Works from around the world exploring common themes of Jewish identity and culture in a variety of genres will be showcased at the Oklahoma Jewish Film Festival at Circle Cinema March 22–29.
The 22nd annual edition is hosted by the Jewish Federation of Tulsa and the nonprofit movie theater. The festival includes films encompassing comedy, drama, documentary and narrative cinema. Tickets are $12 each and an all-festival pass is $60.
According to organizers, the festival uses the power of compelling stories to bring people of all religions and cultures together, showcasing the diversity of global Jewish life.
Programming highlights of this year’s festival include:
- Award-winning filmmaker Peter Hutchinson and former neo-Nazi leader Tony McAleer will host an in-person post-film talk following the March 22 opening day screening of “The Cure for Hate.”
- On March 25 at the 1 p.m. screening of “One Big Happy Family” there will be a special introduction by Tulsa actor/comedian Josh Fadem, who appears in the film.
- On March 26 there will be a pre-film reception with live Beatles music before the film “Midas Man,” which tells the story of the fifth Beatle manager Brian Epstein.
This year’s festival contains six feature films and pre -and post-film events. The lineup is:
March 22, 3 p.m.
“The Cure for Hate”
Documentary (English – 80 minutes)
“The Cure for Hate” is the powerful true story of Tony McAleer, a former neo-Nazi leader and skinhead turned anti-hate activist. Deeply ashamed of his past, McAleer travels to Auschwitz in the spirit of teshuvah — repentance and return — to bear witness to the inconceivable devastation of the Holocaust. The film chronicles his journey of atonement, examining the rise of fascism, the pathways into and out of extremism and the urgent need to confront unchecked hate in our time. Through reflection, accountability and moral reckoning, McAleer offers a rare and unflinching look at the possibility of change.
There is a post-film discussion with McAlee and filmmaker Peter Hutchinson.
March 24, 7 p.m.
“The Floaters”
Comedy (English – 101 minutes)
Out of a band breakup and onto the dirt of her childhood Jewish summer camp, Nomi (”GLOW” (Netflix), “Nobody Wants This” (Netflix) reluctantly takes a last-ditch job from her friend Mara (Sarah Podemski — Jewish/Native actress known from Sterling Harjo’s “Reservation Dogs”), supervising the misfit teens nicknamed “The Floaters.” As the camp faces financial collapse and a rival camp throws down a high-stakes competition, Nomi must bridge the gap between unconventional campers and her own bruised ego. Woven with warmth and gentle humor, The Floaters is a nostalgic love letter to Jewish summer camp life — the friendships, the rituals and the feeling that once defined a summer you never quite forget.
March 25, 1 p.m.
“One Big Happy Family”
Comedy (English – 82 minutes)
When a DNA test completely upends Rachel’s life, as she plans her daughter’s Bat Mitzvah, she embarks on a hilarious journey with her eccentric mother to discover who she really is. Rachel is suddenly on a wild ride, discovering new siblings of all backgrounds and embarking on a foray with her mother to find her “real” father. Their adventure leads them to a shady private investigator, a bumbling gynecologist and a tattooed ex-con half-brother. Through it all, Rachel uncovers a deeper understanding of who she truly is — a devoted mother, a passionate (if currently unemployed) actress and, most importantly, her mother’s daughter. The film marks the final feature film performance of Emmy and Tony Award–winning actress Linda Lavin and features Tulsa-based stand-up comedian and actor Josh Fadem.
March 25, 7 p.m.
“Once Upon My Mother”
Drama (French with subtitles – 102 minutes)
In this inspiring, emotional, and often funny real-life drama set in the 1960s, the matriarch of a bustling Jewish immigrant family from Morocco living in Paris will do anything to give her son the best life despite physical setbacks. Born with a clubfoot, Roland is unable to walk, yet his mother, Esther (Algerian French actress Leila Bekhti, in a flamboyant, tour de force performance), is determined and a bit obsessed to help him live a “normal” life.
The film follows Roland into adulthood, as his maternal relationship grows increasingly complicated. A fiery and wondrous adaptation of an autobiographical novel by French writer and radio personality Roland Perez, featuring music by Sylvie Vartan, who plays herself in the film, the film beautifully demonstrates the complex phenomenon of a mother’s single-minded, against-all-odds devotion.
March 26, 7 p.m.
“Midas Man”
Drama (English – 112 minutes)
It chronicles the life and career of Brian Epstein, the visionary manager who propelled the Fab Four from Liverpool clubs to global stardom. As a gay, Jewish man navigating the conservative landscape of mid-century Britain, Epstein’s journey was marked by groundbreaking success and personal struggle.
The film delves into his unwavering belief in the Beatles’ star power, his innovative approach to artist management, and his personal search for belonging while battling inner demons. Jacob Fortune-Lloyd (“The Queen’s Gambit”) delivers a compelling performance as Epstein, while a supporting cast — Emily Watson, Eddie Izzard, and Jay Leno—help bring the ’60s to life with style and wit. Midas Man offers a vibrant look at a music industry on the cusp of transformation — and the man who helped spark it.
March 29, 3 p.m.
“The Ring”
Drama (Hebrew and Hungarian with subtitles – 122 minutes)
Arnon Noble (Israeli Academy Award winner, “Adir Miller”) is a religious man with a deep bond to his mother, a Holocaust survivor. He regularly drives her to school lectures, where she tells students how she saved her own life and that of her baby boy with the help of a thin gold ring. When his mother’s health deteriorates, Arnon travels to her hometown of Budapest to search for the ring that once saved her life. He turns for help to his estranged daughter, a television researcher, and invites her to join him on this profound journey to find the ring. A heartwarming dramedy about three generations and their family history. “The Ring” is based on Adir Miller’s Holocaust survival story.
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