The Rutgers Jewish Film Festival features 11 thought-provoking and entertaining films, dynamic discussions with filmmakers and special guests, and New Jersey premieres. Screenings are held at the Regal Cinema Commerce Center, in North Brunswick from Thursday, November 6, through Sunday, November 16. Tickets are $15.
With films from the USA, Israel, Canada, Finland, Sweden, Poland, and Hungary, the festival offers new perspectives on Jewish history, identity, and experience, from interracial protests in 1960s America, to Stockholm’s vibrant contemporary Yiddish scene; from Holocaust resistance in Finland, to international love stories.
The festival’s opening day, November 6, features “The Ring,” a moving Israeli, Hungarian dramedy spanning three generations; and “Eleanor the Great,” a poignant American film directed by Scarlett Johansson and featuring June Squibb, that premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Opening night will also include a short film, “Double Happiness,” directed by New York filmmaker Shari Albert.
Closing day, November 16, features two films showing different aspects of Israeli society: a gripping joint American and Israeli documentary “Soul of a Nation” about the recent fractures, resilience, and unity in Israeli society pre- and post-October 7; and “SODA,” a drama set in 1950s Israel featuring Lior Raz (Fauda) and centering on forbidden desire, past trauma, and moral reckoning.
The full festival lineup is as follows:
The Ring (Israel, 2024, 122 minutes, Hebrew and Hungarian with English subtitles). When his mother falls ill, Arnon Noble embarks on a journey to Budapest in search of the legendary gold ring that saved her life during the Holocaust. Joined by his estranged daughter, their quest becomes a moving exploration of memory, reconciliation, and identity. A heartfelt dramedy spanning three generations inspired by director Adir Miller’s personal family history. Thursday, November 6, 3:15 p.m. and Sunday, November 16, noon.
Eleanor the Great (USA, 2024, 98 minutes, English). After losing her closest friend, 94-year-old Eleanor (June Squibb) relocates to New York and unexpectedly finds comfort in a group of Holocaust survivors — by sharing a story that isn’t hers. As her connection to the group deepens, so does the risk of discovery. A poignant, comic tale that explores memory, grief, and the complicated ways we seek to belong. Preceded by Double Happiness (USA, 2025, 15 minutes, English). Thursday, November 6, 7 p.m. and Tuesday, November 11, 3 p.m.
The Floaters (USA, 2025, 101 minutes, English). A rebellious rock musician takes a job at a Jewish summer camp, unleashing chaos, campfire confessions, and risqué laughs in this New Jersey premiere. Featuring Jackie Tohn and Steve Guttenberg, this bold, offbeat comedy explores identity, legacy, and belonging as the impromptu theater club prepares for parents’ night. Sunday, November 9, 5:15 p.m., with remarks by Shai Korman, producer; and Saturday, November 15, 9:30 p.m.
Never Alone (Finland, 2025, 85 minutes, Finnish with English subtitles). As Nazi influence intensifies, Finnish-Jewish businessman Abraham Stiller takes enormous risks to shield Jewish refugees during World War II. Based on true events, this gripping drama highlights an untold chapter of courage, resistance, and humanity in wartime Finland — where sanctuary is scarce, but hope endures. Saturday, November 8, 7 p.m. and Tuesday, November 11, 7:30 p.m.
The Property (Israel, Poland, 2025, 108 minutes, Hebrew and Polish with English subtitles). Regina and her granddaughter Mika journey to Poland to reclaim family property seized during WWII. But when Regina abruptly abandons the mission to pursue a long-lost love, Mika is left juggling a nosy relative, a charming tour guide, and a lot of unanswered questions. Based on Rutu Modan’s graphic novel of the same name. Thursday, November 13, 2:30 p.m. and Saturday, November 15, 7 p.m.
SODA (Israel, 2024, 96 minutes, Hebrew with English subtitles). In 1954 Israel, former partisan Shalom Gottlieb is drawn to a beautiful newcomer. When rumors surface of her past as a Nazi collaborator, he risks everything — family, honor, and friendships — to uncover the truth. This New Jersey premiere is a tense, emotional drama of forbidden desire, past trauma, and moral reckoning. Saturday, November 8, 9:15 p.m. and Sunday, November 16, 5:15 p.m.
A Letter to David (Israel, USA, 2025, 74 minutes, Hebrew with English subtitles). Filmmaker Tom Shoval pens a personal cinematic letter to David Cunio, abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Using unseen footage from his earlier film Youth (Berlinale, 2013), starring David and his twin Eitan, this deeply moving documentary blurs the lines between art and life, exploring memory, fate, and the tragic echoes between fiction and real-life conflict. Tuesday, November 11, 12:30 p.m. and Thursday, November 13, 7:30 p.m. with remarks by Nancy Spielberg, producer.
Ain’t No Back to a Merry-Go-Round (USA, 2024, 90 minutes, English). An interracial protest is sparked when Black college students are arrested at a segregated Maryland carousel in 1960. When Jewish communities join, a historic alliance is formed despite fierce opposition. Featuring rare footage and voices of key figures, this film brings an untold story of courage, unity, and the birth of the Civil Rights Movement vividly to life. Sunday, November 9, 12:30 p.m. with remarks by director Ilana Trachtman.
Soul of a Nation (USA, Israel, 2025, 105 minutes, English and Hebrew with English subtitles). A powerful, eye-opening chronicle of recent Israeli history, marked by deep internal conflicts around judicial reform, women’s issues, and the soul of its democracy. Then came the October 7 attack, shaking the country to its core and sparking an extraordinary wave of solidarity. This gripping documentary and New jersey premiere reveals how a nation, fractured and reeling, found unexpected unity, resilience, and hope in the face of its greatest modern crisis. Sunday, November 16, 2:30 p.m.
Swedishkayt: Yidlife Crisis in Stockholm (Canada, Sweden, 2025, 76 minutes, English and Yiddish with English subtitles). Get ready to laugh and kvell! Comedy duo Eli Batalion and Jamie Elman explore Stockholm’s Jewish scene — where Yiddish, to their surprise, is a protected minority language. Blending sharp wit with heartfelt reflection, they explore 250 years of history, quirky community tales, and cultural surprises, finding unexpected connections across the Atlantic in this New Jersey premiere. Sunday, November 9, 3 p.m. and Thursday, November 13, 12:30 p.m.
For more information: BildnerCenter.Rutgers.edu/film.
