The website of the Miami Jewish Film Festival hails it as “the world’s largest festival of its kind.” The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival refers to itself as “the largest and longest-running independent Jewish film festival in the world.” But the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, which was founded in 2000, states that it “made history as the largest Jewish film festival in the world, attracting more than 38,600 moviegoers in 2015.”
The festival received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, an independent U.S. federal agency, in January.
“The film festival is the largest Jewish film festival in the world, with many films and filmmakers receiving accolades at the Academy Awards and the Cannes Film Festival,” the NEA stated in a grantee profile.
Kenny Blank, executive and artistic director of the festival, told the NEA that post-screening question-and-answer sessions with filmmakers and others are “a cornerstone of what makes attending a film festival a unique experience, far beyond just another movie screening.”
“At AJFF, we take it a step further by often including not just filmmakers but also topical experts—academics, community leaders, authors, journalists—who can provide additional context and insights,” he added. “This blend of perspectives enriches the conversation, making it more engaging and educational for the audience.”
Blank told the NEA that there is something “uniquely compelling about film,” saying “it’s perhaps the most accessible art form out there.”
“Think about it. You walk into a movie theater, and suddenly, you’re in what I like to call the ultimate safe space,” he described. “It’s a place where people from all walks of life come together for a shared experience. And it’s this experience that makes film so effective at breaking down barriers.”
