Welcome to
SAAG!

Stories That Unite: JCC’s International Film Festival and Art Exhibition

By Theresa Poalucci

Tucson’s Jewish Community Center (JCC) is hosting its 34th Film Festival from January 8 through 19 and an art show featuring SAAG Artists to coincide the Film Festival. If you are any sort of film aficionado, love a good story, or enjoy history, this event should interest you. The themes of this year’s festival include a mix of feature films, documentaries, shorts, and animated films. Each movie explores Jewish life and history, showcasing the best new films alongside some classics. As a bonus, several filmmakers will be on hand to present their work.

You might think, I’m not Jewish. Interestingly, about 40% of the members of the JCC are Jewish, while the rest are members of the local community who enjoy the center’s benefits, from fitness facilities and daycare to classes and cultural experiences, including the film festival. So, step out and try a bit of cultural exploration. These films showcase stories and perspectives that might not be widely represented in mainstream cinema, but they also explore universal themes like family, love, resilience, and justice, making them relatable and thought-provoking for audiences of all backgrounds.

“We have a committee of lay people who meet throughout the year to screen around 50 films,” said Jennifer Selco, the Senior Director of Jewish Life and Engagement in Tucson. “The group narrows the selection down to 15 films that they feel are diverse in their subjects yet tell the story of Jewish life.”

“This year, the film committee has gone above and beyond to bring audiences a variety of programs and special guests to some of the screenings,” Selco continued. She is particularly excited about acclaimed Hollywood actor Mark Feuerstein, who stars in Guns & Moses, making an appearance. She also highlighted the film Yaniv, about a high school teacher who hatches a scheme to raise money for the school play by gambling in an underground card game run by Hasidic Jews. Attendees will even have an opportunity to learn the card game Yaniv—referred to as the “Blackjack of the Jewish people”—at the screening.

For a movie called We Will Dance Again, which explores the terror at the Nova Music Festival, the JCC has created an exhibit commemorating the victims, modeled after the Nova site in Israel. Attendees will have the opportunity to paint red poppies, which grow in what Selco referred to as the “Gaza envelope.” This film exemplifies how experiencing stories through film can foster empathy and a deeper understanding of what others in different circumstances have endured.

While Selco works on the Film Festival, Claire Hunter, the Arts & Culture Engagement Manager at the JCC, is curating a fine art show with artists from the Southern Arizona Arts Guild titled Indie Artists Pushing Boundaries. The exhibition will feature both 2D and 3D art in the JCC’s spacious gallery from January 9 through February 9.

“We asked the artists to consider innovation—whether the theme of their artistic endeavor is about advancement or whether the way in which the art was created is transformative,” Hunter explained. “This is a juried show, and we’ve already received so many fantastic pieces that it will be hard to choose.”

The public is invited to visit the JCC Art Gallery during the center’s open hours. Art enthusiasts who wish to meet the artists can attend the Opening Reception on Sunday, January 12, from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

The Tucson J believes passionately in the JCC Association of North America’s core principles, including the idea that strong Jewish communities benefit from and contribute to their larger communities. The Tucson J is proud to be a premier destination for the arts in Southern Arizona. Everyone is welcome, and everyone belongs. Expand your horizons—film festivals featuring international films and insightful stories from diverse Jewish communities, as well as a thoughtfully curated art exhibition, can open your eyes to new perspectives. These artistic expressions are opportunities to make the world a more inclusive place.

IF YOU GO:

Tucson’s Jewish Community Center is located at 3800 E. River Road, Tucson AZ 85718.. To see the full lineup of films featured in the 2025 Film Festival, visit https://tucsonjcc.org/event/film-festival-2025/. General admission tickets are $12 per film. A six-pack of tickets is also available, as well as a full festival pass. Virtual screenings can be purchased for most films. While most screenings take place at theaters in Tucson, two screenings are scheduled at the theater in SaddleBrooke.

By Theresa Poalucci