Since 2000, the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival continues to engage and entertain our city’s diverse communities through curiosity, conversation, and culture. One of Atlanta’s premiere philanthropic arts organizations, AJFF delivers world-class international and independent cinema, using film as a vehicle to promote empathy, meaningful dialogue, and universal, cross-cultural understanding.
AJFF champions an inclusive exploration of the Jewish experience, its complex history, and its intersection with people of all faiths, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Through the power of storytelling, AJFF assembles a wide range of community leaders, advocates, filmmakers, and educators to contextualize an ever-expanding range of topics, uniting over 38,000 active festivalgoers annually with both in-theater and streaming content offerings.
With emphasis on continuous innovation and mission-driven expansion, AJFF seeks to inspire the next generation of cinephiles and the culture-curious by actively broadening its educational outreach, community engagement, and accessibility efforts through captivating annual programming and events.
Select films are eligible for Official Jury Prizes at the annual festival:
Narrative Jury Prize
The Narrative Prize goes to the feature-length fiction film that exceeds
all others in total artistry, direction, script, cinematography, acting,
and overall storytelling.
2023 Jurors:
- Yacov Freedman, Senior Podcast Producer for Turner Classic Movies
- Bruce Goldstein, Repertory Artistic Director, Film Forum
- Student Juror: Harper Lazarov, The University of Georgia
Documentary Jury Prize
The Documentary Prize goes to the feature-length non-fiction film that
exceeds all others in total artistry, direction, script, cinematography
and overall storytelling.
2023 Jurors:
- Scot Safon, Consultant
- Steven Pressman, Director/Producer, PerlePress Productions
- Student Juror: Caio Jardim, Emory University
Shorts Jury Prize
The Shorts Prize goes to the film, with a run time of 40 minutes or
fewer, which exceeds all others in total artistry, direction, script,
cinematography, acting, and overall storytelling.
2023 Jurors:
- Felicia Feaster, Managing Editor, Warner Bros. Discovery
- Isaac Zablocki, Director of the Carole Zabar Center for Film
- Student Juror: Ikki Kaijima, Emory University
Emerging Filmmaker Jury Prize
An Emerging Filmmaker Prize will be awarded to a rising creative
talent, whose film shows exceptional skill and artistry.
2023 Jurors:
- Dori Berinstein, Award-winning director, producer, and writer of film & television.
- Todd Yellin, Filmmaker & Former Head of Product at Netflix
- Student Juror: Tara Gause, Clayton State University
Building Bridges Jury Prize
Honoring the film that most exemplifies AJFF's mission, informed by
founder and partner American Jewish Committee, to foster understanding among diverse religious, ethnic, and cultural communities.
2023 Jurors:
- Julie Ann Crommett, Founder & CEO, Collective Moxie
- Stephanie Guiloff, Director of Internal Communications and Advocacy, American Jewish Committee
- Student Juror: Rebecca Myers, The University of Georgia
Human Rights Jury Prize
The Human Rights Prize is awarded to the film that most powerfully
captures the perseverance and strength of those whose sense of
justice guides them in the face of bigotry, inequality, and persecution.
2023 Jurors:
- Sharon Rosen Leib, Award-winning Journalist
- Deidre McDonald, Founding Artistic Director for the BronzeLens Film Festival
- Student Juror: Keshawn Morgan, Morehouse College
In addition, Audience Awards are voted on by the AJFF audience and awards are issued in the following categories based on established voting criteria.
AJFF Audience Award, Best Narrative Feature
AJFF Audience Award winners are determined by popular vote of the festival audience, with moviegoers ranking each film on a scale of 1 to 4. The narrative feature (minimum 40 minutes) receiving the highest average ranking wins that category. The winning narrative feature is honored by receiving a special statuette.
AJFF Audience Award, Best Short
AJFF Audience Award winners are determined by popular vote of the festival audience, with moviegoers ranking each film on a scale of 1 to 4. The short film (under 40 minutes) receiving the highest average ranking wins that category. The winning short is honored by receiving a special statuette.
AJFF Audience Award, Best Documentary Feature
AJFF Audience Award winners are determined by popular vote of the festival audience, with moviegoers ranking each film on a scale of 1 to 4. The documentary feature (minimum 40 minutes) receiving the highest average ranking wins that category. The winning narrative feature is honored by receiving a special statuette.