Less Than Kosher

Monday, December 11 @ 7pm
A musical comedy that charts a young Jewish woman’s awakening to her cultural, artistic and religious roots. When her failing music career forces her back into her mother’s basement, this self-proclaimed “bad Jew” reluctantly lands a job as a Cantor at her family’s synagogue and she’s thrown into a wild ride of tense family drama, and self-discovery.

Continue the conversation following the film with Actress/Writer/Creator: Shaina Silver-Baird.

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The JCC Chicago Jewish Film Festival mission is to showcase culturally-diverse, Jewishly-inspired films that will entertain, educate and inspire audiences.

Repairing the World: Stories from the Tree of Life

Wednesday, December 6

Repairing the World: Stories from the Tree of Life documents Pittsburgh’s powerful community response to hate in the aftermath of the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history.

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Submissions Open

Feature Film

At the CJFF, our goal is to inspire movie-goers to expand their understanding of Jewish culture and to bring a wide-variety of entertaining films, with a Jewish lens, to our community. We promote films that have a Jew-ish connection to life, culture, history both on-screen and behind-the-scenes. To qualify as a CJFF submission, films must meet the basic category requirements and resonate with our Jewish community. Film must have a connection to the Jewish values or themes of – trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, community, kindness, positivism, role modeling, stewardship of the earth, any Jewish holiday or historical event. Feature Film submissions must be over 60 minutes. Note: you must agree to your film being presented virtually.

 

Short Film

To qualify as a CJFF submission, Short Films must meet the basic category requirements and themes of the film festival. Film must have a connection to the Jewish values or themes of – trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, community, kindness, positivism, role modeling, stewardship of the earth, any Jewish holiday or historical event. Short Film Submissions must be under 30 minutes including all intros and credits. Note: you must agree to your film being presented virtually.

 

Student Filmmaker Competition

JCC Chicago is proud of its 120 years – rooted in Jewish values, fostering a united, inclusive community with a focus on growing good kids and building lifetime connections. We have embarked on a Growing Hope Movement, based on informed tolerance, acceptance, kindness and hope with a mission to instill in today’s youth the core values that will help realize the kind of future for which we all aspire.

The JCC Chicago Jewish Film Festival Student Competition invites and encourages student filmmakers to develop short stories around the themes of trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, community, kindness, positivism, role modeling, stewardship of the earth, any Jewish holiday or historical event. We believe that these stories have the power to educate, inform and inspire behaviors and beliefs that will change the world for the better.

WHO: Student filmmakers of all experience levels (all are welcome, you don’t need to be Jewish to apply!) Middle school through College undergraduates encouraged to apply.

WHAT: New or previously created documentaries or narrative short films running 3-10 minutes in length, including credits.

WHERE: Filmmakers must reside in the Chicagoland area, surround suburbs or the state of Illinois or be a participant in a JCC Chicago program (including Camp Chi, Springboard, Jewish Student Connection, etc.)

WHY: Celebrate the Jewish experience connecting your film to (one or more) of the Jewish values or themes of – trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, community, kindness, positivism, role modeling, stewardship of the earth, any Jewish holiday or historical event.

Submissions are accepted through Film Freeway*:

Deadline: March 1, 2024 at 11:59pm

*PLEASE INDICATE IN NOTES: What theme(s) your film represents.

Thank you to our Premier Sponsor

jelmar

Thank You to our Multi-Year-Sponsors

Community members and businesses providing sustaining support:

Robin & Allen Berg
Lisa & Lee Bloom
Marci Horowitz
Laurie F. Lieberman

Lisa Reisman & Jason Busch
Vicki & Gerald Tenner

2021- 2022 Festival Teaser

Contact Us

For more information about the JCC Chicago Jewish Film Festival, call 847.763.3507 or email cjff@jccchicago.org.