Celebrating the 31st Annual Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival

Over the last 30 years, the Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival has showcased films from around the world that center Jewish identity, storytelling and art. Though it has evolved throughout the years and the founders have since been forgotten, the powerful impact and significance to the community that the festival provides still prevail.

Katie Kline, the director of arts and culture for the Minnesota Jewish Community Center, recognizes the festival as a long-standing showcase of Jewish tradition, and she is excited to bring together this year’s 31st annual gathering.

The festival spans the course of 11 days and features numerous genres, all depicting a variety of forms of livelihood and experience.

From its beginnings, the festival has always been set on sharing stories, culture and connections. According to Kline, storytelling has always been an important aspect of Jewish culture, and as such, the festival has come to reflect this important tradition.

“Jewish culture has a long tradition of storytelling, so I think it was inspired by a love of storytelling,” Kline says. “The idea that film can be a bridge both to Jewish culture and to the wider, more universal human experience.”

Using the art of film, the festival is truly set on embracing and growing community. Attendees will find themselves surrounded by excited patrons and volunteers coming together to celebrate not only the parts of themselves that make them alike, but also the parts of themselves that make them different. The topics, genres and origins of the films vary to encapsulate a wide range of people, experiences and cultures.

“We really embrace diversity in this festival. We have films from over a dozen countries, and they span every kind of genre from romantic comedy to comedic shorts to really intense, hard-hitting documentaries.” Kline says. “This year, we even have a Yiddish horror block, which is such a fun surprise and probably a genre that many people don’t even know exists. But beyond the genre, the lineup also reflects a wide range of religious observance, ethnic backgrounds and lived experiences.”

Like the films themselves, the setting for the shows also varies. Some will be hosted at the Minnesota Jewish Community Centers, while others will be held at a total of eight different locations throughout the Twin Cities, including the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Alliance Française and the Main Cinema.

Like all events, the Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival has gone through many changes throughout the years. Kline reveals that the population of attendees has waxed and waned throughout its running in a manner that she says “responds to the shifting landscape of our world.” Despite these changes, the heart of the festival remains the same: bringing people within a community closer together through artistic voice.

“To me, it’s more important this year than it’s ever been in a time of increased polarization and sense of isolation that many people are feeling right now. These stories help us make meaning of the world, and they help us connect to one another, and I don’t think there’s ever been a more important time for those things to happen.” Kline says. “I think it gives people a place to see themselves reflected and to learn about others in a way that builds compassion, understanding and empathy.”

Following the film, attendees have the opportunity to discuss their thoughts with filmmakers, artists and scholars. Kline admits that this is one of her favorite moments within the festival.

“You never know what’s going to unravel in the films, and there’s a lot of incredible moments that await in the course of the festival. … I particularly love the impromptu conversations that happen between audience members after the films,” Kline says. “I love hearing what resonated, what stuck, what perplexed them, and what’s gonna linger with them after they’ve left the theater. … I’m excited to see how people respond, and I think that audience members will be equally excited by what they find.”

Additional information for the Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival, such as pricing, sponsorships, volunteer work and donations can be found at their website, minnesotajcc.org.