What truly makes a Jewish film? Many factors can play into this genre, with movies having underlying themes of Judaism, or movies depicting Jewish history, there are quite a few ways a film can be considered into this genre. Films with these underlying themes also provide a sense of relatability to the viewer. These films also helped raise awareness and gave a platform to showcase the substantial amount of antisemitism Jewish people face daily. In a time like this, viewing and consuming media and films that discuss these themes and events can bring a sense of community and awareness.
The following collection of movies below highlight the most important films one should watch in order to learn more about Jewish culture, historic events and the impact of antisemitism on our society.
The Fabelmans – 2022
Last year, Jewish director Steven Spielberg released a semi auto-biographical film about a young Jewish boy who aspires to become a film director after viewing a movie for the first time as a child. Even though this might not be a movie that comes to your mind when thinking of a Jewish film, it still has many different underlying tones of Jewish identity and culture. The film depicts scenes of antisemitism the main character, Sammy Fabelman, had to face while going to a public high school, and how this later on affected his character. Spielberg has become world renowned for the astounding films he makes based off of Jewish themes, and this movie is no exception.
Schindler’s List – 1993
Another movie directed by Spielberg, “Schindler’s List” is a true story about a German industrialist who saved around 1,200 Jews during World War II by employing them in his factories. Even though the industrialist was a greedy and vain businessman, he still helped more than a thousand Jews from getting killed in concentration camps. The film depicts the lengths and challenges that were made, and will leave the viewer in tears after watching with the strong message it gives off. The movie was based off of a novel written by Australian writer Thomas Kneneally, titled “Schindler’s Arc.”
The Pianist – 2002
In 2002, director Roman Polanski adapted “The Pianist,” a memoir written by Wladyslaw Szpillman. Szpillman is a Jewish man who was a victim of the horrible attacks during World War II , which is why the movie is so significant to Jewish culture and history. This movie illustrates the horrors of when Szpillman was playing a symphony on his piano, live on a radio station in Warsaw when all of a sudden, a German bomb hit the station. Not only does the film depict this horrible tragedy, but also the horrific experiences Szpillman had to go through after he was placed in a concentration camp, and the journey that he went through in order to survive. Although the director of this film, Roman Polanski is a very problematic person with him being convicted of sexual abuse, this film is still one that is very important to watch as it reveals the journey that Szpillman had to go through in order to survive the tragedy that he has been put through. The film reveals what the war was really like for Jewish people who suffered in concentration camps.
Exodus – 1960
One of the most classic books depicting Jewish history would be “Exodus,” a book written by Leon Uris, and a movie directed by Otto Preminger. The book follows the story of refugees coming into the new Jewish state of Israel on a boat, but being refused passage to this new state. A widowed American nurse and a former captain of the Jewish Brigade decided to take matters into their own hands, with the former captain deciding to take on a very dangerous challenge to overturn this barricade, and transported 600 Jews out of the blockade and into the state of Israel. Watching this movie, one can really understand the challenges that the Jewish people had to go through in order to get to Israel, and the obstacles that were then placed in front of them as they arrived in Israel. Out of all of these films that have been listed above, this one is the longest out of the five but also one of the most informative, as it brings a lot of perspective to the creation of the state of Israel.
Fiddler on the Roof – 1971
A list of the best Jewish films could not have been made without “Fiddler on the Roof” making it. The movie became so big that it was even taken to Broadway, and has had many different play adaptations. From the iconic soundtrack to the well known broadway adaptation of the film, this might be one of the biggest films about Jewish culture out there. It follows the story of a Jewish milkman named Reb Tevye, who lived in a small village located in pre-revolutionary Russia. He is faced with the choice of sending off his three daughters to go and get married. While this is all taking place, the Jewish residents of this town are facing extreme amounts of antisemitism including pogroms and many other threats.
