documentary

September 3, 2019, 4:03 am

26-year-old Jewish-Canadian director to launch Toronto Film Festival

On September 5, Daniel Roher’s latest documentary about a maverick musician, ‘Once Were Brothers,’ will make him one of the youngest filmmakers to open the prestigious event

By Robert Sarner

From 'Parasite,' the award-winning Korean film that will open the 36th Jerusalem Film Festival on July 25, 2019 (Courtesy PR)

July 4, 2019, 4:05 pm

Korean dark comedy ‘Parasite’ to open 10 days of Jerusalem Film Festival

200 screenings and other movie-related events kick off July 25 throughout the capital

By Jessica Steinberg

Attorney Lea Tsemel in a trailer for the documentary "Advocate." (Screen capture/YouTube)

June 27, 2019, 3:01 pm

National lottery pulls funding for festival prize after divisive film wins

Mifal HaPayis says it will also examine legal options to rescind grant to documentary about Israeli lawyer who has defended Palestinian terror suspects

By Jacob Magid

Fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi reacts to applause after presenting his Spring 2011 collection, Thursday, September 16, 2010, during Fashion Week in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

June 18, 2019, 4:55 am

With his signature honesty, Isaac Mizrahi describes growing up a gay Syrian Jew

Famed fashionista wears his heart on his sleeve as he reads from his new memoir ‘I.M.’ at Manhattan’s Film Forum alongside a screening of his hit film ‘Unzipped’

By Jordan Hoffman

'Ask Dr. Ruth' chronicles the life of Dr. Ruth Westheimer, a Holocaust survivor who became America's most famous sex therapist. (Austin Hargrave/via JTA)

May 11, 2019, 5:13 am

Documentary on Dr. Ruth delves into the sex therapist’s Holocaust past

In ‘Ask Dr. Ruth,’ now playing in a few New York theaters and streaming June 1 on Hulu, viewers learn that there’s a lot more to Westheimer’s story than they might think

By Curt Schleier

Roxane van Iperen’s home was once the center for one of Holland’s most daring Holocaust rescue operations. She wrote about it in 'The High Nest.' (Jan Willem Kaldenbach/via JTA)

January 12, 2019, 5:34 am

A Dutch couple find forgotten Holocaust history in their countryside home

Amid ‘arguing, misery and work,’ it is discovered that their new estate had been the center for one of Holland’s most daring rescue operations conducted by Jews for Jews

By Cnaan Liphshiz

Silhouette of grandmother Annette Ontell, from '306 Hollywood.' (Courtesy El Tigre Productions)

September 28, 2018, 4:50 pm

In an archaeological excavation with a twist, a family finds hoarded memories

Opening Friday, in ‘306 Hollywood,’ as Elan and Jonathan Bogarín clean out their grandmother’s home, they find unknown treasures stashed away by the daughter of Jewish immigrants

By Jordan Hoffman

Michael Moore attends the "Fahrenheit 11/9" premiere during the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival at Ryerson Theatre on September 6, 2018, in Toronto, Canada. (Presley Ann/Getty Images/AFP)

September 10, 2018, 2:37 am

In Trump’s rise, Michael Moore sees the hallmarks of Hitler

Filmmaker says Nazi imagery in his new ‘Fahrenheit 11/9’ is part of a call to action against US president; ‘History doesn’t look kindly on good Germans who were silent’

By Jake Coyle

Professors David M. Kennedy and Condoleeza Rice at Stanford University in 'American Creed.' (Courtesy PBS)

February 27, 2018, 4:31 am

PBS documentary reminds Americans of their ties that bind — not gag

In ‘American Creed,’ San Francisco filmmaker Sam Ball examines different ways people keep the country’s founding ideals alive in a time of extreme political polarization

By Renee Ghert-Zand

February 3, 2018, 8:23 am

New French film raises ghosts of Nazi medical horrors

Michel Cymes believes remains of 86 Jews tortured by SS doctor August Hirt may still be in the anatomy collection of the University of Strasbourg

By Laurence THOMANN

Dr. Shakshuka feeds Phil Rosenthal in 'Somebody Feed Phil.' (Netflix)

February 2, 2018, 9:54 pm

‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ creator discovers love of Israeli food in new series

In Tel Aviv making his Netflix documentary, ‘Somebody Feed Phil,’ Phil Rosenthal finally found what his parents’ Jewish cooking had lacked — flavor

By Tracy Frydberg

Brunhilde Pomsel, a secretary from Josef Goebbels' propaganda office, in 'A German Life.' (Courtesy)

December 21, 2017, 2:04 pm

Shot in black and white, ‘A German Life’ paints WWII in chilling shades of gray

The film’s ‘star,’ a secretary to Goebbels who was in Hitler’s bunker at the very end, continues to deny culpability, still gets teary-eyed about the Fuhrer’s suicide

By Jordan Hoffman

Screenshot of Coco Chanel from Stéphane Benhamou's film 'The No. 5 War.' (Courtesy)

December 21, 2017, 6:27 am

Foul note in Chanel No. 5 let out of the bottle in new film

Documentary shows how fashion designer Coco Chanel attempted to use Nazi laws to undercut Jewish business partners during WWII

By Tracy Frydberg

Israel Museum staff making decisions about artwork placement in "The Museum," about the country's most well-known cultural institution (Courtesy 'The Museum')

November 15, 2017, 2:10 pm

Behind the scenes at the Israel Museum, in new documentary

‘The Museum’ offers a carefully curated look at what drives and directs one of Israel’s greatest cultural institutions

By Jessica Steinberg

Gilbert Gottfried and wife Dara Kravitz. (Bingham Bryant/via JTA)

November 3, 2017, 11:29 am

Gilbert Gottfried loves being on the Nazis’ list of most powerful Jews

Ahead of the Friday release of his eponymous documentary, the comedian tells us some dirty jokes, and why it’s best never to apologize

By Jordan Hoffman