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JewCE: The Jewish Comics Experience

This captivating short documentary uncovers the real-life origin story of comic books and superheroes, created by pioneering Jewish Americans from World War II to the present day, as colorful and thrilling as the comics themselves.

  • Tony Kim
    Director
  • Roy Schwartz
    Writer
  • Tony Kim
    Writer
  • Tony Kim
    Producer
  • Roy Schwartz
    Producer
  • Roy Schwartz
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Danny Fingeroth
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Miriam Eve Mora
    Key Cast
    "Self"
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    22 minutes 50 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 7, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Distribution Information
  • JLTV
    Distributor
    Country: United States
    Rights: Free TV
Director Biography - Tony Kim

The eldest son of two Korean-born doctors, Tony nearly took a medical path himself, studying biophysics at Brown University and taking a year of medical school at Tulane. While doing lab work one day, Tony found himself more fascinated by his lab slides’ vibrant colors and contrasts than by their biological events. Today his work reflects this unique background: a scientific reverence for the essential elements of light, form, scale and composition combined with a playful yet daring joy in movement, energy and life - a joie de vivre.

Tony has contributed to some of the worlds most esteemed publications. He has been a contributor to Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, W magazine and collaborated with several global luxury brands. Tony has also photographed actors and celebrities including Elisabeth Moss, Elizabeth Olson, Liv Tyler, Amy Adams, Dan Stevens and Richard Madden among many others.

Complementing his photographic career, Tony is a film director, producer and partner in TurnKey Pictures, a film production company that develops scripted content that is written to be serialized.

Tony is a survivor of Hodgkin’s lymphoma and donates a portion of his studio proceeds to cancer research.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

As a child, I grew up watching my favorite superheroes overcome impossible odds, beat the bad guys, and win the day. It felt like an All-American story. But it was only recently that I learned that the creator of Spider-Man, Stan Lee, was Jewish, born Stanley Lieber. The creator of Captain America, Jack Kirby, was Jacob Kurtzberg. Superman's was Jerry Siegel. And the list goes on. In fact, the comic book medium and the superhero genre are Jewish inventions. And not only that, these creators based their characters and stories on Jewish culture and on their personal experience as immigrants. I was shocked that this story has never been told on screen. Until now!

With antisemitism and other bigotries against minorities reaching a fever pitch in America and around the world, I think it’s more important than ever to tell these stories of immigrants creating champions of truth, justice and the American way, which have become figures of inspiration that everyone can relate to. They're powerful reminders that being an immigrant is All-American--how can someone love Captain America but hate the people who created him?

Being a first-generation Korean-American myself, I brought an understanding as well as a unique perspective to this documentary. I also wanted it to be entertaining—because if it's not engaging, the message doesn't matter—with the look and feel as if you're watching a Marvel movie or reading a comic book. It’s fast-paced, with plenty of twists and turns, and it ends on an inspirational note. I hope you find it as meaningful and as joyful as I do.

Thank you for your consideration.

Tony Kim