Celebrating our 29th year, the Jewish Film Festival of Southwest Florida presents a diverse selection of outstanding Jewish films.
In February 2025, join us for another year of engaging films that examine Jewish history, heritage, and culture.
Flims will be screened at
Regal Belltower Stadium 20 Theaters
13499 Bell Tower Dr. | Fort Myers, FL | 33907
Open seating at all films for general admission tickets.
Reserved seating available with your sponsorship.
Your tickets will be available at Willcall each evening!
For more information contact Danielle Bernstein 239.481.4449 ext.4 or danielleb@jfedlcc.org
8 Film Series / $91 ~ Individual Films / $13 each
OPENING MATINEE
Sunday, February 2
3:00 P.M.
Comedy/Drama/Sport
104 minutes, Hebrew with English Subtitles
Tuesday, February 4
6:30 P.M.
Documentary
65 minutes, Hebrew with English Subtitles
Aumari, a young Eritrean refugee living in Israel, is about to be deported back to his home country. After a spontaneous escape attempt at the airport, he is mistaken for a Nigerian striker, who is supposed to arrive at the same time. Aumari seizes the opportunity and benefits for his change of identity as the new key acquisitions for the team of ‘Maccabi Netanya’. Despite the absence of any soccer talent, Aumari is able to cover-up and heal the divisions of his struggling team, while a tender romantic bond with charmingly unconventional daughter of the team owner is growing.
Amidst the war in Ukraine, an Israeli field hospital is established to care for those affected by the conflict. The medical teams face challenges as they treat Ukrainian patients who have lost everything. The film highlights the intersection of history, culture, and compassion as the Israeli teams, some descended from Holocaust survivors, offer help and hope to those in need. A touching portrayal of humanity and the power of small acts of kindness to bring people together.
MATINEE
Friday, February 7
Comedy
84 minutes, English
Tuesday, February 11
Documentary
80 minutes, English
An engaged interfaith couple are about to have their parents meet for the first time over a Shabbat dinner when an accidental death gets in the way.
Poster for ColleyvilleIn the safe haven of Colleyville, Texas, on January 15, 2022, Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker and three others find themselves hostages when a stranger disrupts a typical Saturday morning at Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Dani Menkin, this gripping real-life drama unfolds over an 11-hour standoff, testing their resilience and courage in unimaginable ways. This international event captured the world's attention live on TV and will feature never-before-seen footage from those harrowing 11 hours, providing a unique perspective on the ordeal.
Thursday, February 13
Holocaust
102 minutes, English
Tuesday, February 18
Documentary/Drama
134 minutes, Italian, Hebrew, Latin, English Subtitles
Stephen Lang (Avatar) and Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade) star in a heartrending, Northern Californian-set cross-generational odyssey of healing and discovery, an extraordinary friendship blooms between an aging soul and a troubled girl, each bearing unspoken pains. For over 50 years, Holocaust survivor Herbert Heller, now a toy store owner, concealed his wartime memories even from his family. But as illness looms, he befriends Abbey , a teen grappling with her own buried anguish, inspiring him to open up. By sharing their individual struggles, a path to mutual empathy unfolds, offering newfound purpose.
In 1858, in the Jewish quarter of Bologna, the Pope’s soldiers burst into the home of the Mortara family. By order of the cardinal, they have come to take Edgardo, their seven-year- old son. The child had been secretly baptized by his nurse as a baby and the papal law is unquestionable: he must receive a Catholic education. Edgardo’s parents, distraught, will do anything to get their son back. Supported by public opinion and the international Jewish community, the Mortaras’ struggle quickly take a political dimension.
Thursday, February 20
Thriller
94 minutes, English
CLOSING MATINEE
Sunday, February 23
War/Drama
113 minutes, Hebrew with English Subtitles
A beloved small town rabbi in the high desert becomes an unlikely gunslinger after his community is violently attacked.
After sustaining a surprise Egyptian attack during the Yom Kippur War, a desolate Israeli outpost falls under siege. While the surviving soldiers prepare for a final, hopeless battle, the Doctor comes up with an alternative plan that may save them but comes at a heavy price.