AJFF In Conversation: The Podcast Atlanta Jewish Film Festival

The 2022 Annual Festival is finally here, and with 50+ films from 18 countries, it may well be our best lineup ever. But the road to this year's festival was twisting, with lots of sharp turns and obstacles, and ultimately involved a pivot from a hybrid festival to a virtual exclusive experience. Hear from festival director, Kenny Blank, and AJFF president, Sari Earl, as Brad explores how we got here, and why the 2022 AJFF is not to be missed.

July may be coming to a close, but chances are, you are still catching up on all the Jewish content that came out this month on physical media and streaming platforms, because there was a lot. With that, Sara and Brad are back to chat about what to watch as of this month, from buzzworthy reality television, to suspenseful AJFF alums with star power, to classics and controversial commercial titles and more. There is something for just about everyone on this list - and even some titles that aren't within go-to genres or comfort zones of your humble hosts, which makes for some great discussion. Some of these may have slipped under your radar, so tune in as we recap and recommend what to watch from this month.

Nora Ephron was a trailblazing female filmmaker, especially when it came to romantic comedies, with directorial efforts like Sleepless in Seattle and You've Got Mail. Even more prolific as a screenwriter, she penned those two films plus a dozen others, including the iconic When Harry Met Sally, the classic Jewish rom com that transcended stereotypes about the genre. Yet her name does not necessarily come up as often as male writer-directors. Sara and Brad are here to help correct that, diving into what made her work so meaningful, what made her prose so memorable, and what to make of her legacy, as a filmmaker, an essayist, a journalist, and a foodie. And here to help is Eleanor Ringel-Cater, Pulitzer Prize-nominated former film critic for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Enjoy this exclusive Q&A with filmmaker Carl-Ludwig Rettinger, moderated by Holocaust historian Dr. Deborah Lipstadt. Rettinger’s docudrama film “The Red Orchestra” chronicles a network of activist spies within the Third Reich. Carefully excerpted film clips of the early 1970s, interspersed with archival footage and interviews with the descendants of the Red Orchestra, work together to create a fresh account of the courageous men and women who played a decisive role in the outcome of the war.

We talked about AJFF's upcoming programs, including Playback, last episode. But we want to talk more about Playback, especially since it's back in just a couple weeks. Launched last year as part of our 20th anniversary, this online competition invites you to rediscover films from the festival vault and vote for your favorites. Returning on July 12, Playback will feature eight films around the theme of "reunion", and tickets have just gone on sale. So join Sara as she chats with AJFF Film Programming Manager Shellie Schmals, and learn even more about AJFF's own version of March Madness... in... July.

Heading into the depths of summer there’s a lot going on at AJFF. From Selects to Connects to Playback, we have a World War II spy doc, a gripping portrait of gay adoption, and seven weeks of films matching up to win your vote. Sara and Brad will help you navigate it all, so you don’t miss a minute of AJFF over the next few weeks.