Boulder Jewish Film Festival

A Conversation with the festival’s founding director, Kathryn Bernheimer

How did the festival come into existence?

My love affair with film festivals goes way back. I have been regularly attending the Telluride Film Festival since 1980, I was very involved with the Denver International Film Festival while I was the film critic at the Boulder Daily Camera in the 1980s and ‘90s, and I was the host of the Denver Jewish Film Festival for several years starting in the late ‘90s. 

When I became the cultural arts director at the Boulder JCC in 2003, I began showing films in the old auditorium, using a home projector on a cart in the middle of the room and a portable screen. The folding chairs weren’t the most comfortable, but audiences didn’t seem to mind. I longed for a better venue, and my wish came true when the Dairy Arts Center opened the Boedecker Theater in 2010. This intimate, centrally located, state-of-the-art cinema was perfect for a film festival.

Luckily, BJCC Executive Director Jonathan Lev shared my vision and belief that Boulder deserved its own Jewish film festival. Glenn Webb, the Boedecker’s programmer extraordinaire and now director of programs at the Dairy, was charged with building an audience for independent film and was enthusiastic about hosting us.

Our first festival drew an appreciative audience and was a financial success, and we’ve been going strong ever since. 

What is the mission of the festival? 

While commercial movie theaters are in the business of selling popcorn, film festivals are designed to showcase independent films, international releases, documentaries and off-Hollywood movies. They bring together film lovers, support talented filmmakers, and foster an appreciation for the cinematic art form. The art film community has flourished as festivals have gained huge popularity around the world. Just look at the excitement here in Boulder about the Sundance Film Festival relocating here in 2027. 

Jewish film festivals have an additional mission of engaging the community, illuminating the Jewish experience, and deepening understanding of Jewish history, culture, values and traditions. There are now more than 60 Jewish film festivals across the country, and 100 internationally – including in such far-flung places as Hong Kong and Sao Paulo Brazil. I believe one reason film festivals are so popular is that they educate and entertain.

How do you choose films?

I screen 100 or more films each year to select a varied program that features diverse genres, styles, and subjects. While artistic excellence is obviously always a huge factor in my decision to include a film, I also look for variety and for films that tell new, original or important stories. Perhaps the most essential factor is whether a film will elicit an interesting conversation. It’s not enough to show films I really love, but ones I am eager to discuss with audiences. 

What are you most proud of?

Since day one, every single film we have shown has been followed by a talkback, either with me or with a guest. I am so proud of my sophisticated, erudite, adventurous audience, and I always learn so much from the conversations. Every year I can’t wait to hear what people have to say about the films. I am also deeply gratified when audiences passionately embrace a film I love. It is wonderful when a film receives a warm response from a large crowd, but I am equally thrilled when a small audience is thunderstruck by one of my more challenging selections. 

I also love that we attract a wide audience from across Boulder County, and that our films serve a unifying role and enhance understanding throughout the entire community.

What are some of the highlights of past festivals?

There are so many special films, stellar guests and sensational parties – it’s hard to pick a few. It’s impossible to pick my favorite film from the more than 200 we have shown. Twist my arm and I would have to choose Shawn Snyder’s provocative comic drama, “To Dust,” shown in our 7th festival, which I watched at least five times.

Having Nancy Spielberg in person in our third year to present “Above and Beyond,” featuring our dearly beloved and recently departed friend George Lichter, was truly memorable. That same year we had Academy Award-winning filmmaker Richard Trank for opening night as well. 

I have fond memories of serving kosher pastrami sandwiches in the lobby after our Centerpiece screening of “Deli Man” the following year. 

The next year I was thrilled to have basketball legend Tal Brody hanging out in the then brand-new JCC’s gym before we showed “On the Map,” with Academy Award-winning director Dani Menkin in person as well.

My favorite closing night film came early in our history when we presented Nancy Spielberg and Roberta Grossman’s “Hava Nagila.” In fact, we have presented every one of their films. A close second was our closing night screening of “The Mamboniks,” with Judy Krieth teaching the mambo during a Latin Dance Party in the lobby while we ate Tres Leches cake and drank sangria.

Our sold-out opening night screening of “Hallelujah,” with the filmmakers present, was a personal triumph as I had been chasing the Leonard Cohen documentary since I saw it at Telluride.

When we showed “Keep the Change,” the first film about autism featuring two actors on the spectrum, we filled the lobby with local agencies serving the special needs community. That was a mitzvah. 

On a less happy note, we shut down the festival midway through the March 2020 season when a strange-sounding virus made its unwelcome appearance. Dani Menkin was on the plane in LA ready to fly in for the screening of his basketball follow-up, “Aulcie,” when we let him know we were cancelling. He was able to deplane before take-off. The following year we pivoted to a virtual festival, which audiences appreciated, but I missed seeing everyone terribly.  

We moved the festival from March to November in 2023, the year we were able to show our first silent film with live music by famed klezmer violinist Alicia Svigals and pianist Donald Sosin. Last year we opened with “A Real Pain,” which went on to Academy Award glory.

It’s been an amazing 13 years, and the best is yet to come.

How can people get involved with the festival?

I’m glad you asked! Judith Dack has been curating our shorts program now for six years and has done an amazing job. Not only has her shorts program become one of our most popular, but she has also worked with dozens of community members who have served on her selection committee. She is an excellent facilitator, has great taste, and does a brilliant job leading the post-screening discussions. I can’t wait to see what she and her team have come up with this year. Let us know if helping to select the shorts program interests you.

Two years ago, we created another committee to engage even more people eager to get involved. The Centerpiece Committee selected “Running on Sand” from several crowd-pleasing titles to show as our midweek special event, and it was a huge success. This year we have expanded the committee’s scope to include more than selecting our Centerpiece. If anyone is interested in serving on the festival’s advisory committee and being a festival ambassador in 2026, we’d love to hear from you.

Finally, I really must thank our loyal sponsors and encourage even more people to financially support our festival at any level. You may be shocked to learn that putting on a festival is an expensive endeavor. We pay substantial screening fees, we rent the Dairy for a week, we host receptions, and we invite guests. There are also significant marketing costs (shout out to Jill Lowitz and her team). Yes, there’s an entire staff of people who work hard to make the festival a premier cultural event in Boulder. Our development team has done a stupendous job and every year more people who enjoy what we do come aboard as sponsors. I could not be more grateful since they – you! - make the festival possible.