Film Festival

Film has the magical power to bring people together, to inspire, to educate, to help us explore our identities, and uncover new and forgotten stories.

For 30 years JCC Sonoma County has fostered a strong appreciation of Jewish Cinema within the communities of our county. Continuing the tradition of superior cultural programs, the festival brings the newest and best of Jewish-themed films that are rarely if ever featured on our local silver screens.

Since the Fall of 2000, JCC SoCo has partnered with Rialto Cinemas to give a home for its annual Jewish Film Festival. A partnership we are proud to be a part of, and thank our friends at Rialto for their support over the years.

The Rialto theatre in Sebastopol pictured at night looking into the bright and welcoming interior.

2026 Film Fest

This year's film festival runs April through November, screening one film a month. Screenings take place on a Tuesday and run at 1:00 PM and 6:30 PM that day.

THE FLOATERS

Tuesday, August 11 • 1 & 6:30pm

Freshly ousted from her rock band, Nomi takes a last-resort job from her best friend Mara at their childhood Jewish summer camp. As camp director Mara contends with a busted septic system, she tasks Nomi to supervise a group of outsider teens called the floaters. When their rival camp – led by Mara and Nomi’s nemesis Daniel – issues a high stakes challenge with prize money on the line, Nomi pushes the limits and loses Mara’s trust. Now, Nomi and the Floaters must overcome their differences and outperform their rivals to keep the camp alive. Framed through multigenerational perspectives, this offbeat comedy captures the rich diversity of a Jewish summer camp and explores the conflict between leaving one’s mark and building connection.

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"[The Floaters] is charming, funny, sincere and unexpectedly touching. The writing is excellent, it's a really enjoyable story with plenty of nostalgic touches." - Film Carnage

THE STAMP THIEF

Tuesday, Sept 15 • 1 & 6:30pm

From an Oscar, Peabody, and Emmy award-winning team, “The Stamp Thief” is part detective story, part heist film, and part untold history. The documentary investigates a tale dating back to the Holocaust: that a mysterious Nazi stole priceless stamp collections from concentration camp victims and buried the stolen stamps in a small town in Poland.

Embarking on a real-life “Argo”-like adventure, one-time “Seinfeld” producer Gary Gilbert sets out to confirm the story and recover the stamps. His tactic: a fake movie shoot. His goal: to return the stamps to their rightful owners, hopefully delivering a small measure of justice more than 70 years after the Holocaust.

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THE LAST TWINS

Tuesday, Oct 13 • 1 & 6:30pm

THE LAST TWINS documentary film celebrates an unsung hero of the Holocaust, Erno “Zvi” Spiegel, who risked everything to save dozens of young twins in Auschwitz. It is a story of hope and the powerful impact we can make during difficult times. Directed by Emmy Award-winners Perri Peltz and Matthew O’Neill and narrated by Tony Award-winning actor Liev Schreiber. After film viewing, Judith Richter will be in Conversation with Romy Neumark, Israeli journalist, CJS Fellow and Harvard Modern Hebrew Preceptor. In honor of Yom HaShoah - Holocaust Remembrance Day.

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