Jan 6, 2021

Celebrate German Jewish Cinema

The Miami Jewish Film Festival and the Consulate General of Germany in Miami are proud to announce a special virtual film series celebrating German Jewish Cinema that will run through the entire month of January. Each of the films presented in the series originally received their premieres at past Miami Jewish Film Festival editions and will be made available to stream for free for a limited time for all residents in the Greater Miami community.

The virtual event kicks off on January 6 with Stefan Zweig: Farewell to Europe, an audience award winner at the prestigious European Film Awards that tells the story of the renowned Jewish author, who at the height of his worldwide fame, was driven into exile after the downfall of Europe during the Second World War.

The series continues with the postwar comedy, Bye Bye Germany, starring acclaimed German actor Moritz Bleibtreu (Steven Spielberg’s Munich). With a jaunty klezmer-style score and Yiddish-inflected dialogue, this poignant and uproarious tale of rebirth is an utterly engaging salute to European Jews who chose to tough out painful memories to reclaim their lives. Another highlight in the program is The Collini Case starring legendary actor Franco Nero. Courtroom drama meets political thriller worthy of John Grisham in this explosive, spellbinding story about a young lawyer who unearths a terrible truth at the heart of Germany’s legal system that stretches back to the aftermath of Nazi Germany.

Concluding the month-long series is When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, directed by Academy Award-winner Caroline Link (Nowhere in Africa) and based on the best-selling novel of the same name, which tells the extraordinary real-life story of a journey a German Jewish family made through Europe in search of safety and a new home during the rise of fascism. The film received its North American Premiere at the 23rd Annual Miami Jewish Film Festival and has since won numerous international awards, including at the recent Bavarian Film Awards and German Film Awards.

Accompanying the streaming premiere of When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit will be a moderated panel discussion hosted by Florida International University. The event will be presented on Thursday, January 28 in honor of Holocaust and Genocide Awareness Week.

At this time of incredible challenge and change brought on by the global pandemic, these films celebrate our resilience, our diversity, and our capacity for creativity and inspiring tolerance and cultural understanding. For us, each of these films is a testament to the necessity and power of filmmaking, and we cannot wait for our audiences to discover and rediscover them. If you value this program and all that MJFF provides year-round to our community, then consider supporting us by donating or becoming a Member today so we can continue educating our community through our dynamic programs.

All of the films featured in the virtual program will be available to watch for free online. You can find the complete virtual film program below:

Stefan Zweig: Farewell to Europe (2017)

A contemporary of Freud, Dali, and Theodore Herzl, Stefan Zweig was the most-translated writer in Europe. But at the height of his worldwide fame, he is driven into exile and left in despair after the downfall of Europe. Click here to Watch Now!

Bye Bye Germany (2018)

A post-war comedy as a heartfelt ode to life, Bye Bye Germany is a tale of rebirth and a reminder of how maintaining a sense of humor is a vital step toward redemption. Click here to Watch Now!

The Collini Case (2020)

Courtroom drama meets political thriller worthy of John Grisham in this explosive, spellbinding story about a young lawyer who comes across one of the biggest judicial scandals in German history and a truth that nobody wants to face. Click here to Watch Now!

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit (2020)

From the director of the Academy Award-winning film Nowhere in Africa and based on the best-selling novel of the same name, this unforgettable film tells the extraordinary journey of a Jewish family fleeing Germany at the start of WWII in search of safety and a new home. The film will be available to stream starting Wednesday, January 27.