Schedule:

November 11, 2023

Remembering Gene Wilder - 7:00 pm
Venue: Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History
Cost: General Admission $20

The comedy actor we all know and love, Gene Wilder, receives the onscreen tribute he deserves in REMEMBERING GENE WILDER, a heartfelt documentary that spans the life and career of one of Hollywood’s funniest mensches. The idiosyncrasies he conveyed through his roles, either physically or just from his facial expressions alone, separate Wilder as the comic genius he is memorialized for today. Whether he was yelling hysterically over a blue blanket in The Producers (1967), making an entrance by limping into a somersault in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), or embarking on an affair with a sheep in Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972), Wilder’s comic timing blended silent comedy homage with his own quirky, outrageous version of humor.

Director Ron Frank’s film, featuring intimate interviews with Mel Brooks, Carol Kane, and other friends and family of the late Wilder, reveals hilarious and moving anecdotes from the comedian’s personal and professional life. The spectrum of Wilder’s career, beginning with a small role in Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and transitioning to iconic films and collaborations with the one-and-only Richard Pryor, is significant through the actor’s outstanding ability to push comedy boundaries, and not to mention make a lot of people laugh. This Fall Fest 2023, have a seat and take an uproarious, emotional trip down memory lane with the legend himself, Mr. Gene Wilder!

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November 12, 2023

The Rugrats Movie - 11:00 am
Venue: Kaiserman JCC
Cost: General Admission $10

Tommy Pickles. Chuckie. Phil. Lil. Angelica. Reptar. The babies from one of the most iconic Nickelodeon shows of all time crushed the box office in 1998 with their feature film, THE RUGRATS MOVIE, which grossed close to $150 million at the worldwide box office and was followed by two sequels. Families flocked to the screen to witness the gang’s latest shenanigans, from adventuring through the woods on their Reptar Wagon to encountering escaped circus monkeys.

All these years later, Rugrats is more than just a nostalgic trip down memory lane during the time of VHS tapes and big TVs with just a few channels. This show has been revered as being one of the first - if only - animated kids series to represent Jewish characters, featuring episodes dedicated to the history of Passover and Hanukkah. In honor of its 25th anniversary, PJFM is bringing this classic back to the big screen! All families are welcome to this delightful event.

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Alliance - 4:00 pm
Venue: Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History
Cost: General Admission $15

Philadelphia Premiere
In 1882, under the tyrannical ruling of Alexander III, Jews of the Russian Empire resided in the Pale of Settlement, battling pogroms and harshly antisemitic sentiment. Desperate to escape persecution, approximately 43 families fled the region to a desolate plot of land across the ocean in Salem County, NJ, 40 miles outside Philadelphia and five miles from Vineland, NJ. This group of people, a community with little to no agricultural skills, went on to create the Alliance Colony, considered to be the first successful Jewish farming community in the United States. Through sweat and tears, the founders of Alliance created not just a refuge for oppressed Jews but a system of mobility, an opportunity for these colonists to eradicate their lower-class status from Imperial Russia and become the self-sufficient citizens of their own land.

ALLIANCE¸ a meticulously crafted film about the little-known history of the colony, is a fascinating look at Jewish resilience and success, a tribute to the legacy of these immigrants who arrived with nothing and created a safe haven of their own that spanned decades. Directed by Susan Donnelly, a descendant of one of the founding families of the Alliance Colony, and featuring interviews with other descendants too, the movie beautifully captures the bravery of Jewish immigrants and the extraordinary ways they have kicked through the hardships and succeeded in America.

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Jewish Shorts - 7:30 pm
Venue: Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History
Cost: General Admission $15

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November 13, 2023

Remembering Marrakech - 2:00 pm
Venue: Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History
Cost: General Admission $15

Philadelphia Premiere
When it comes to Moroccan Jewry, the preservation of Jewish history, landmarks, and culture is nothing short of vital. In the Jewish quarter of the Mellah, located in Marrakech, the Jewish sites once populated by thousands of Jews now sit quiet and desolate, visited by non-Jews and a now heavily reduced portion of the city’s remaining Jewish neighbors. REMEMBERING MARRAKECH, a collection of five short documentaries by student filmmakers, follows a variety of Marrakech locals, Jewish and Muslim, looking to restore and better educate themselves on the history of the city’s once thriving Jewish scene, from its original striking buildings to something as particular as its Jewish artisan scene. As landmarks and cultures lie on the precipice of disappearing, such as the Mellah’s most famous Jewish home and its largest Jewish cemetery, these individuals rekindle the beauty of Moroccan Jewry through their intellect and heart.

Designed as a joint production between Sapir College in Israel and Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Morocco, REMEMBERING MARRAKECH is both a history lesson and sign of hope. A group of good-hearted people, individuals of different backgrounds and religion, unite to preserve the past of their fellow neighbors. Filmed in a basic yet effective cinematic style that guides viewers on its mission to restore Marrakech’s Jewry, the filmmakers superbly acknowledge the significance of cultural and religious heritage.

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Delegation - 7:00 pm
Venue: Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History
Cost: General Admission $15

Philadelphia Premiere
The school year is almost over for Frisch (Yoav Bavly), Nitzan (Naomi Harari), and Ido (Leib Levin), three Israeli teenagers about to enroll in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Together with their class and Frisch’s grandfather (Ezra Dagan), a Holocaust survivor, the trio embarks on a special field trip to the cold and snowy concentration camps and memorial sites in Poland. Exploring the camps with their Israeli flags held high, the students take the sites seriously, shedding a tear or two, and finish their days by returning to their rowdy, teenage selves, laughing and throwing secret parties in their hotel rooms at night. Private insecurities and emotional pains are soon unveiled as Frisch, Nitzan, and Ido are forced to confront their history and responsibilities as Jews. Amidst the tragic past that is literally presented in front of them, these teens come to question their own decisions, unsure of themselves as their next chapter in life - protecting their State - soon approaches.

In DELEGATION, writer/director Asaf Saban’s multilayered screenplay manages to combine two genres, coming-of-age and Holocaust, in a modern setting without relying on narrative contrivances so commonly used. His drama, featuring deeply nuanced performances from its young cast and occasional comedic moments that don’t trivialize its dark subject matter, is a true depiction of disillusioned youths, Gen Z Jews trying to balance the hardships of being a teen and coming to terms with their grim past. Original and moving, DELEGATION is an authentic tale of Jewish teenagers in the modern world and the strange, sometimes unexplainable ways that Holocaust history impacts them.

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November 14, 2023

Delegation - Encore Screening - 2:00 pm
Venue: Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History
Cost: General Admission $15

The school year is almost over for Frisch (Yoav Bavly), Nitzan (Naomi Harari), and Ido (Leib Levin), three Israeli teenagers about to enroll in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Together with their class and Frisch’s grandfather (Ezra Dagan), a Holocaust survivor, the trio embarks on a special field trip to the cold and snowy concentration camps and memorial sites in Poland. Exploring the camps with their Israeli flags held high, the students take the sites seriously, shedding a tear or two, and finish their days by returning to their rowdy, teenage selves, laughing and throwing secret parties in their hotel rooms at night. Private insecurities and emotional pains are soon unveiled as Frisch, Nitzan, and Ido are forced to confront their history and responsibilities as Jews. Amidst the tragic past that is literally presented in front of them, these teens come to question their own decisions, unsure of themselves as their next chapter in life - protecting their State - soon approaches.

In DELEGATION, writer/director Asaf Saban’s multilayered screenplay manages to combine two genres, coming-of-age and Holocaust, in a modern setting without relying on narrative contrivances so commonly used. His drama, featuring deeply nuanced performances from its young cast and occasional comedic moments that don’t trivialize its dark subject matter, is a true depiction of disillusioned youths, Gen Z Jews trying to balance the hardships of being a teen and coming to terms with their grim past. Original and moving, DELEGATION is an authentic tale of Jewish teenagers in the modern world and the strange, sometimes unexplainable ways that Holocaust history impacts them.

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Remembering Gene Wilder - Encore Screening - 7:00 pm
Venue: Bryn Mawr Film Institute
Cost: General Admission $15

Philadelphia Premiere
“Come with me and you’ll be in a world of pure imagination…”

The comedy actor we all know and love, Gene Wilder, receives the onscreen tribute he deserves in REMEMBERING GENE WILDER, a heartfelt documentary that spans the life and career of one of Hollywood’s funniest mensches. The idiosyncrasies he conveyed through his roles, either physically or just from his facial expressions alone, separate Wilder as the comic genius he is memorialized for today. Whether he was yelling hysterically over a blue blanket in The Producers (1967), making an entrance by limping into a somersault in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), or embarking on an affair with a sheep in Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972), Wilder’s comic timing blended silent comedy homage with his own quirky, outrageous version of humor.

Director Ron Frank’s film, featuring intimate interviews with Mel Brooks, Carol Kane, and other friends and family of the late Wilder, reveals hilarious and moving anecdotes from the comedian’s personal and professional life. The spectrum of Wilder’s career, beginning with a small role in Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and transitioning to iconic films and collaborations with the one-and-only Richard Pryor, is significant through the actor’s outstanding ability to push comedy boundaries, and not to mention make a lot of people laugh. This Fall Fest 2023, have a seat and take an uproarious, emotional trip down memory lane with the legend himself, Mr. Gene Wilder!

Buy Ticket

November 15, 2023

Alliance - Encore Screening - Encore Screening - 2:00 pm
Venue: Gratz College (Mandell Education Campus)
Cost: General Admission $15

In 1882, under the tyrannical ruling of Alexander III, Jews of the Russian Empire resided in the Pale of Settlement, battling pogroms and harshly antisemitic sentiment. Desperate to escape persecution, approximately 43 families fled the region to a desolate plot of land across the ocean in Salem County, NJ, 40 miles outside Philadelphia and five miles from Vineland, NJ. This group of people, a community with little to no agricultural skills, went on to create the Alliance Colony, considered to be the first successful Jewish farming community in the United States. Through sweat and tears, the founders of Alliance created not just a refuge for oppressed Jews but a system of mobility, an opportunity for these colonists to eradicate their lower-class status from Imperial Russia and become the self-sufficient citizens of their own land.

ALLIANCE¸ a meticulously crafted film about the little-known history of the colony, is a fascinating look at Jewish resilience and success, a tribute to the legacy of these immigrants who arrived with nothing and created a safe haven of their own that spanned decades. Directed by Susan Donnelly, a descendant of one of the founding families of the Alliance Colony, and featuring interviews with other descendants too, the movie beautifully captures the bravery of Jewish immigrants and the extraordinary ways they have kicked through the hardships and succeeded in America.

Buy Ticket

Rabbi on the Block - 7:00 pm
Venue: Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History
Cost: General Admission $15

Philadelphia Premiere
For Tamar Manasseh, a Black Jew, rabbinical student, and the founder of Mothers/Men Against Senseless Killings (MASK) in the South Side of Chicago, Judaism is not about gender or the color of your skin. Throughout her life, her experiences with racism and misogyny have compelled her desire to bridge the gap between Black Jews and Ashkenazi Jews. In her journey to becoming an ordained rabbi, this outspoken leader enables the Jewish practice of tikkun olam (“repairing the world”) in an effort to create connection among individuals, open dialogues into what it is like to be a Jew in 21st century America, and lessen the marginalization of Black Jews in modern society. Whether she’s hosting Yom Kippur services on her street for non-Black Jews or addressing the topic of racism in intimate discussions with white Jews, Tamar is representative of a certain kind of Jewish activism that calls for a larger cognizance of race and gender in the Jewish world.

In his follow-up to his 2020 smash hit, They Ain’t Ready for Me, director Brad Rotschild has crafted a rousing documentary that stresses the fundamental value of inclusivity in the Jewish world. Tamar’s rousing personality, along with her effortless actions to bring communities together, makes RABBI ON THE BLOCK a prime example about the ways to confront lingering issues in society, Jewish or not, and subsequently work through them hand in hand.

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November 16, 2023

Remembering Marrakech - Encore Screening - 2:00 pm
Venue: Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History
Cost: General Admission $15

When it comes to Moroccan Jewry, the preservation of Jewish history, landmarks, and culture is nothing short of vital. In the Jewish quarter of the Mellah, located in Marrakech, the Jewish sites once populated by thousands of Jews now sit quiet and desolate, visited by non-Jews and a now heavily reduced portion of the city’s remaining Jewish neighbors. REMEMBERING MARRAKECH, a collection of five short documentaries by student filmmakers, follows a variety of Marrakech locals, Jewish and Muslim, looking to restore and better educate themselves on the history of the city’s once thriving Jewish scene, from its original striking buildings to something as particular as its Jewish artisan scene. As landmarks and cultures lie on the precipice of disappearing, such as the Mellah’s most famous Jewish home and its largest Jewish cemetery, these individuals rekindle the beauty of Moroccan Jewry through their intellect and heart.

Designed as a joint production between Sapir College in Israel and Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Morocco, REMEMBERING MARRAKECH is both a history lesson and sign of hope. A group of good-hearted people, individuals of different backgrounds and religion, unite to preserve the past of their fellow neighbors. Filmed in a basic yet effective cinematic style that guides viewers on its mission to restore Marrakech’s Jewry, the filmmakers superbly acknowledge the significance of cultural and religious heritage.

Buy Ticket

Rabbi on the Block - Encore Screening - 7:00 pm
Venue: Ambler Theater
Cost: General Admission $15

For Tamar Manasseh, a Black Jew, rabbinical student, and the founder of Mothers/Men Against Senseless Killings (MASK) in the South Side of Chicago, Judaism is not about gender or the color of your skin. Throughout her life, her experiences with racism and misogyny have compelled her desire to bridge the gap between Black Jews and Ashkenazi Jews. In her journey to becoming an ordained rabbi, this outspoken leader enables the Jewish practice of tikkun olam (“repairing the world”) in an effort to create connection among individuals, open dialogues into what it is like to be a Jew in 21st century America, and lessen the marginalization of Black Jews in modern society. Whether she’s hosting Yom Kippur services on her street for non-Black Jews or addressing the topic of racism in intimate discussions with white Jews, Tamar is representative of a certain kind of Jewish activism that calls for a larger cognizance of race and gender in the Jewish world.

In his follow-up to his 2020 smash hit, They Ain’t Ready for Me, director Brad Rotschild has crafted a rousing documentary that stresses the fundamental value of inclusivity in the Jewish world. Tamar’s rousing personality, along with her effortless actions to bring communities together, makes RABBI ON THE BLOCK a prime example about the ways to confront lingering issues in society, Jewish or not, and subsequently work through them hand in hand.

Buy Ticket

November 17, 2023

Solomon & Gaenor - 2:00 pm
Venue: Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History
Cost: General Admission $10

Solomon (Ioan Gruffudd), a young Orthodox Jew, lives with his tight-knit, Yiddish-speaking family in the windy hills of 1911 South Wales. Anti-Jewish views are turbulent in town as the soft-spoken Solomon spends his days selling clothes door to door, hiding his tzitzit under his clothes. One day, he knocks on the door of Gaenor (Nia Roberts), an effervescent woman with a traditionally strict, Christian family. Instantly, the two fall head over heels with each other, sneaking off to barns to make love and kiss behind buildings, all while Solomon continues to keep his personal life private from her. Their love is challenged, inevitably, as both of their families begin to grow suspicious. Can Solomon and Gaenor’s romance survive in a world that won’t accept it?

Nominated for Best International Feature Film at the 72nd Academy Awards, Paul Morrison’s Jewish take on Romeo and Juliet has resurged years later with its epic romance and rare depiction of Welsh Jews. An underrated gem that even premiered at PJFM’s 19th Fall Festival in 1999, SOLOMON & GAENOR has all the ingredients of a sprawling, forbidden love story. With breathtaking shots that look like they’re right out of a painting, you won’t soon forget (and cry over) this lost revival of Jewish romantic cinema.

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November 18, 2023

The Other Widow - 7:00 pm
Venue: Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History
Cost: General Admission $15

Philadelphia Premiere
Ella (Dana Ivgy), a 34-year-old theater costume designer, has been secretly having an affair with Assaf, the married playwright of the show. After his unexpected passing, she is unsure of how to react. As his former mistress, is it “bad” for her to mourn for her lover? Unsure of how to navigate her grief, Ella begins attending his family’s Shiva, much to the disapproval of her well-aware co-workers. Over lots of hot tea and humorously awkward conversations with Assaf’s family and friends, Ella sneaks herself into a life that was forbidden to her until now, all the while concealing her true relationship to the deceased. The closer she becomes with his family, including his now widowed wife, Natasha (Ania Bukstein), and dementia-ridden mother (Irit Gidron), Assaf’s “other woman” embarks on a sorrowful journey in which she learns to mourn in her own unique, independent way.

In her debut feature film, director Maayan Rypp has crafted a darkly comedic drama in its depiction of a sympathetic character that has been so often vilified in stories. In a tour de force performance, Ivgy carefully peels back the layers of Ella’s anguish throughout THE OTHER WIDOW, gaining appreciation as a woman who simply fell for an unavailable guy. With an excellent premise and hauntingly surreal imagery that mirrors Ella’s personal conflicts, Rypp’s film - nominated for nine Ophir Awards (Israeli Oscars) - is an honest look at everyday people, the mistakes they make, and the often peculiar ways of coping with loss.

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Date: November 11 - 18, 2023

Location: Various Venues in Philadelphia, PA 19019

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