A Valued Cultural Institution
The 12th Annual Wilmington Jewish Film Festival returns April 27 to May 6.
Film buffs in Wilmington and around the region are soon to be treated to six internationally acclaimed feature films about Jewish history and culture and contemporary topics related to Jewish life. These exceptional cinematic experiences will make you laugh, cry, contemplate and just enjoy. The 12th annual Wilmington Jewish Film Festival will be held April 27 to May 6 at Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts.
The festival began as a single screening in October 2013 with a celebratory film highlighting Jewish songwriters’ contributions to Broadway, and it quickly demonstrated the community’s appetite for meaningful Jewish cinema.
That inaugural event featured a post-film discussion with the director and a catered reception, establishing what would become hallmarks of the festival experience. By April 2014 the first full festival launched, and attendance has grown steadily each year, making the Wilmington Jewish Film Festival a valued cultural institution within both the Jewish community and the Wilmington community at large.
Over time, the festival has expanded well beyond its original scope. In 2017 a summer film series was added to showcase outstanding films that could not be accommodated during the spring festival. The organization also presents special pop-up screenings to highlight significant works. Notable events have included the North Carolina premiere of Who Will Write Our History in 2018, featuring director/producer Roberta Grossman for a post-screening Q&A, and the 2024 North Carolina premiere of Four Winters, with filmmaker Julia Mintz in attendance. These appearances deepen the audience’s understanding of the films and elevate each screening into a richer cultural event. The festival began a new partnership with Cucalorus in January with two sold out screenings of Among Neighbors.
Education remains central to the festival’s mission. In 2017 the Wilmington Jewish Film Festival launched a Holocaust education initiative for local schools. Each year, all public high school 10th graders in New Hanover and Pender counties are invited to attend a daytime screening of Fanny’s Journey, the true story of Holocaust survivor Fanny Ben-Ami, who at age 12 led a group of children across France to safety at the Swiss border.
Screenings are followed by guided discussions that complement students’ English and history curricula. By offering programs in both spring and fall, the festival now serves more than 2,000 students annually at downtown venues including Thalian Hall and the Wilson Center, with plans to expand into Brunswick County. This year marked a new collaboration with UNC Wilmington to bring Holocaust-focused programming to campus, a partnership the festival intends to continue.
The Wilmington Jewish Film Festival is entirely volunteer-driven and committed to presenting screenings as shared cultural experiences rather than simple movie showings. The opening night film on April 26 will be followed by a festive Toast and a Taste happy hour reception, while all other screenings conclude with dessert receptions. These gatherings encourage conversation, reflection and meaningful connections among attendees. Whenever possible, filmmakers and subject-matter experts participate in post-screening discussions, further enriching the experience.
Want to Go?
Wilmington Jewish Film Festival
April 27 to May 6
Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts
WilmingtonJFF.org
Individual tickets are available through the Thalian Hall Box Office, and Cinema Passes may be purchased at WilmingtonJFF.org.
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