Five Jewish-themed films scheduled for St. Louis International Film Festival

The 35th annual St. Louis International Film Festival will screen five films with strong Jewish themes between Nov. 5 and Nov. 15. The event, presented by Cinema St. Louis, includes international features, independent productions, and retrospective screenings. Three of the selected works are feature-length documentaries released in 2025 or 2026. Two additional shorts round out the group of films offering specific perspectives on Jewish history and identity.

The festival schedule includes “Sapiro v. Ford: The Jew Who Sued Henry Ford,” set for Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. at B&B Theatres Creve Coeur West Olive. The documentary details the 1920s legal battle between Aaron Sapiro and industrialist Henry Ford. Sapiro, a lawyer raised in an orphanage, filed a defamation suit after Ford’s newspaper published antisemitic articles targeting him. The film traces the case across the Canadian and American borders, culminating in a surprising legal outcome.

Also scheduled for Nov. 8 is the Israeli short “Shoulder,” screening at 1 p.m. at B&B Theatres Creve Coeur West Olive. Directed by Batchen Kahalani, the film follows the filmmaker’s quest to find a Druze man who helped her family 16 years prior. Kahalani recounts how a Druze couple stopped to assist her father during a heart attack when she was a child. The short, presented in Hebrew with English subtitles, explores themes of gratitude and long-term memory.

“The Whistle” will screen at 5:15 p.m. on Nov. 8 at Chase Park Plaza Cinema as part of the Narrative Shorts 4 program. This animated short is based on the true story of a Jewish doctor imprisoned while preparing to flee Nazi forces. After escaping with his wife and baby, the doctor whistles a childhood tune. The melody leads to an unexpected opportunity for the family to gain their freedom.

“Landscapes of Memory” is set for Nov. 7 at 4:30 p.m. at B&B Theatres Creve Coeur West Olive. The documentary follows Leah Gallant, a granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, as she travels to Germany to understand her grandfather’s trauma. Gallant’s father, who has early-stage ALS, opposes the trip but maintains contact with her throughout the journey. The film spans 2022 to 2025 and includes Gallant’s presence in Berlin during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in Israel. It also features three other individuals, including a German man whose ancestors were Nazis and a Palestinian artist living in exile.

The final film in the group is “Theodor Herzl: The Man Behind Israel,” scheduled for Nov. 14 at 1:30 p.m. at B&B Theatres Creve Coeur West Olive. Narrated by British comedian David Baddiel, the travel documentary explores the life of Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern political Zionism. Baddiel visits Budapest, where Herzl was born, and interviews historians to examine the man behind the political movement. The film uses archival photographs and animated sequences to provide new insights into Herzl’s intentions and influence.

All five films are available through the festival’s general ticketing system. The complete schedule for the 2026 St. Louis International Film Festival is available on the event website.