For the 36th Boston Jewish Film Festival, opening Wednesday and running through Nov. 17, bigger is indeed better.
“The scope is bigger than years past,” Artistic Director Joey Katz allowed in a Zoom interview. This BJFF has 20 film premieres. They include eight fiction features, six feature documentaries and eight short films (including the FreshFlix Short Film Competition). Nine films are made by women, seven have LGBTQ+ content. And no fewer than 30 guests will be on hand to exhibit and discuss the wide-ranging material that makes this 36 so distinctive.
Shira Piven’s “The Performance,” Katz said, “is a quintessential opening night film. Based on an Arthur Miller short story, it’s set in 1937 and is about a Jewish tap-dancing troupe who get booked for the Fuhrer. It’s all about identity, passion and what people may or don’t do to achieve success in an artistic endeavor.”
Preceding the film’s screening at the Coolidge Corner’s main movie house, he noted, is something special: A tap dance performance.
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“It’s indicative that we’re adding these performances or music to elevate the experience and allow people to immerse themselves in the world where these films are.”
That something extra continues with a dynamic drag show before “Sabbath Queen” at the Brattle. This marks the return of director Sandi DuBowski whose hit “Trembling Before G-d” played the 2001 BJFF.
You’re invited to join Chef Jerrod Perry and Chef Tali Pinnolis and learn how to make your challah. While your challah rises, enjoy an exclusive screening of Sarah Rosen’s 12-minute FreshFlix entry, “How to Make Challah!”
The midfest entry “Yaniv,” Katz explained, “is about a couple of teachers in New York City who get involved in illegal card gambling to pay for their spring musical. It’s a raucous comedy and after the film at Congregation Kehillath Israel, people can learn to play the card game — not for money! But with food, drink and music that is really exciting.”
Following “Yaniv” a conversation with co-writer/director Amnon Carmi and co-writer/actor Benjamin Ducoff, a BU alumnus.
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Board president Ken Shulman’s personal favorite is “Pepi Fandango” (at the Center for Arts in Natick, Nov. 11). “He’s close to 90, known as Pepi and with his best friend they do a geriatric road trip, all the way to Spain to look for a certain type of flamenco music he heard when he was in a French concentration camp.
“It’s a fun movie and is preceded by a fandango guitar performance to set the mood by Francesco Barone, who lives in Lexington and teaches at Wayland School of Music.”
Tickets are only available online, at bostonjfilm.org (with credit card only). No refunds or exchanges.
A scene from “Bad Shabbos,” part of the lineup for the 36th Boston Jewish Film Festival. (Photo courtesy Boston Jewish Film Festival)
“No Kings” rallies are scheduled in Boston and across Massachusetts on Saturday and are expected to draw large crowds, organizers said.
Organized by the ACLU of Massachusetts, Indivisible Mass Coalition, and Mass 50501, the event is a mass mobilization in protest of the Trump administration.
The No Kings theme was created by the 50501 Movement, a national movement made up of Americans who stand for democracy and against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration. The name 50501 stands for 50 states, 50 protests, one movement.
“The Trump administration is trying to shred the Constitution; the No Kings movement is an unequivocal statement that we, the people, will not let that happen. This will be the third global No Kings Day, and it’s not just about protesting what’s wrong—it’s about building something better. We intend to show our power, build our power, and power a democracy that advances freedom, equality, justice, and dignity for all,” organizers wrote.
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The rally, one of thousands scheduled across the country this weekend, is planned for the Boston Common from 2 to 4 p.m. More than 100,000 people are expected to attend Boston’s rally. Other events are scheduled in Pittsfield, Northampton, Lancaster, Worcester, Framingham, Methuen, Lexington, and towns in southeastern Massachusetts and the Cape. For a map of No Kings events near you, click here.
Speakers include elected officials Attorney General Andrea Campbell, Gov. Maura Healey, Sen. Ed Markey and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, and civic leaders Hessann Farooqi Marcelo Gomes Da Silva, Darlene Lombos, president of the Greater Boston Labor Council, Carol Rose, executive director of ACLU of Massachusetts, Jessica Tang, president of the American Federation of Teachers of Massachusetts, and others. It will be moderated by Rahsaan Hall, president and CEO of Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts.
There will also be performances by the Dropkick Murphys, Boston Area Brigade of Activist Musicians, BVOCAL Chorus, and Jimmy Tingle.
A previous No Kings rally in October drew massive crowds estimated in the tens of thousands.
NBC10 Boston
NBC10 Boston
An aerial view of the crowd at Boston’s “No Kings” rally on the Common on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025.
ALLSTON, MASS. (WHDH) – Boston police are searching for a gunman who opened fire in Allston Thursday and left one person hurt.
Police responded to a radio call for a person shot in the area of Brighton Avenue at approximately 6:46 p.m. When officers arrived, they said they found a male “juvenile” suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim’s age has not been released.
Boston police said the shooter fled the scene and remains at large. No arrests have been made.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Boston police.
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This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.
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