The Miami Jewish Film Festival goes hybrid for 2021

The world’s largest Jewish film festival will get even larger this year. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, the Miami Jewish Film Festival will be a hybrid live and virtual event this year. This new format will enable a potentially nationwide audience the opportunity to view some of the festival’s 145 selected films online for free.

Miamians will be able to participate in the festival’s live experiences, including drive-in and outdoor screenings, while all Floridians will have access to the virtual content including talk-backs and Q&A panels. Some of the films will also be available to view throughout the United States.

The festival, which runs April 14-29, will screen 100 feature films and 45 short films, 39 first-time feature filmmakers, and represent 25 countries. An unprecedented 32% (47 films) of this year’s films are directed by women.

The festival kicks off with “Honeymood,” a romantic comedy by six-time Israeli Academy Award winner, writer and director Talya Lavie, and continues with the World premieres of “Tiger Within”, a new drama starring Ed Asner, and “Who Will Remain?”, a documentary portrait of Yiddish poet, Avrom Sutzkever.

Filmmakers and celebrities from around the world including Eytan Fox, Anders Refn, and more will make appearances throughout the festival, and the 14-day event will conclude with a new documentary about the life and career of comedian Howie Mandel, which was produced during the pandemic.

The festival is also launching a variety of new programs this year, including an LGBTQ+ cinema section, and “Breaking Barriers/Building Bridges,” featuring stories about the alliance between the Black and Jewish communities.

The full 2021 line-up is now available and can be found at miamijewishfilmfestival.org/films/2021

All Festival films will be available to stream for free starting Thursday, Apr. 15, until Thursday, Apr. 29. More information is available at www.miamijewishfilmfestival.org and by calling 305-573-7304.