31st Jewish Film Festival Berlin Brandenburg: A Celebration of Diverse Jewish Narratives
The Jewish Film Festival Berlin Brandenburg (JFBB), the largest Jewish film festival in Germany, recently announced its exciting lineup for the 2025 event, set to run from May 6 to 11 across Berlin and Brandenburg. This year’s program showcases independent films from Israel, the United States, and Europe, emphasizing multicultural Jewish experiences through various cinematic lenses.
Festival Highlights and Premieres
Kicking off the festival is Daniel Robbins’ Bad Shabbos, a dark comedy that centers around a tumultuous Shabbat dinner in New York City. Having made waves at the Tribeca Film Festival last year, this film features an all-star cast, including Kyra Sedgwick, David Paymer, and Method Man. Other noteworthy films include Dani Rosenberg’s Of Dogs and Men, which depicts a woman’s emotional journey back to her kibbutz following the tragic events of October 7, as she searches for her missing dog. Additionally, Iveta Grófová’s The Hungarian Dressmaker tells the poignant tale of a widow in Hungary who risks everything to shelter a Jewish boy from a fascist militia, a work that has been chosen as Slovakia’s official submission for the Best International Feature at the 2025 Oscars.
A Diverse Representation of Israeli Cinema
This year’s JFFB presents a robust selection of Israeli films. Highlights include Highway 65 by Maya Dreifuss, which follows a small-town police officer as he uncovers a local conspiracy. Tom Nesher’s Come Closer examines the grief experienced by a young woman dealing with her brother’s death, while Yousef Abo Madegem’s drama Eid explores the struggles of a Bedouin man grappling with societal and traditional constraints. This film is particularly notable as it marks the first feature directed by a Bedouin filmmaker, highlighting the growing diversity in Israeli cinema.
Documentary Features: Spotlight on Jewish Lives
The documentary section of the JFFB promises to be equally compelling. Among the featured films is Blum: Masters of Their Own Destiny, directed by the Oscar-nominated Jasmila Žbanić, which profiles Emerik Blum, a Shoah survivor and successful entrepreneur. Zvi Landsman’s Jacob De Haan: A Voice Out of Time revisits the life and tragic assassination of the Jewish, gay, pacifist poet by Zionist paramilitaries. Additionally, Art Spiegelman: Disaster Is My Muse, created by Molly Bernstein and Philip Dolin, delves into the significant career of the renowned graphic novelist and creator of Maus.
Political Context and Reflections on Antisemitism
The JFFB has long served as an integral part of the German-Jewish community in and around Berlin. This year, however, the festival carries an even heavier significance in light of the recent October 7 attacks and the ensuing Israeli-Gaza conflict. While the festival aims to focus primarily on the films, discussions surrounding rising antisemitism in Europe and discourse on accusations of war crimes in Gaza are likely to permeate the event, adding a layer of urgency to the festival’s mission.
Mark Your Calendars
Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with compelling stories that explore complex identities and histories. The full festival program will be unveiled on April 15, 2025, at jfbb.info. Join us for an enriching cinematic experience that promises to captivate and inspire.