The collective experience and empathy that comes from watching films together in a theater has always been a driving force behind the annual St. Louis Jewish Film Festival, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2025. This year’s festival runs from March 30 to April 8 at the B&B Theaters Creve Coeur West Olive 10 and features a program of 13 films. All-Festival Passes are on sale now, and early bird pricing lasts through March 9.
The St. Louis Jewish Film Festival has grown and evolved over the past three decades, with the latest development happening in 2024, when the festival moved to the newly renovated theater and spread programming across two weeks. John Wilson, director of cultural arts for The J, says this new approach was a hit, with many films selling out. Wilson also sees this year’s program as one of the strongest ever and a testament to the festival’s staying power.
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“Anytime you have a milestone like that, it’s kind of fun to know the staying power the festival has in St. Louis and that it’s still going strong,” Wilson says. “I feel like we’ve curated a festival that is appropriate for hitting this 30-year zenith, and I am so excited to share it with the larger community and beyond.”
This year’s program of 13 films features comedies, dramas, and documentaries with an eye on the past, present, and future of Jewish life, including showcasing connections to the local community. Wilson sees the festival as a way to celebrate the St. Louis Jewish community and its history while bringing people together and building further connections.
“There’s an opportunity for communities to come together and share in the power of story, which produces a common empathy,” Wilson says. “There’s a shared unity in emotional connection when communities are sitting in a theater together. And it’s that connection that I think is the most powerful thing that the festival provides.”
With that in mind, here are some highlights from the festival you’ll want to add to your calendar:
This year’s festival kicks off with a double feature of short documentaries. The first, titled Fiddler on the Moon, seeks to answer several questions related to the Jewish faith and going to space. These questions include: “How do Jewish astronauts keep kosher on the International Space Station?” and “How would Jewish people on a Martian space colony celebrate the high holidays in step with their Earthbound brethren?” among many others.
The second film, Names, Not Numbers, highlights the nationwide program of the same name, which connects high schoolers to Holocaust survivors. The Names, Not Numbers program was founded by Tova Fish-Rosenberg, who grew up in St. Louis and studied at Washington University. The film particularly focuses on local journalists Ellen Futterman, editor-in-chief of the St. Louis Jewish Light, and Shula Neuman, formerly executive editor at St. Louis Public Radio, as they work with a group of students from Epstein Hebrew Academy to prepare for interviews with survivors. This screening includes a talkback with Fish-Rosenberg, director Michael Puro, Holocaust scholar Michael Berenbaum, an administrator from Epstein, and one of the students who participated in the film.
This sequel to the 2022 film Matchmaking, which Wilson says sold out and earned much audience acclaim at the 2024 festival, jumps back into the world of Orthodox matchmaking, as the central couple from the first film prepares to get married. But the film also turns part of its focus to the handsome, albeit melancholy, matchmaker Baruch as he endeavors to find his own perfect match.
As the title promises, Bad Shabbos is a comedy all about a Shabbat dinner that goes horribly awry. The stacked cast includes Kyra Sedgwick, David Paymer, Method Man, and Milana Vayntrub, likely best known for her AT&T commercials. Wilson notes that this comedy is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, especially as it won the audience award following its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival.
This biopic profiles the life of music entrepreneur Brian Epstein, charting his rise to prominence in the ‘60s and his complex, tragic life. Epstein is probably best known for managing The Beatles, while also playing an instrumental role in the success of other acts such as Cilla Black and Gerry and the Pacemakers. Wilson particularly calls out Jacob Fortune-Lloyd’s star-making lead performance as a highlight of the festival.
This thrilling drama follows the true story of Polish nurse Irena Gut who, after becoming the housekeeper for a German army officer, decides to hide a group of Jews in plain sight in the officer’s own home. This suspenseful story of hope, resilience, and triumph in the face of impossible odds will play as the closing night film, rounding out the St. Louis Jewish Film Festival’s 30th year.
To learn more about the 30th annual St. Louis Jewish Film Festival and purchase tickets to the fest, visit jccstl.com.
