Pittsburgh’s JFilm Festival presents international films that deepen audiences’ understanding of Jewish culture, tolerance, and our common humanity. Started in 1994, it has become the biggest Jewish cultural event in the Pittsburgh region with more than 4,000 attendees every year.

JFilm is designed for people of all races, religions, ages, and abilities and attracts lovers of international, independent, Jewish-themed films. The festival features Pittsburgh film premieres, amazing guest speakers and visiting filmmakers, inspiring conversations, parties and receptions, and other special events that celebrate the best of Jewish film from around the world!

Our 2023 festival will be held in person April 20th through April 30th, at a venue to be announced soon.

Awards & Prizes

Audience Awards are given for “Best Narrative” and “Best Documentary” at the JFilm Festival.

Rules & Terms

Submissions are accepted for the annual JFilm Festival, as well as other year-round programming. JFilm presents narrative, documentary, and animated films with Jewish and/or Israeli content. Foreign language films must be subtitled in English. Films that are 35-minutes or less should be submitted to the Robinson International Short Film Competition, which awards more than $18,000 in cash prizes. Submission fees increase over time, so submit early.

EXHIBITION FORMATS:
DCP and in some limited circumstances ProRes

PLEASE INCLUDE WITH SUBMISSION:
• Print Source name, address, phone, e-mail, and Web site link (if applicable)
• Film synopsis
• Director's bio along with contact information (if the filmmaker is traveling with film)
• Country of origin, release year, running time, language(s) spoken in the film
• Publicity materials: press reviews, awards and nominations, screening history, and any other relevant press materials.

Entrants may submit more than one film. Each entry requires a separate entry form and fee.

4 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Paul Michael Bloodgood

    Film Pittsburgh's JFilm Festival was a fantastic experience. The staff was incredibly friendly, the theatrical presentation of our film - FINDING LIGHT - was top-notch, and the Q&A with the audience was wonderful as well. You couldn't ask for more from a film festival!

    May 2023
    Helpful
  • walter schlomann

    This festival is really well run and organized. Kathryn and her team are meticulous and dedicated, and we appreciate their pursuit of meaningful work to show. Kathryn organized a panel discussion with filmmakers and experts in the field of mental health that revolved around our film, Ezra: May His Memory Be For A Blessing. What a fantastic bonus to help bring attention to the issues of teen suicide and mental health. Thank you for everything Kathryn!

    May 2022
    Helpful
  • Claudio Laniado

    Great festival. Wish there was a way to network...but that has been consistently a problem with other festivals during this hard time of the Covid Pandemic 19.

    May 2021
    Helpful
  • David Fishelson

    One of the best festivals of its kind in America. Extremely well-organized, the Directors and Selection Committees are smart, savvy tastemakers, who bring a deep knowledge of cinema, and of the vital subjects dramatized in the films, to their community. Highest rating.

    March 2019
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