Bella, our Opening Night film, directed by Zohar Shahar and Jamal Khalaile
Thank you to our 2026 Sponsors & Supporters
Opening Night Sponsor
Lexus of Edmonton
Major Sponsors
A Robert Rosen Company
Title Film Sponsors
Hadassah-WIZO (CHW)
Roberta & Norm Hanson
Holocaust Education Committee
Yedgarova Family
Partnership2Gether
Schayer Family
Connie Silva and Steven Snyder
Servus Credit Union
Media Sponsors
PosterTech Group
Short Sponsors and Supporters
National Council of Jewish Women of Canada
Lynn & Stephen Mandel
Lena & Victor Linetsky
Producers
Rebecca & Shane Asbell
Aviv Israeli Folk Dance Association
Karen Cogan & Neil Grahn
Suzanne Davis & Ted Croll
Melanie & Robin Fainsinger
Judy & Benaron Gleiberman
Penny & Philip Hardin
Karen & Abe Hering
Miriam & Jerry Katz
Stacey Leavitt & Erin Wright
Valda Levin
Michele & Josh Miller
Francie & Jon Nobleman
Aaron Oshry
Lisa Redmond & Ron Sorokin
Carol & Ron Ritch
Debbie & Howard Sniderman
Sari Schiff & Abe Peliowski
Anita Sky z”l & Howard Davidow
Esther & Howard Starkman
Angela Topping & Lonnie Zwaigenbaum
Pauline Uretsky
Associate Producers
Mor Barzel & Gary Wolch
Susan & Glen Binnington
Miriam Cooper
Ruth & Ben Coppens
Judy Goldsand
Lesley Jacobson
Sam Koplowicz
Catherine Miller & Len Dolgoy
Meirav & Doron Or
Reeva Parker
Lauren Gayle Pearson
Susan Schiffman
Esther Sklofsky
Natalie & Ken Soroka
Sue Winestock
Heather and David Vicker
Supporters
Edmonton Screen
The EJFF also extends thanks to those who are supporting the festival but wish to remain anonymous, and those whose names are not listed because their donations were received after program publication.
MESSAGE FROM Sam
Koplowicz
2026 Festival Chair
It is once again my pleasure to welcome you to this year’s Edmonton Jewish Film Festival, our 2026 showcase of some of the best recent Jewish-themed films from around the world. This year is especially meaningful as we celebrate our 30th anniversary, a milestone we are very proud of. The program you see here reflects months of conversation, debate, and discovery by a passionate group of local film lovers. From an initial pool of more than 60 titles, we selected the nine new feature films this year.
As always, I am sincerely grateful for the active engagement of our selection committee and for the continued support of our sponsors, advertisers, and most importantly, our audiences who join us both in-person and online. A special thank you as well to the Jewish Federation of Edmonton staff, whose efforts are essential in bringing the festival to life. We are once again offering a mix of in-person and online screenings, with seven films presented live and three available exclusively online. Six of our screenings will take place at the welcoming Capitol Theatre in Fort Edmonton Park, with our Sponsors Reception returning on Opening Night at the historic Selkirk Hotel. This year, we are also holding our first ever free Family Fun Movie with Jewish
Family Services, showcasing the Dreamworks classic Shrek for families with young children. I hope you will join us.
This year’s program offers an engaging and varied lineup of films that we believe will both resonate and entertain. It includes a children’s film, two dramas, three comedy-dramas, and four documentaries. The films represent a range of voices and perspectives, with contributions from Israel, the United States, and international co-productions from countries including Belgium, Poland, and Georgia. Each film, in its own way, explores aspects of the human experience through a Jewish lens.
We also encourage you to explore the short films included in this year’s program and to take advantage of the special events we have planned, including Q and A sessions that offer deeper insight into the films and their creators.
Nandauri playing online from Monday, May 11 to Tuesday, May 12.
MESSAGE FROM Erin Wright
P2G Chair
Partnership2Gether (P2G) is the single most visible connection our community has with Israel. As its name suggests, P2G is a partnership between a consortium of smaller Jewish communities in Canada and the Etzbah HaGalil (Galilee Panhandle). The partnership’s mission has three core components: to create a “Living Bridge” (Gesher Chai) between Israeli and Canadian communities; to strengthen youth and education in the region; and to advance capacity-building initiatives, including programs and infrastructure.
Over the past two and a half years, our partner communities have endured devastating circumstances. Entire communities evacuated and dispersed, living in hotels across the country. Two communities remained in place— though many residents left the region and have yet to return—but they too experienced the physical danger and constant anxiety of the unceasing barrage from Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Even after authorities green-lighted residents to return to communities such as Kiryat Shmona and Metula, rocket and missile attacks from Iran and Hezbollah resumed.
In March 2025, we sent a Coast-to- Coast mission to the region. We returned again in October 2025 for a more typical partnership visit.
During that trip, we met with teachers and parents who had previously sent their children to Edmonton and had worked professionally with educators from our Talmud Torah School. In Kiryat Shmona, we gathered with representatives from across the partner region, visited Har VaGai High School, and joined their community fun run. We were honoured to speak at the ceremony marking the opening of the new Senate building at the University of Kiryat Shmona (formerly Tel-Hai College), a significant
milestone for the region. Throughout the visit, our experiences were both sobering and inspiring—captured powerfully by the region’s current motto: Build Back Better.
In the coming year, we hope to direct proceeds from the Edmonton Jewish Film Festival (EJFF) toward the Gesher Chai component of our partnership, ensuring continued and deepened connections between our community and Israelis in our partner region. This support is intended to fund two Shinshin’im during their pre -army service year. Both are from northern Israel, including one from Kiryat Shmona. They will integrate into our community and support programming across several Jewish institutions throughout the year.
Finally, with deep appreciation, I would like to acknowledge the EJFF, along with its sponsors, advertisers, and donors, for their continued commitment to the P2G initiative. Proceeds from this rich cultural event directly support projects in our partner region and help sustain and strengthen the renewed Gesher Chai activities.
P2G Chair Erin Wright visiting with leadership from Lev Haemek School.
Dear Honoured Guests,
On behalf of the Government of Canada, and as the Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre, I am pleased to extend my warmest greetings to everyone gathered for the 2026 Edmonton Jewish Film Festival, as you celebrate this remarkable 30 th anniversary milestone.
I am delighted to extend my congratulations to the organizers, volunteers, filmmakers, and audiences who have helped make the Edmonton Jewish Film Festival an enduring and meaningful part of Edmonton’s cultural landscape. For three decades, the festival has brought people together through the power of storytelling—showcasing films that explore Jewish history, culture, identity, and lived experience, while fostering dialogue, understanding, and connection across our community.
Film has a unique ability to deepen empathy and spark conversation, and the Edmonton Jewish Film Festival continues to do just that. By presenting thoughtful, creative, and diverse perspectives from around the world, the festival enriches our shared cultural life and strengthens the bonds that unite us.
I would like to commend the Jewish Federation of Edmonton, the festival’s community partners, sponsors, and dedicated volunteers for your leadership and commitment. Your efforts over the past 30 years have ensured that this festival remains both artistically vibrant and deeply rooted in community values.
To everyone attending this year’s screenings—whether in person or online—I wish you an inspiring and memorable festival. Please accept my best wishes for continued success in the years ahead.
Mazel Tov on this important anniversary, and thank you for your contribution to Edmonton’s cultural and community life. I hope everyone has a wonderful time at the film festival!
The Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, K.C., P.C., M.P. MP Edmonton Centre
MESSAGE FROM THE PREMIER OF ALBERTA
On behalf of the Government of Alberta, it is my pleasure to welcome everyone to the 30th annual Edmonton Jewish Film Festival. This important event is a wonderful reflection of the strength of the Jewish community, the rich diversity that has shaped our province, and the vibrancy of the arts in our capital region.
As a cornerstone of local Jewish cultural life for thirty years, the Edmonton Jewish Film Festival has brought people together to celebrate heritage, faith and identity and share the finest in Jewish cinema. I deeply appreciate the ways in which the festival helps foster understanding and contributes to stronger communities, and I hope everyone enjoys this year’s in-person events, online screenings and special event with Major General (Res.) Doron Almog.
Thank you to the Edmonton Jewish Federation and all the organizers and volunteers who have helped make this long-standing event a success. Congratulations as you mark this milestone and continue to build on the legacy you have created. Please accept my best wishes for another enjoyable and inspiring festival.
Honourable Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta
As Member of Parliament, it is my pleasure to extend my warmest congratulations to the organizers, sponsors, volunteers, and attendees of the Edmonton Jewish Film Festival as you celebrate its 30 th anniversary in 2026.
For three decades, the festival has made a meaningful contribution to Edmonton’s cultural life by showcasing films that explore Jewish culture, heritage, history, and lived experiences from around the world. Through the power of storytelling and artistic expression, the festival has fostered dialogue, learning, and greater understanding among audiences from diverse backgrounds.
This milestone reflects not only the strength and vibrancy of Edmonton’s Jewish community, but also our city’s enduring commitment to diversity, inclusion, and mutual respect. Cultural initiatives such as this play an important role in strengthening the social fabric of our communities and celebrating the many traditions that enrich Canadian society.
As the festival marks this important milestone, I commend all those whose dedication and vision have contributed to its continued success over the past 30 years. Please accept my best wishes for a memorable anniversary celebration and continued success in the years ahead.
Sincerely,
Matt Jeneroux, MP Edmonton Riverbend
As the Member of Parliament for Edmonton West, I am pleased to extend my warmest greetings to everyone attending the 30 th annual Edmonton Jewish Film Festival.
For three decades, this festival has been a vibrant part of our community, bringing people together through the power of storytelling and film. It offers audiences a meaningful opportunity to experience the richness of Jewish culture, history, and perspectives, while highlighting the universal themes that connect us all.
Reaching the 30 th year is a remarkable milestone. The festival’s continued success reflects the passion and dedication of those who believe in the importance of cultural exchange, dialogue, and understanding. Each year, the films presented inspire reflection, spark conversation, and celebrate the diversity that strengthens our communities.
I would like to sincerely thank the organizers, sponsors, and volunteers whose commitment and hard work make this festival possible year after year. Your efforts ensure that this beloved Edmonton tradition continues to thrive.
To everyone attending the 30 th Edmonton Jewish Film Festival, I wish you a wonderful festival filled with great films, engaging discussions, and memorable moments.
In your service,
Kelly McCauley MP Edmonton West
Shalom, and welcome to the 30 th annual Edmonton Jewish Film Festival!
For three decades, this festival has brought people together through the power of film, sharing stories that reflect the richness of Jewish culture, identity, history, and creativity. Year after year, it has opened doors to conversation, curiosity, and connection, becoming one of the true cultural highlights of this city and province.
To the Jewish Federation of Edmonton: a heartfelt congratulations on 30 years of vision and dedication. Building a festival of this caliber takes passion, persistence, and a deep commitment to community. You have created something truly extraordinary.
To the volunteers, filmmakers, sponsors, and everyone who works behind the scenes: thank you for making this celebration possible.
And to all those attending: thank you for supporting the artists and organizers who bring these stories to the screen. As a lifelong film lover, I know the magic of being transported by a great story. I hope this year’s lineup brings you moments of joy, reflection, discovery, and inspiration.
Wishing you a wonderful festival, and many more years of great films to come.
Naheed Nenshi Leader of Alberta’s New Democrats
On behalf of Naheed Nenshi and all my colleagues in the Alberta New Democrat Caucus, your Official Opposition, it’s my pleasure to welcome you to the 30 th annual Edmonton Jewish Film Festival (EJFF)!
I firmly believe there is nothing more powerful than a story—one of the most effective tools we have to build connections with each other. Throughout history, they have been at the heart of how communities have preserved and shared their history, culture and identity.
And film has long been one of my favorite forms of storytelling—a complex art that mixes the raw emotive power of acting with visual artistry and sound design to create a whole much greater than the sum of its parts. An art with the unique ability to cut to the heart. An art that, for 30 years, the EJFF has used to showcase and celebrate the work of Jewish filmmakers as they tell the diverse stories of their communities across the globe.
In doing so, they embody the words of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks— “Jewish time always faces an open future. The last chapter is not yet written…the story continues.”
The films screened at EJFF add to that story, celebrating the complexity, beauty and vibrancy of Jewish culture and identity, both historically and today, and the enduring resilience of the Jewish people in the face of centuries of persecution, prejudice and oppression. And at a time of growing anger and hatred, including antisemitism, that is more important than ever.
So thank you to everyone who for 30 years has given their time and energy to make this festival possible. May this year’s edition and each to come be even better than the last.
Mazal tov!
David Shepherd MLA, Edmonton-City Centre
Shadow Minister for
Public
Safety and Emergency Services
Dear Friends,
It is a pleasure to extend warm greetings and heartfelt congratulations to the Edmonton Jewish Film Festival on the remarkable occasion of its 30 th anniversary.
For three decades this festival has stood as a vibrant milestone, celebrating arts and culture and enriching the community through the powerful medium of film. By showcasing Jewish and Israeli stories, the Edmonton Jewish Festival has created a meaningful space where identity, history and creativity are explored with depth, sensitivity and pride.
Film has the unique ability to connect us, to illuminate diverse perspectives, preserve our collective memory and spark important conversations. The Edmonton Jewish Film Festival has embraced this role with distinction, offering audiences the opportunity to engage with stories that reflect the richness, resilience and complexity of Jewish life, both past and present.
In times of conflict and uncertainty, the importance of storytelling becomes even more profound. Jewish and Israeli themed films not only inform and inspire, but also affirm the vital importance of expressing ourselves as a people, sharing our voices, our experiences and our truths with clarity and courage. In doing so, we strengthen our sense of unity and ensure that our stories continue to be heard.
The festival’s enduring success is a testament to the dedication of its organizers, supporters, filmmakers and audiences, whose passion has built a lasting cultural legacy. Your commitment to fostering dialogue, understanding and artistic excellence is truly commendable.
I congratulate you on this significant milestone. May the Edmonton Jewish Film Festival continue to inspire, educate and bring people together for many years to come.
Idit Shamir Consul General
Thank you to our 2026 Festival Committee
The Edmonton Jewish Film Festival appreciates the hard work of our dedicated Committee!
Sam Koplowicz, Festival Chair
Karen Farkas
Karen Hering
Valda Levin
Joel Magalnick
Cynthia Pertman
Sari Schiff
Dasha Skamlova
Pauline Uretsky
Theresa Wynnyk
Stacey Leavitt-Wright, CEO, Jewish Federation of Edmonton
Bar Lavy, Festival Coordinator
Tammy Vineberg, Marketing and Communications
Mischa Robuliak, Administrative Support
We are very grateful to these talented individuals for putting so much time and so much heart and soul into this festival. Without them it simply could not happen.
2026
Earl Parker Award for Jewish Film
Please join us on Opening Night, Sunday, May 3, to share in the exciting announcement of this year’s winner.
The Earl Parker Award is a prize of $1,500, given annually by the Edmonton Jewish Film Festival, to advance Jewish themes in film and video. The prize is named in honour of Earl Parker, an Edmonton lawyer who was known for his love of Jewish culture.
RECENT PAST WINNERS OF THE EARL PARKER AWARD:
Jonah Zwaigenbaum (pictured) | 2025
Becky Wosk | 2024
David Ivanchikov | 2023
KlezKanada | 2022 & 2019
Malka Martz-Oberlander | 2021 & 2020
2026 Festival Feature Film Schedule
Sunday, May 3 | 7 p.m.
Bella
Israel-Belgium, 75 minutes
Sponsor’s Reception at 5:30 p.m.
In-person | Capitol Theatre at Fort Edmonton Park
SPONSORED BY: LEXUS OF EDMONTON
Wednesday, May 6 | 7 p.m.
Soul of a Nation
United States-Israel, 105 minutes
In-person | Capitol Theatre at Fort Edmonton Park
Pre-recorded interview with director Jonathan Jakubowicz
Thursday, May 7 | Friday, May 8
Love, Statistically Speaking
Israel, 94 minutes
Online
Friday, May 8 | Monday, May 11
The Sea
Israel, 123 minutes
Online
Sunday, May 10 | 11 a.m.
Shrek
United States, 90 minutes
In-person | Capitol Theatre at Fort Edmonton Park
Jewish Family Services Edmonton Family Fun Movie - Free Special Event - Horse carriage ride for families Space is limited. Registration is required. 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 10 | 7 p.m.
Labors of Love: The Life and Legacy of Henrietta Szold
United States, 78 minutes
Also showing the short film Bazaar!
Q&A with Director Abby Ginzberg
In-person | Capitol Theatre at Fort Edmonton Park
Monday, May 11 | Tuesday, May 12 Nandauri
Israel-Italy-Georgia, 90 minutes Online
Tuesday, May 12 | 7 p.m.
Among Neighbors
Poland-United States, 101 minutes
In-person | Capitol Theatre at Fort Edmonton Park Bonus features: Introduction and pre-recorded interview with director Yoav Potash
Wednesday, May 13 | 7 p.m.
Matchmaking 2
Israel, 107 minutes
In-person | Capitol Theatre at Fort Edmonton Park
Bella (2025)
Sunday, May 3, 7 p.m. at Capitol Theatre at Fort Edmonton Park
Runtime: 75 minutes
Country: Israel-Belgium
Directors: Zohar Shahar and Jamal Khalaile
Genre: Documentary
When Yaki realizes who Bella is—a curly plumage, extremely valuable dove, and his sole inheritance—it is already too late. Yaki embarks with Bilal, his childhood friend, and their wives on a road trip between Israel and Palestine to bring Bella back. They will try to pass through the checkpoints, ruin a wedding, steal the newlyweds’ car, participate in a reconciliation ceremony between families, and revive the unconscious dove... To arrive on time at a dove beauty pageant in Jerusalem.
FILM SPONSOR:
Soul of a Nation (2025)
Wednesday, May 6, 7 p.m. at Capitol Theatre at Fort Edmonton Park
Runtime: 107 minutes
Country: United States-Israel
Director: Jonathan Jakubowicz
Genre: Drama
An unfiltered look at Israel’s most perilous chapter in recent history, a period defined by internal divisions and political extremism. Drawing on insights from Nobel laureates, Muslim leaders, peace activists, and other prominent figures, the film dismantles preconceived notions about one of the world’s most scrutinized countries.
FILM SPONSOR: CENTRE FOR ISRAEL AND JEWISH AFFAIRS
Love, Statistically Speaking (2025)
Thursday, May 7 to Friday, May 8 to stream online
Runtime: 94 minutes
Country: Israel
Director: Amichai Greenberg
Genre: Drama
When Reuben, an 80-year-old actuary who lives by statistics, loses both his wife and her insurance money at the swimming pool, he’s forced into a reluctant partnership with his free-spirited granddaughter. Their bumbling investigation among eccentric pool regulars turns into a funny, heartfelt journey proving that while you can calculate almost anything, you can’t predict love or family.
FILM SPONSOR: ANONYMOUS FRIENDS OF EDMONTON JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL
The Sea (2025)
Friday, May 8 to Monday, May 11 to stream online
Runtime: 123 minutes
Country: Israel
Director: Shai Carmeli-Pollak
Genre: Drama
Khaled, a Palestinian boy, embarks on a dangerous journey to the sea for the first time in his life, despite Israeli authorities denying his entry. His father, Ribhi, is trying to trace his whereabouts, risking arrest and job loss.
FILM SPONSOR: ROBERTA AND NORM HANSON
Shrek (2001)
Sunday, May 10, 11 a.m. at Capitol Theatre at Fort Edmonton Park
Runtime: 90 minutes
Country: United States
Director: Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson
Genre: Family
It ain’t easy bein’ green—especially if you’re a likable (albeit smelly) ogre named Shrek. On a mission to retrieve a gorgeous princess from the clutches of a fire-breathing dragon, Shrek teams up with an unlikely compatriot—a wisecracking donkey.
This is a special free event organized by Jewish Family Services Edmonton and will be followed by a horse carriage ride through Fort Edmonton Park.
IN COLLABORATION WITH: JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES EDMONTON
Labors of Love: The Life and Legacy of Henrietta
Szold (2026)
Sunday, May 10, 7 p.m. at Capitol Theatre at Fort Edmonton Park
Runtime: 78 minutes
Country: United States
Director: Abby Ginzberg
Genre: Comedy
Long overlooked yet hugely influential, a towering Jewish American humanitarian finally receives her due in this inspiring biography of the visionary Zionist and women’s rights leader who helped shape modern Jewish life. As founder of Hadassah, builder of a modern healthcare and social service system in pre-state Israel, and fierce advocate for education and Jewish–Arab cooperation, Henrietta Szold was a force of nature who galvanized a global network of Jewish women. Her boldest achievement, Youth Aliyah, rescued thousands of Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Europe. Through archival footage, intimate letters, and firsthand reflections lifted by Tovah Feldshuh’s stirring narration, this rousing tribute honors a trailblazer whose moral clarity, courage, and humanity continue to echo today.
FILM SPONSOR: CHW CANADIAN HADASSAH - WIZO
Nandauri (2025)
Monday, May 11 to Tuesday, May 12 to stream online
Runtime: 90 minutes
Country: Israel-Italy-Georgia
Director: Eti Tsicko
Genre: Comedy
In a small forgotten village up the snowy mountains of Georgia, the arrival of a foreign woman disturbs the peace. Israeli Lawyer Marina seems to have escaped her suffocating traditional Georgian roots. Now she comes back to Georgia, representing Nino, who left Georgia 11 years ago, leaving her son behind and now wants him back. Determined to bring the boy back to his mother, Marina reaches Dato, Nino’s brother and the child’s caretaker. Despite his hostility and great anger for his abandoning sister, he agrees to help. The more time they spend together, the two strangers share a journey that will change their perspective on life.
FILM SPONSOR:
GLEIBERMAN, MILLER, & SCHAYER FAMILIES
Among Neighbors (2024)
Tuesday, May 12, 7 p.m. at Capitol Theatre at Fort Edmonton Park
Runtime: 101 minutes
Country: Poland-United States
Director: Yoav Potash
Genre: Documentary
Combining magical realism and evocative hand-drawn animation with revelatory interviews and verité footage, Among Neighbors examines the story of a small, rural town where Jews and Polish Catholics lived side by side for centuries before World War II. The film brings the Polish response to the Holocaust to life through the last living eyewitnesses, revealing both love and betrayal as it zeroes in on one of the last living Holocaust survivors from the town, and an aging eyewitness who saw Jews murdered there—not by Nazis, but by her own Polish neighbors.
FILM SPONSOR: HOLOCAUST EDUCATION COMMITTEE OF JEWISH FEDERATION OF EDMONTON
Matchmaking 2 (2024)
Wednesday, May 13, 7 p.m. at Capitol Theatre at Fort Edmonton Park
Runtime: 107 minutes
Country: Israel
Director: Erez Tadmor
Genre: Documentary
Baruch Auerbach (Maor Schweitzer), a mature Yeshiva student who missed every opportunity to marry, is left to live in a small room in the Yeshiva where he studies and serves as the faithful assistant to the matchmaker Malki (Irit Kaplan). When Malki assigns him the task of escorting her young daughter Shira (Omer Nudelman) from the airport— he decides that it is time to get married. Baruch asks for Malki’s help, but when she tries to match him with Ruth (Niv Sultan), he decides to do everything he can to thwart the matchmaking with Ruth and win Shira’s heart. Only when he realizes how much he has misinterpreted the circumstances of his life will his heart open to the love he deserves.
FILM SPONSOR: FRIENDS OF EDMONTON JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL
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