The 35th Annual San Diego International Jewish Film Festival (SDIJFF) runs in-person from Jan. 27 through Feb. 8, 2025, and continues virtually from Feb. 9-11, 2025. The SDIJFF showcases a selection of the best contemporary Jewish films. More than 30 feature films and over ten short films will be screened and there will be a few complimentary in-person-only screenings at the David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre in La Jolla.
Film enthusiasts can attend in-person screenings at the David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre, while virtual film screenings are available on demand beginning on Feb. 9 and will remain available through Feb 11. This festival is known to be one of the most prestigious Jewish film festivals in the country. Most tickets are $20 per program and $17 for JCC members; some films are offered at lower rates, $5 to $10 tickets.
This year, the film festival offers a keynote address from Ben Mankiewicz from Turner Classic Movies on Feb. 4. In addition, Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Janis Ian will be in attendance for a discussion after the documentary: “Janis Ian: Breaking Silence,” on February 1.
All the films that will be screened at the festival were carefully selected to represent the Jewish experience, including highlights, such as:
Bad Shabbos [OPENING NIGHT FILM]
“Meet the Parents” meets Jewish law when an accidental death (or is it murder?) occurs during the family dinner meant to introduce the gentile in-laws-to-be to their daughter’s Jewish fiancé. As family members attempt to figure things out, an unusual “savior” appears. 2024 Tribeca Film Festival; Audience Award; Narrative.
Sabbath Queen – Filmed over 21 years. This gay man, a descendant of generations of Orthodox rabbis, probes deeply into and beyond traditional teachings to create a new, inclusive Jewish spirituality.
Song of Ascent – In live concert footage and recorded meetings with Oct. 7 survivors in Israel, singer-songwriter Matisyahu brings hope and spiritual uplift to those strong fighters for Jewish survival.
The True Story of Tamara De Lempicka & The Art of Survival – Tamara hid her Jewish identity and continually reinvented herself in Europe and the U.S., all the while becoming a modern painter whose work is now in demand. A panel discussion with the director, producer and art collector follows the screening.
Troll Storm – A documentary of a successful realtor and soccer mom’s life is turned upside down when neo-Nazis unleash a “troll storm” against her and her family. In the face of the alarming growth of American fascism, she finds solidarity within her community by standing up, fighting back, and ultimately filing a landmark case for the First Amendment, setting a precedent that could shape America’s future. The subject of the film will be in attendance for a Q&A.
Technion 10² – Technion, one of the world’s leading technological research institutions, opened in 1924 on Haifa’s Mt. Carmel. The school’s 100-year history paralleled and invigorated the growth of the State of Israel. Modern-day Israel, with its strong economy and scientific and technological achievements, owes a great deal to Technion. Meet the visionaries who began and grew this institution: they foresaw what the future would require, and their innovations made possible modern computing, biomedical technology, Israel’s defense systems and much more.
Tickets are on sale now. To learn more or purchase tickets, visit www.lfjcc.org/cjc/sdijff.aspx.
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