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THE U.S. AND THE HOLOCAUST Synopsis:
America’s response to one of the greatest humanitarian crises in history tested the ideals of democracy. The U.S. and the Holocaust sheds light on what the United States government and the American people knew and did as the catastrophe unfolded in Europe. By investigating events leading up to and during the Holocaust with fresh eyes, Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein dispel the competing myths that Americans either were ignorant of what was happening to Jews in Europe, or that they merely looked on with callous indifference. The truth is much more nuanced and complicated.
The film features a fascinating array of historical figures including President Franklin Roosevelt, Henry Ford, Charles Lindbergh, Dorothy Thompson, and Rabbi Stephen Wise, as well as Anne Frank and her family. We learn that the Frank family applied for, but failed to obtain, visas to the US before they went into hiding. Holocaust witnesses interviewed in the film include Guy Stern, who recently turned 100 years old. The U.S. and the Holocaust is narrated by Peter Coyote, with voice actors including Hope Davis, Paul Giamatti, Elliott Gould, Werner Herzog, Liam Neeson, Meryl Streep, Bradley Whitford, and Helena Zengel. Ultimately, the viewer is asked to think differently about history as the challenges that the American people confronted then raise questions that remain essential to society today, as our global community continues to face rising nativism, antisemitism, xenophobia, and racism.
The Jewish Film Institute champions bold films and filmmakers that expand and evolve the Jewish story for audiences everywhere. As the presenter of the annual San Francisco Jewish Film Festival (SFJFF), the world’s first and most revered event for independent Jewish storytelling, JFI celebrates the spirit of film, inquiry, independence, collaboration, community, and inclusion to turn conversation into action, reframe understanding of Jewish cultures and identities, and nurture networks of filmmakers and artists. The Institute’s filmmaker services include the competitive, year-long Filmmaker Residency and the JFI Completion Grants, which provide finishing funds to jury-selected projects. Free, online programming includes a popular series of Monthly Online Shorts, the JFI On Demand streaming service, and the JFI Film Archive, a curatorial history of SFJFF. www.jfi.org
The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival (SFJFF), presented by the Jewish Film Institute and founded in 1980, is the largest and longest-running festival of its kind and a leader in the curation and presentation of new film and media exploring the complexities of Jewish life around the world. SFJFF is known for its provocative, independent programming that since its inception has helped to launch the careers of emerging filmmakers and highlighted previously untold stories from Jewish communities around the world.
Health & Safety
JFI is committed to ensuring in-person experiences are as safe as possible for our patrons. Masks and proof of "up-to-date" vaccination (including one booster if eligible) are required. Guests will be asked to provide proof of vaccination and a Photo ID upon arrival.
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