The Los Angeles Jewish Movie Pageant opened Tuesday night time with The Hollywood Rabbi and continues tonight with We Met at Grossinger’s, a documentary in regards to the Catskills resort that helped form Jewish-American comedy, tradition and group life.
The 2026 competition opened Could 12 on the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills with the world premiere of The Hollywood Rabbi, a documentary about Rabbi Marvin Hier, founding father of the Simon Wiesenthal Heart and Museum of Tolerance. The competition runs via Could 19.
Los Angeles Jewish Movie Pageant Opens With Rabbi Marvin Hier Documentary
The opening night time gala honored Rabbi Hier, a two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker whose work helped carry Holocaust historical past to wider audiences.
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a longtime buddy of Rabbi Hier, launched the opening night time program, in line with the competition. The movie options Arnold Schwarzenegger, former President Invoice Clinton, Billy Crystal, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Montana Tucker and others.
The documentary was written and directed by Jon Kean and produced by Brad Krevoy and Susie Krevoy. It follows Rabbi Hier’s path from New York’s Decrease East Aspect to Los Angeles, the place he grew to become one among America’s best-known rabbis and a significant voice in Holocaust schooling and human rights.
Republic Photos acquired The Hollywood Rabbi earlier than its competition premiere, including a well timed trade angle to the LAJFF opening.
Wednesday: We Met at Grossinger’s
Wednesday’s Los Angeles Jewish Movie Pageant screening options the LA premiere of We Met at Grossinger’s, a documentary in regards to the famed Catskills resort that grew to become a gathering place for Jewish households, entertainers and American cultural life.
The screening takes place Wednesday, Could 13, at 7 p.m. at Laemmle Monica Movie Heart in Santa Monica. A Q&A follows with comic Elon Gold, Melissa Rivers, producer Robert Friedman and government producer Mike Powers.
The movie appears again at Grossinger’s Resort and Resort, the Borscht Belt landmark tied to the early careers of Mel Brooks, Buddy Hackett, Carl Reiner, Joan Rivers and Jerry Lewis. The Jewish Journal reported that LAJFF government director Hilary Helstein known as it “a nostalgic, feel-good documentary about an essential slice of Jewish American historical past.”
Pageant Screenings Throughout Los Angeles
The 2026 Los Angeles Jewish Movie Pageant consists of function movies, documentaries, shorts and pupil movies. Screenings happen on the Saban Theatre, Museum of Tolerance, Laemmle’s Monica Movie Heart, Laemmle Royal, Laemmle City Heart and Temple Beth Am.
The competition schedule consists of We Met at Grossinger’s, with a Q&A that includes comic Elon Gold, Melissa Rivers and producers; Monument, with actor Jon Voight showing in particular person; and Influenced, Jill Kargman’s new comedy, adopted by an in-person Q&A.
Different screenings embody An Auschwitz Album Story, The Floaters, For the Love of a Lady, Sapiro v. Ford: The Jew Who Sued Henry Ford, Laemmle’s Checklist, As soon as Upon My Mom and They Referred to as Us Trujillo’s Jews.
Closing Night time Options Maintain on to Your Music
Closing night time, Could 19, options the Los Angeles premiere of Maintain On To Your Music: A Mom’s Legacy on the Museum of Tolerance.
The documentary tells the story of Lisa Jura, a younger pianist who escaped Nazi-occupied Vienna on the Kindertransport. This system features a Steinway piano efficiency, a Q&A with Mona Golabek and the filmmakers, and a dialogue moderated by Holocaust historian Dr. Michael Berenbaum.
The movie received Greatest Holocaust Documentary on the 2026 Boca Worldwide Jewish Movie Pageant and the Torchbearer Jury Award on the 2026 Miami Jewish Movie Pageant, in line with LAJFF.
Jewish Tales, Movie and Group Dialogue
The Los Angeles Jewish Movie Pageant started in 2006 and expanded after its first 12 months right into a citywide cultural program. Its mission facilities on Jewish heritage, group consciousness and movies that encourage dialogue throughout Los Angeles.
The twentieth anniversary program continues that mission via movies about Holocaust reminiscence, Jewish id, comedy, Hollywood historical past, antisemitism, refugee survival and cultural resilience.
The total Los Angeles Jewish Movie Pageant 2026 schedule and ticket info can be found via the official competition web site.
Associated Tales Los Angeles Jewish Movie Pageant 2025
