Jewish life on screen is filled with incredible stories. This collection of films captures its heart, from deep tragedy to great joy. They are all worth watching.
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15. The Fabelmans (2022)
The Fabelmans is Steven Spielberg's personal story of a boy using filmmaking to navigate his family's complexities. It's a love letter to cinema, powered by raw performances like Michelle Williams' captivating turn. While not his most polished work, its sincere charm offers a poignant look at the art that shapes a life. | © Universal Pictures
14. The Spy (2019)
The Spy tells the thrilling true story of Sonja Wigert, a Norwegian actress who became a spy during World War II. It's a well-written and compelling film, brought to life by strong and believable performances from its cast. This is a tense and understated drama that hooks you without needing to rely on flashy action or spoilers. | © Netflix
13. Denial (2016)
Denial is a well-executed drama about the real-life libel case between historian Deborah Lipstadt and Holocaust denier David Irving. The film avoids flashy techniques, relying instead on crisp editing and restrained, powerful performances to drive the story. It’s a thoroughly satisfying and intellectually rigorous film that trusts its audience to grapple with the weight of the truth. | © Bleecker Street
12. Jojo Rabbit (2019)
Jojo Rabbit is a daringly original film about a young German boy whose imaginary friend is a foolish Adolf Hitler. This dark comedy focuses on his intensely personal story, which becomes both clever and deeply moving as his worldview is challenged. It’s a charming and quirky film that ultimately argues for hope and humanity in the face of blind ideology. | © Searchlight Pictures
11. The Book Thief (2013)
The Book Thief tells its dark story through a life-affirming lens, following a young girl named Liesel who finds solace in stealing books during WWII. Narrated by Death itself, the film is beautifully shot and carried by a powerful performance from its young lead. It’s a rare, intelligent film that finds profound warmth and humanity in a devastating period of history. | © 20th Century Fox
10. Golda (2023)
Golda zeroes in on Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir during the immense pressure of the Yom Kippur War. The film is a tense, intimate character study, powered by Helen Mirren's masterful performance of a leader bearing the weight of command. It avoids political grandstanding, instead offering a gritty and psychological portrait of a woman in a crisis with no easy answers. | © Bleecker Street
9. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008)
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas offers a heartbreaking perspective on the Holocaust through the innocent eyes of an eight-year-old German boy. Bruno, completely unaware of the horrors his father oversees, forms a forbidden friendship with a Jewish boy named Shmuel on the other side of a camp fence. The film’s shattering conclusion is a powerful reminder of the human cost of hatred, making it a deeply moving and unforgettable experience. | © Miramax Films
8. Life Is Beautiful (1997)
Life Is Beautiful is a film that has a lasting effect, less as a Holocaust story and more as a profound tribute to a father's love for his son. Guido uses his imagination to transform the horrors of a concentration camp into an elaborate game, shielding his child from the brutal reality. This unique approach masterfully blends laughter with deep emotion, creating a truly unforgettable cinematic experience. | © Miramax Films
7. Woman in Gold (2015)
Woman in Gold follows the true story of Maria Altmann's legal battle to reclaim a family painting stolen by the Nazis from the Austrian government. The film powerfully weaves together her present-day struggle with flashbacks to her past, showing how the two are deeply connected. Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds have fantastic chemistry, making this quest for justice both compelling and emotionally resonant. | © The Weinstein Company
6. Son of Saul (2015)
Son of Saul throws you directly into the claustrophobic hell of a Nazi concentration camp, with the camera almost permanently fixed on Saul's face. While horrific events unfold blurrily in the background, the film focuses on his desperate, single-minded mission to give a boy a proper burial. This approach creates a uniquely immersive and harrowing experience that stands in stark contrast to more conventional Holocaust films. | © Sony Pictures Classics
5. A Serious Man (2009)
A Serious Man is a classic Coen brothers blend of misfortune and dark humor, seen through the eyes of a midwestern Jewish man searching for answers that never come. You'll both laugh and squirm as Larry Gopnik's life unravels, surrounded by a cast of deeply eccentric and memorable characters. It’s a humble yet brilliant film that finds profound meaning in life's most frustrating moments. | © Focus Features
4. Defiance (2008)
Defiance tells the incredible true story of the Bielski partisans, blending intense action with genuine heartache and humor. While it takes some Hollywood liberties with the historical facts, the film captures the powerful spirit of Jewish resistance and survival. It's a fast-paced and gripping tribute to a story that was long overdue to be told on screen. | © Paramount Vantage
3. The Pianist (2002)
The Pianist is a stark and matter-of-fact account of one man's survival in a world gone mad. It doesn't shy away from the uncomfortable truths of the Warsaw Ghetto, including the complex roles some Jewish people were forced to play. At its core, it's the story of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a man who isn't a fighter but a witness, clinging to life and his art through sheer will. | © Focus Features
2. The Prince of Egypt (1998)
The Prince of Egypt presents the story of Moses with a faithfulness to the source material that is rare for a Hollywood production. While its animation was considered groundbreaking and beautiful at the time, the film's true power lies in its epic scenes, like the parting of the Red Sea. It stands as a rare biblical film that manages to be both visually spectacular and widely respectful. | © DreamWorks Pictures
1. Schindler’s List (1993)
Schindler's List begins quietly, making the descent into the brutal reality of the camps even more jarring. It focuses on Oskar Schindler, a man who demonstrates that some people will always find the courage to resist societal evil, no matter the personal risk. The film ensures we remember this complex hero, and its powerful final dialogue about regret is considered one of the best in cinema history. | © Universal Pictures
Jewish life on screen is filled with incredible stories. This collection of films captures its heart, from deep tragedy to great joy. They are all worth watching.
