and more—this utterly engaging profile of a wildly talented yet humble artist showcases music’s unique ability to transcend languages, borders and genres…hitting a universal note.

Narrative highlights include courtroom saga The Accusation, the morality fable Farewell, Mr. Haffmann, Polish protest romance-drama March ’68, Yiddish-language arthouse masterwork SHTTL, Israel’s Oscar submission Cinema Sabaya, and character-dramas Where Life Begins, Barren, and America.

Unmissable documentaries include 1341 Frames of Love and War, Prophets of Change, and Reckonings, along with taut depictions of terrorism in Closed Circuit and Savoy.

Young Professionals Night, presented by AJC ACCESS, will bring Atlanta’s next generation of leaders to the Woodruff Arts Center for a reception and screening of French-Israeli comedy, Paris Boutique. Directed by Marco Carmel, this comedy of errors received six Israeli Academy Award nominations including a Best Actress nod to Nelly Tagar (Zero Motivation), one of Israel’s funniest talents.

Cinephiles, rejoice! A magnificent restoration of The Hourglass Sanatorium awaits. Other film-loving fare includes silent-era gem Broken Barriers, fully restored and complete with a live organ accompaniment by composer Donald Sosin. Movie lovers will also enjoy zany classic The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob and the 45th anniversary of Girlfriends, with pioneering filmmaker Claudia Weill in attendance.

Roughly half of the festival lineup will also be available to access from home in the Virtual Cinema. Thanks to a generous grant from the Jewish Abilities Alliance, all streaming titles are available to view with optional closed captioning.

Born from the pandemic and back by popular demand, our In Conversation series will focus on some of the festival’s must-see titles. With both virtual and in-person options, these interactive dialogues will focus on a wide range of themes, each facilitated and informed by expert voices from our community.

“To AJFF newcomers, and everyone, we invite you to join our story. AJFF is for all of Atlanta, regardless of faith, politics, or identity. Together, we look forward to indulging in curiosity, engaging in conversation, and experiencing a vibrant culture, one story at a time.”

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