Sections
Section Feature Film Competition
Eight entries compete for the Gershon Klein Feature Film Award. Named after the Berlin cinema pioneer.
Feature films that deal with Jewish life and culture in the past, present and future. In which Jewish characters and themes essentially carry the plot and which originate from Jewish filmmakers. Preference will be given to German premieres. The films submitted should not have had a theatrical release, television broadcast or streaming premiere in Germany before the JFBB. The production year of the films should not be older than 2021.
The prize will be awarded to the director by an international festival jury and comes with prize money of 3000 EUR.
In general all films are shown with German and English subtitles. Please refer to the information provided with each film for the respective language version.
Section Documentary Film Competition
Ten entries compete for the Gershon Klein Feature Film Award. Named after the Berlin cinema pioneer.
Documentaries that deal with Jewish life and culture in the past, present and future. In which Jewish characters and themes essentially carry the plot and which originate from Jewish filmmakers. The German premiere of the submitted films is required.
The prize is awarded to the director by an international festival jury and comes with prize money of 3000 EUR.
In general all films are shown with German and English subtitles. Please refer to the information provided with each film for the respective language version.
Section KINO FERMISHED
A colourful mix of genres. The special cinema of the JFBB.
In general all films are shown with German and English subtitles. Please refer to the information provided with each film for the respective language version.
Section short films: Nosh Nosh
In general all films are shown with German and English subtitles. Please refer to the information provided with each film for the respective language version.
Section From Real to Reel – Israel: A 75th perspective in films
The JFBB reflects on 75 years of Israeli state history through a selection of prominent, award-winning films by Israeli filmmakers that portray the different times and currents of Israel's diverse and multi-voiced society.
In general all films are shown with German and English subtitles. Please refer to the information provided with each film for the respective language version.
Section Hommage Jack Garfein
Acting teacher, director, Shoah survivor - this year's JFBB tribute highlights all the different facets of Jack Garfein's life and work and brings the charismatic artist, who died in 2019, closer to the audience in all his complexity. His works are often concentrated explorations of how experiences of violence change people. Garfein knew violence: born in 1930 in the former Czechoslovakia, he was the only member of his family to survive Auschwitz and other extermination camps and was liberated as a teenager in Bergen-Belsen. Five films - three documentaries about Jack Garfein as well as his films THE STRANGE ONE (1957) and SOMETHING WILD (1961) will be shown as part of the 29th JFBB.
In general, the films in this section are shown in the original English version with German subtitles. For the respective language version, please refer to the information provided with the respective film.
Section Jewcy Horror Movies
If there's one people for whom history provides enough material for horror tales, it's the Jewish, right? In a unique film series, we explore these dark and sinister angles of Jewish mythology and culture: from Golems, to Dybbuks, to "Yiddishe Mamme". Not for the faint of Jewish nerves!
In general all films are shown with German and English subtitles. Please refer to the information provided with each film for the respective language version.
Section YidLife Crisis in Film and other Canadian-Jewish stories
The Canadian-Jewish comedy duo Eli Batalion and Jamie Elman - known for their web series YidLifeCrisis - are coming to Berlin for the first time and will present their comedy show BOYCHIKS IN BERLIN! with film and music at the Jewish Museum on June 15, in which they take a close look at the German capital with a lot of chutzpah. For the JFBB they have curated the series "YidLife Crisis in Film and other Canadian-Jewish stories".
In general all films are shown with German and English subtitles. Please refer to the information provided with each film for the respective language version.