Jewish International Film Festival 2026
October 18 – November 26, 2026
Full programme here.
The Jewish International Film Festival is back, with 52 of the very best Jewish-themed films from around the world screening in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth from 18 October to 26 November.
We kick off JIFF with our opening night selection, the heart-warming French family comedy Just an Illusion, a local box office hit starring Louis Garrel and Camille Cottin and from the directing duo behind The Intouchables.
The Queer Sessions
Tell Me Everything
“A father-son drama that aches with unspoken tenderness.” – Silver Screen Riot
Australian Premiere
This deeply moving family drama set amid the ‘80s pop frenzy follows a young boy’s journey to rekindle his relationship with the father he reveres after discovering that he is gay, and received a record 16 nominations at the Ophir Awards.
Boaz is a 12-year-old boy nearing his bar mitzvah and manhood, and who idolises his father Meir. During an idyllic ‘80s summer, Boaz uncovers a startling revelation about Meir that threatens to tear their relationship apart, and causes him to question his preconceptions about masculinity, family and the man he has shaped himself after. Over several years, Boaz seeks to heal the rift between them and heal the bond that he never stopped yearning for.
With his second feature, director Moshe Rosenthal perfectly captures the experience of adolescence, blurred by confusion and fear and heightened by the paranoia of the AIDS era. Propelled by incredible performances, Tell Me Everything is an intimate and richly detailed film about familial love, and the difficult act of seeing people as they truly are.
Festival Appearances/Awards
Ophir Awards 2026 – Winner, Best Feature, Best Director, Best Screenplay
Sundance Film Festival 2026 – World Dramatic Cinema Competition
Where To?
“convey[s] deep, complex personal and political tensions with simple words, gestures or glances.” – Screen International
Australian Premiere
A brilliant and astutely observed gem about unlikely friendship which won Best Film at the 2026 Jerusalem Film Festival, Where To? follows Hassan, a Palestinian Uber driver, and Amir, a young Israeli living in Berlin, as they chance upon each other over the course of two years.
Hassan ferries people across Berlin’s labyrinthine streets as Amir, far from home and on a personal journey of discovery, keeps reappearing in his back seat. Their late-night encounters give the two men an opportunity to learn about each other’s pasts and circumstances, and they develop an unlikely friendship and a gentle rapport that transcends language and cultural barriers.
Soundtracked by delicate melodies by musician Habib Hanna Shehadeh, Where To? is a story about communication beyond language, the importance of listening to one another in times of deep division, and finding new ways to move forward.
Festival Appearances/Awards
Ophir Awards 2026 – Winner, Best Actor (Ehab Salami), Best Supporting Actor (Ido Tako)
Berlin Film Festival 2026 – Official Selection, Perspectives competition
Jerusalem Film Festival 2026 – Winner: Best Feature, Best Script, Best Performance (Ihab Salami)
