Running from June 9 to 26, the 2022 Toronto Jewish Film Festival includes both online and in-person screenings. Below, the TJFF summaries alongside trailers of four feature highlights, and two Canadian-produced documentaries. (Click the titles for additional information.)

FEATURE PRESENTATIONS

Plan A (opening film)

Based on Dina Porat’s book Vengeance and Retribution are Mine, a group of Holocaust survivors seek revenge and plan to kill millions of Germans by poisoning Nuremberg’s water supply. Stars Michael Aloni (Shtisel), Syliva Hoeks (Blade Runner 2049) and August Diehl (Hidden Life). Directors: Doron Paz and Yoav Paz (Germany/Israel)

Neighbours (closing film)

Winner of the Grand Prize at the Mons International Film Festival, the semi-autobiographical story highlights the plight of the Kurdish people through the eyes of a sensitive child. Director: Mano Khalil (Switzerland/France)

Let It Be Morning (centrepiece film)

Winner of seven Israeli Academy Awards, it’s based on the Sayed Kashua novel about a family that gets trapped by a military blockade in a tiny Arab village in Israel. Director: Eran Kolirin (Israel)

Cinema Sabaya (Micki Moore Award winner for best narrative feature by a female director)

Nine Jewish and Arab, secular and devout women in an introductory filmmaking course share their personal video footage with their classmates. In so doing, they are not only confronted with the stark differences in their circumstances, but also elements of connection. Director: Orit Fouks Rotem (Israel)

CANADIAN DOCUMENTARIES

The Rhapsody

At 99, late composer Leo Spellman, a Polish-Canadian Holocaust survivor, sets out on a journey toward artistic liberation. Through his journey to bring his lost musical masterpiece to the stage, his tale of survival is revealed through his secret wartime diary read by actor Stephen Fry, animation, and interviews with family and colleagues. The film also showcases the powerful performance of his composition at the Ashkenaz Festival in Toronto at which he was present. Director: David Hoffert (Canada)

Blue Box

Celebrated as the “father of forests,” Yosef Weitz introduced the iconic Jewish National Fund Blue Boxes, which symbolized support of Israeli agricultural development. Through his private diaries and papers, Weitz’s filmmaking granddaughter discovers a darker side to his legacy. Director: Michal Weits (Israel/Canada/Belgium)