The 31st annual Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival, presented by the Minnesota JCC, launches Thursday, Oct. 23 and continues through Sunday, Nov. 2. The 11‑day event features dozens of films, many local or national premieres, at multiple key venues throughout the Twin Cities.
Organizers say the festival is more than just a series of screenings – it’s a platform for dialogue, creativity and connection.
“Beyond the films themselves, we wanted the festival to be an invitation to conversation, to curiosity, to community,” said Katie Kline, Minnesota JCC’s senior director of Jewish arts and culture. “Each program is designed to spark dialogue: pairing films with guest speakers, artists, and community members to deepen the artistic and communal experience.”
“At a time when division can feel overwhelming, our festival offers space for courageous conversations and meaningful connection.”
Kline says the festival is about so much more than just watching a movie – it’s a platform for creativity, connection and dialogue. Screenings will be held at venues including the Minnesota JCC Capp Center in St. Paul, Minnesota JCC Sabes Center Minneapolis, Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA), Parkway Theater, Riverview Theater, Main Cinema, Alliance Française, and Open Book.
The festival goes beyond cinema and offers special guest appearances, community conversations, and panel discussions to celebrate Jewish culture and strengthen bonds within the Jewish community.
“We were drawn to films that hold complexity – stories that wrestle with identity, belonging, memory, and moral courage,” Kline said. “Many of this year’s selections explore what it means to live Jewishly in a complicated world: to carry history and hope, to create meaning through art, family, and ritual. We weren’t looking for a single narrative of Jewish life but for a mosaic – funny, fierce, poetic and real.”
The festival lineup includes 47 screenings across categories such as documentary features, narrative features, special event films, and horror‑shorts. Each program is paired with post‑screening conversations, guest filmmakers, artists, and community members, designed to deepen the artistic and communal experience for Twin Cities audiences.
Opening Night begins Thursday, Oct. 23, with the Minnesota premiere of Midas Man. Closing Night is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 2, with the Minnesota premiere of Mazel Tov.
Organizers say the interwoven themes, genres and plots highlight the complexity and vibrancy of what it means to be a part of our Jewish community.
“Every screening in some way celebrates Jewish creativity, but a standout example is our closing night film Mazel Tov – a tender, richly textured portrait of an Argentine Jewish family navigating love, loss, and all of life’s milestones. The film moves through a bat mitzvah, a funeral, a wedding and a seder – moments of joy and grief intertwined,” Kline noted. “To me, it feels deeply Jewish in the way it captures our capacity to hold it all at once – comedy and drama, pain and laughter, heartbreak and celebration – and to keep moving forward, together.”
By placing audiences in conversation with Jewish filmmakers and community neighbors, Kline says the festival aims to strengthen Jewish cultural life in the Twin Cities and invite broader participation, offering both introspection and outreach. Kline says it’s an experience that will endure long after the credits roll.
“Cinema has a way of bringing people together to feel something collective. That’s powerful – especially in these polarized times,” Kline said. “The festival creates shared space for laughter, tears, and recognition; it reminds us that our stories are interwoven. People come for the movies, but we hope they leave having been part of something larger – a renewal of belonging.”
A few program highlights mentioned on the festival site:
- On Tuesday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m., the Sabes Center hosts the documentary Holding Liat – filmmaker Brandon Kramer’s account of the abduction of Liat Atzili – followed by a virtual conversation with producer Lance Kramer and film subject Yehuda Beinin.
- On Saturday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m., the Minnesota JCC Sabes Center Minneapolis will host a special screening of 31 Candles to mark the 31st anniversary of the Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival, featuring cupcakes and a bubbly birthday toast!
- On Sunday, Nov. 2, at 6 p.m., the Parkway Theater will host a special closing night event, featuring live music, drinks, and appetizers, followed by a screening of Mazel Tov from acclaimed Argentine actor-director Adrián Suar.
For the full schedule, ticketing and venue details: tcjfilmfest.org and minnesotajcc.org.
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