Jewish Nevada and Temple Emanu-El are hosting the annual Northern Nevada Jewish Film Festival on Sunday, May 18 and Monday, May 19, 2025, at the Galaxy Theatre Victorina at 1250 Victorian Ave. in Sparks, NV. This two-day experience through cinema offers insights into Jewish culture and history and will feature a diverse and entertaining selection of films for a wide variety of tastes.
The Northern Nevada Jewish Film Festival will feature six films, including:
Wendy’s Shabbat: This short film will be shown on Sunday morning and is a heartwarming documentary about retirees in Palm Springs who have Shabbat dinners at Wendy’s.
The Property: This film plays Sunday morning and is a critically acclaimed drama following Regina and her granddaughter Mika as they travel to Poland to reclaim their family’s seized property. Their journey takes unexpected turns when Regina abandons the mission, a meddling relative complicates matters, and Regina secretly searches for her long-lost love from 70 years ago. Based on Rutu Modan’s award-winning graphic novel, The Property was nominated for four Israeli Academy Awards and was an official selection at the Haifa International Film Festival.
Watching Walter: This short film is Sunday afternoon and is about a customer who drops off a gold pocket watch for repair. The watch sets off a series of haunting memories for an elderly watchmaker and Holocaust survivor.
Midas Man: This film is Sunday afternoon and is the emotional, heartfelt, and often funny story of how the Jewish Epstein (in a star-making turn by Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, The Queens Gambit) discovered four scruffy lads in Liverpool who were going nowhere and turned them into a global phenomenon that changed popular culture forever.
The Shabbos Goy: This short film will play Monday evening and is about Hannah, a devout Orthodox Jew, who observes the tenets and practices of her religion, including abstaining from electronics of almost any kind on the Sabbath.
She's also a modern woman who lives in Los Angeles, the most modernist of American cities. So when a certain device of hers won't turn off, she sets out to find someone who can turn it off without violating her religion -- a "shabbos goy" outside the faith who can perform certain types of work for Jews who can't partake on the Sabbath.
Song of Ascent: This film will play Monday evening and is about the wake of the October 7th massacre in Israel. Acclaimed singer-songwriter Matisyahu finds himself at the center of a cultural storm. This powerful documentary/concert film follows Matisyahu’s journey as he performs three sold-out shows in Israel while facing cancellations and protests at his U.S. tour dates due to rising anti-Israel sentiment. Thrust into a role he never sought, Matisyahu becomes a significant voice for Jewish people worldwide, navigating the complexities of identity, faith, and resilience amidst a global crisis.
"We are honored and excited to present such an incredible lineup of films that not only entertain but also educate attendees," said Mara Langer, Jewish Nevada Director of Community Engagement in Northern Nevada. "Through this film festival, we aim to deepen the understanding and appreciation for Jewish culture and history, and we invite the local community to join us.”
The festival will commence at 9:15 a.m. Sunday morning, running till 5 p.m., and from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday night. Tickets are available for purchase online at this link, with options for half-day access priced at $20, full-day access at $40 for Sunday, $20 for the Monday night, and student tickets are $10. Passes for the full two-day festival are $55.
About Jewish Nevada
Jewish Nevada is Nevada’s Jewish Federation, serving as the representative organization for the 70,000 Jews in Nevada. It is the only organization charged with assessing and addressing the needs of the entire community. Jewish Nevada works diligently to build a vibrant community and sustain Jewish life throughout Nevada, Israel, and around the world. It is committed to the values of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world); Tzedakah (righteousness and philanthropy); and G’milut Hasadim (acts of kindness and service). For more information, visit JewishNevada.org.
About Temple Emanu-El
Temple Emanu-El owes its start to the California Gold Rush. The prospectors weren’t the only ones seeking to make their fortunes out West — Jewish merchants saw golden opportunities there, too. Whether from the East Coast or Eastern Europe, they followed the throngs.
Eventually, the Jewish community made its way to Reno, quickly forming organizations designed to do what Jews do wherever they’re found — help each other, establish a cemetery, and build a synagogue in which to pray and socialize.
On September 21, 1921, Temple Emanu-El held a Shabbat service in its newly constructed synagogue, establishing itself as Nevada’s first Jewish congregation. Now, almost 104 years later, Temple Emanu-El still thrives as a dynamic Conservative congregation, offering services led by Rabbi Benjamin Katz, a variety of programs, education opportunities and community projects designed to strengthen the Jewish community as a whole.
