Jewish Film Institute (SFJFF)

The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival (SFJFF) is the signature program of the Jewish Film Institute. Due to lingering COVID 19 concerns, JFI held an expanded but still-hybrid festival, with in-person weeks of showing at the Castro Theatre in SF, at the Albany Theatre in the East Bay, and a week-long virtual program. The festival show-cased more than sixty-five films from twenty countries for a worldwide audience and presented a record number of conversations and Q&As with filmmakers.

JFIs Filmmakers in Residence honed their creative visions during the year long residency through workshops, training, peer-to-peer mentorship, and JFIs second annual Pitch & Kvell, during which Residents presented their projects to industry veterans and the JFI community for feedback and guidance. The purpose of the residency is to support filmmakers who are working on films with Jewish content by providing consulting and mentorship from JFI's program staff who are all working filmmakers. The Filmmaker in Residence program has been in existence for 10 years and, through this program, JFI is creating a community of filmmakers. In 2022 JFI mentored 7 Residents.

The JFI Completion Grants Program, the first and only US-based source of finishing funds for Jewish-content films of all genres, awarded $70,000 to six original projects in its third year. Since the programs launch in 2020, over half of JFIs grantees have completed their films. Many have premiered at leading international film festivals to awards recognition and critical acclaim. The program supports original stories that promote thoughtful consideration of Jewish history, life, culture, and identity. Priorities are given to projects that offer fresh, challenging perspectives; reflect untold stories or under-represented communities; and engage audiences across cultural lines.