Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival Announces Summer Series & 2023 Audience Winners

Boca Raton’s original Jewish film festival, the Judy Levis Krug Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival (JLKBRJFF), presented by the Adolph & Rose Levis JCC (Levis JCC), announced the audience winners from the 2023 Summer Fest film series, and put out a call for Screening Committee members.

Viewed by more than 3,000 film lovers in 2023, the film festival is a premiere destination for Jewish and Israeli films, and has become one of the country’s largest niche film festivals.

More than 80 feature-length films, documentaries and shorts were judged by viewers based on the overall quality of the film, effectiveness of the message, entertainment value and audience popularity, among other criteria. Viewers selected the top three finalists in each category: Best Narrative, Best Documentary and Best Short.

“At the heart of JLKBRJFF’s mission is our commitment to showcasing films that capture the rich and multifaceted experiences of Jewish culture and history,” said Nina Rosenzweig, chair of the JLKBRJFF Screening Committee. “Our dedicated screening committee and I take great care to curate a diverse selection of films that challenge, inspire and provoke thought, and we are privileged to collaborate with talented filmmakers from all corners of the world who share our passion for storytelling.”

Top three winners in each category are:

Best Narratives:

1. Farewell Mr. Haffman
2. Simone Veil: A Woman of the Century
3. The Accusation

Best Documentary Films:

1. Baltic Truth
2. The Rhapsody
3. Reckonings

Best Short Films:

1. Nakam
2. Twenty Minutes
3. The Caretaker

“JLKBRJFF is more than just a film festival, three weeks, 80 films or nine winners — it’s a celebration of Jewish culture and a testament to the vibrant community that supports it,” said Stephanie Owitz, VP of Arts, Culture and Learning, Levis JCC Sandler Center.

Demand for enriching cultural arts programming in our area remains strong during the summer months.

Summer Fest Film Series

The Levis JCC’s JLKBRJFF is presenting its Summer Fest film series with films screening one Wednesday per month at 1 p.m., June 28 through October 11 at the Levis JCC. Tickets are $10 per film at levisjcc.org/filmfestival/events/.

June 28: Fanny’s Journey
July 26: Baltic Truth
August 23: Farewell Mr. Haffman
September 13: Welcome to Kutsher’s: The Last Catskills Resort
October 11: Fiddler’s Journey to the Big Screen

The 8th annual Judy Levis Krug Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival will be held January 28 – February 18, 2024.