The 30th Jewish Film Festival will be held from June 18 to 23 in Berlin. The festival will feature the premiere of Oz Zirlin’s experimental film “Home Front,” which addresses the aftermath of the October 7 events. The film focuses on the lives of those evacuated from kibbutzim near Gaza and how they cope. It is the only film in the program directly addressing the Hamas terrorist attack on southern Israel.
“Many films made before October 7 are perceived differently today,” says festival program director Bernd Buder. He notes that films like “The Vanishing Soldier” by Dani Rosenberg and “The Future” by Noam Kaplan are now viewed through the lens of the ongoing war. Despite this, the festival aims to showcase the full spectrum of Jewish cinema produced over the past year. The program includes Nathan Silver's dramedy "Between the Temples," Amir Moverman's experimental documentary "Reflections in a Synagogue," and Adar Shafran's sports comedy "Running on Sand."
"Films are made not to provide ready answers or make political statements, but to ask deeper questions about current events," Buder stated. The festival begins amidst rising anti-Israeli sentiment and concerns about the far-right Alternative for Germany party. Earlier this year, the Berlinale Film Festival faced criticism for anti-Israeli rhetoric during its awards ceremony. Buder believes the Jewish Film Festival is better prepared to handle such challenges.
