The Wilmington Jewish Film Festival entered the Port City’s cultural scene in October 2013 with a cheerful film celebrating Jewish songwriters’ contributions to Broadway musicals. That first film was followed by a speaker (the director) and then a catered reception offering many opportunities for conversation and community.

​These elements became signature features of the annual film festivals that followed every spring, beginning in 2014. The film screenings have attracted more and more viewers, and the festival has become an important part of the Jewish community as well as the Wilmington community-at-large. Screenings include internationally acclaimed films on Jewish themes and issues, both historical and contemporary. The selections represent the best of Jewish filmic creativity in the U.S., Israel, France, and other nations. A summer film series has recently been added to screen excellent films that could not be placed in the spring Festival.​

In the fall of 2018, the Festival presented the North Carolina premier of the film, Who Will Write Our History. Director/producer Roberta Grossman was brought to Wilmington for a question-and-answer session after the screening. The event was sold out and was tremendously successful. 

The Festival’s hosting venue is historic Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts, in downtown Wilmington. A signature feature of our festival is a reception that follows each of our films giving the audience an opportunity to discuss the film with fellow filmgoers.