Welcome!

We look forward to gathering again in our living rooms to share and celebrate the stories, writers, directors, cinematographers and actors from around the Jewish world with a new collection of 5 outstanding feature films selected by our dedicated Film Festival committee.

All films will be accessible using the premier streaming platform JWatch which is run by The Berman Center/ Detroit JCC. To allow plenty of time and minimize technical issues, tickets and passes will be available for purchase starting April 17th (a week prior to the actual festival) through the links in the Tickets and Viewing Options section below.

Our 2022 Films

Image of Victory  

Drama/ 128 min/ Israel / 2021

A powerful drama based on the Battle of Nitzanim – a little-known story during Israel’s War of Independence—when young, outnumbered kibbutz members were pressured to hold the line against approaching Egyptian forces. The film, creatively told from both sides of the story, focuses on two real figures: an idealistic Egyptian filmmaker, Mohamed Hassanein Heikal, sent to obtain an image of victory for King Farouq and an idealistic Israeli radio operator, Mira Ben Ari, fighting for the survival of her besieged kibbutz. 

ViewTrailer: Image of Victory

Rose

Drama/ 102 min/ France/2021

In this warm-hearted, life-affirming film, Rose (the legendary French actress Françoise Fabian), is a recent widow whose sorrow gives way to a deep thirst for life.  When a chance attendance at a dinner-party re-ignites her joie-de-vivre, Rose’s children are unsure how to deal with this new vivacious version of their 78-year-old mother. The film is based on the experience of its director's own Tunisian Jewish family living in Paris.

View Trailer: Rose

Neighbours

Drama/ 124 min/ Switzerland, France/2021

It’s the 1980s, and charming little Sero lives with his family in a Kurdish community near the Syrian/Turkish border. He’s very fond of his lovely Jewish neighbors and perplexed when a new Syrian teacher propagates Assad’s fiery nationalism and anti-Semitism.  The film’s writer and director, Mano Khalil, a Kurdish refugee now living in Switzerland, takes us back to his former homeland, where Kurdish Jews once lived in harmony with their Muslim neighbors. 

ViewTrailer: Neighbours

Plan A

Drama /Israeli-German co-production/ 110 min / 2021

Based on a true story of the underground group Nakam (Hebrew for Vengeance). The film tells the unimaginable — and untold — tale of 45 young Holocaust survivors who, in 1945, planned a bold, dangerous and secret-operation to kill millions of Germans and Nazis by poisoning Germany’s water mains in revenge for the murder of millions of Jews.  Starring the Israeli actor, Michael Aloni, who is known to many of our viewers as “Shtisel”. 

ViewTrailer: Plan A

Love and Mazal Tov

​​Romance / 90 min/ Germany/ 2020

In this warm-hearted and witty romcom that has earned multiple awards in Jewish Film Festivals around the country, Daniel pretends to be Jewish to impress Anne. His initially small con turns into an unmanageable web of white lies that Daniel can't get out of. Will Anne still love him when she learns that he is not Jewish at all?  

ViewTrailer: Love and Mazal Tov

Ticket Purchase and Viewing Options 

To minimize technical issues please purchase your tickets/Pass EARLY! Box Office opens April 17th (a week prior to the festival).

Our films will be accessible using the streaming platform JWatch (run by The Berman Center/ Detroit JCC). 

Option 1: One-Time Film Voucher

Cost: $5:00 per film

This type of purchase comes with a unique 9-digit voucher code that gives you access to view that one film on one device during a 24 hours period (which begins when you first start playing the film).  You will receive the voucher at the bottom of your emailed receipt from no-reply@jccdet.csstix.com. It is located under the section called Streaming Vouchers.

Option 2: Grand Rapids Festival Pass

Cost: $25 for 5 films

This type of purchase gives you access to all 5 films using the JWatch streaming service on any device at any time during the festival period (very similar to Netflix).

TO PURCHASE EITHER OPTION PLEASE CLICK BOX OFFICE HERE AND CONTINUE AS DIRECTED.

Important Note

If you already purchased a Festival Pass last year, you can use the same member login information you used on your device at that time. If you forgot that information, you can easily renew it here:  watch.jccdet.org. 

Technical Assistance

^{Starting April 18th and throughout the festival}

The Berman/JWatch staff will be glad to help on weekdays

10:00AM - 4:00PM

For ticket purchase related issues please call: 

Box Office Support at (248) 406-6677

For film accessing or other viewing related issues please call:

 JWatch Support at (248) 406- 6327

Our Sponsors

We are grateful to our generous festival sponsors. With your help our festival can continue to thrive for years to come! Special thanks to the The Rosenzweig-Coopersmith Foundation for their continued support.

To become a sponsor please click HERE and select Designation: Jewish Film Festival Fund.

Our sponsors will be receiving a free access to all films and a surprise festival gift!

Producer ($500)

Judy Subar

Bill Boorstein

Director ($250)

Helayne Sherman and Rick Hay

Sheila and Jeffrey Frank

Marilyn and Norm Leven

Lanny Thodey

Actor ($100)

Mary and Rick Stevens

Judy Joseph

Bluma Herman

Linda Pestka

Lori Jacobs

Dianne Hammerman

Peggy and Mark Leven

Fan ($50) 

Lesley Mayer

Miriam Dujovny

Sergio Cuison

David Selis