The Seattle Jewish Film Festival (SJFF) just closed the curtain last night on it’s twenty-sixth year and its second in a fully virtual format. Unlike other art festivals, film fests are a bit more fortunate these days; with some extra work logistically, they’re still able to survive and thrive while we’re all stuck inside. Film festivals actually have a great potential of doing even better than they would if they were in person (with virtual viewer audience size capable of unlimited size, but that could be stymied by distribution restrictions). I’ll be curious to hear from all of these wonderful events this and in future years to see how they faired, and how this new experience may alter the very way in which we experience festivals moving forward

That all being said, SJFF handled this roadblock gracefully and hosted a more diverse set of films than I had experienced last year. With LGBTQ, dramas, comedies, documentaries, and features it offered something for everyone. We’ve already posted a couple reviews, but keep an eye out for a few more.

While the festival proper is over as of yesterday, over the weekend they’ll be tallying fan favorites and I have a sneaky suspicion I know at least one or two of those that will rise to the top; Sublet, by far, was my favorite. It was a charming film that was easy to watch and feel warm-hearted on the other end. Golden Voices was a head-first dive into what it’s like to throw your entire life into upheaval at an age where everything should be settled. And last but not least Kiss me Kosher keeps you on your toes, makes you grin more than a few times and hits you with the realities of dating people outside your culture. Chris and I had a great time with the lineup this year and we can’t wait to see what they have in store for us in 2022; may we all see each other in the theater the next time it rolls around.