13th ANNUAL

Naples Jewish
Film Festival 2026

Presenting the best and brightest cinematic moments from newly released Israeli and Jewish cinema

All Films shown at
THE NAPLES PLAYERS, at Sugden Community Theatre
701 5th Avenue South | Naples, Florida
Complimentary Valet Parking on 4th Avenue South (behind the theater)

Once Upon My Mother

Exclusive Sponsor: Kaye Lifestyle Homes

MONDAY, January 26, 2026 | 7 pm (doors open at 6:30 pm)

French, Drama with English Subtitles, 102 mins

Based on the bestselling autobiography by Roland Perez, this exuberant and heartrending film pays tribute to a love like no other – a mother’s love for her child.

In 1963, Roland was born to Esther, her sixth child in their close-knit Jewish immigrant family living in the Parisian suburbs. When Esther learns that Roland has been born with a club foot, she vows to ensure her son lives not just a normal life, but a fabulous one. She enlists the help of a determined specialist and the pop songs of Sylvie Vartan (who makes a cameo in the film) to help Roland defy all expectations and learn to walk.

This joyful crowd-pleaser is vibrantly shot by Oscar-nominated cinematographer Guillaume Schiffman (The Artist) and features a powerhouse performance from Leïla Bekhti (Paris, je t’aime) as the fiercely devoted Esther. The film absolutely smashed the French box office, counting over 1.5 million admissions.

The Ring

Exclusive Sponsor: Crown Jewelers of Naples

MONDAY, February 2, 2026 | 7 pm (doors open at 6:30 pm)

Israeli Drama, Hebrew/Hungarian with English Subtitles, 110 mins

Israeli star Adir Miller (The Matchmaker, Monkey House) teams with directors Doron and Yoav Paz (Plan A, The Golem) to tell this deeply personal true story.

Arnon Noble was saved as a baby when his mother bribed a Hungarian Arrow Cross soldier with a precious ring to spare his life. Now a devout man living in Israel, his world is shaken when his beloved mother is hospitalized. Determined to uncover the truth behind his family’s past, he embarks on an emotional journey to Budapest with his estranged daughter, searching for the ring in the hope that it might once again bring salvation.

The Stamp Thief

Exclusive Sponsor: Azul Beauty

SUNDAY, March 8, 2026 | 7 pm (doors open at 6:30 pm)

American Documentary, English, 103 mins
Special Guest to appear! Q&A to follow the film

From an Oscar, Peabody, and Emmy award-winning team, “The Stamp Thief” is part detective story, part heist film, and part untold history. The documentary investigates a tale dating back to the Holocaust: that a mysterious Nazi stole priceless stamp collections from concentration camp victims and buried the stolen stamps in a small town in Poland. Embarking on a real-life “Argo”- like adventure, one-time “Seinfeld” producer Gary Gilbert sets out to confirm the story and recover the stamps. His tactic: a fake movie shoot. His goal: to return the stamps to their rightful owners, hopefully delivering a small measure of justice more than 70 years after the Holocaust.

Guest Speaker: DAN STURMAN, Director/Producer
Dan’s work includes the 9/11 documentary “Twin Towers,” which won an Academy Award in 2003; the Sundance, Peabody, and Emmy award-winning documentary “Nanking,” which was short-listed for an Academy Award, released theatrically, and sold to HBO Documentary Films; and “Soundtrack for a Revolution,” which was also short-listed for an Academy Award, released theatrically, and broadcast on PBS. His films have shown at festivals around the world, including Cannes, Sundance, Hong Kong, Hot Docs, and Tribeca, and have received special screenings at the White House, New York’s Museum of Modern Art, and the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles.

Midas Man

Exclusive Sponsor: Mondo Uomo

MONDAY, March 16, 2026 | 7 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 pm)

British Docudrama, English, 112 mins

To kick off the night in style, we’re thrilled to welcome a fantastic Beatles tribute band who will perform before the film begins.

Midas Man is the first, last and most respectful filmic portrait ever painted of Brian Epstein. From an original story, Midas Man tells the personal tale of a man who struggled to find his place in the world. Brian Epstein is recognised today as the man who signed amongst others; The Beatles, Gerry and The Pacemakers, Cilla Black, Billy J Kramer and The Dakotas and in doing so, created the blueprint for music artist management.

Midas Man charts Brian’s life, from his formative years to wild, unprecedented global success and the ensuing chaos as he managed and promoted some of the biggest acts in the world.

The film explores the close relationships with his family and friends and his lifelong search for love. It brings to life an extraordinary period of cultural change and adds depth to an untold story of one of the world’s most significant outsiders. Brian Epstein lived a thousand lives in a few short years.

The Sea

Exclusive Sponsor: The Lutgert Companies

SUNDAY, March 22, 2026 | 7 pm (doors open at 6:30 pm)

Israeli Drama, Arabic/Hebrew with English Subtitles, 93 mins

The Sea is Israel’s 2025 Ophir award winner. Under its Best Film win, The Sea automatically becomes Israel‘s entry to the Best International Feature Film category of the 98th Academy Awards.

The Sea: Khaled, a 12-year-old boy from a Palestinian village, gets the chance to see the sea for the first time in his life on a school trip. But when they reach a military checkpoint, the soldiers claim his permit is invalid and send him back home, while his classmates continue their trip. Deeply disappointed, Khaled sets out to the sea on his own, even though he doesn’t know the way and doesn’t speak Hebrew. When his father, Ribhi, an undocumented laborer working in Israel, learns that his son is missing, he leaves his job in search for him—risking arrest and the loss of his livelihood.

Opening with a special Short FILM: 
MAKING AWARENESS (Documentary, English)
with Special guest Director, Susan Wasserman

American Documentary, English, 8 mins

Two Israeli street artists spread awareness through their "Kidnapped from Israel" poster campaign on the streets of New York to aid in the release of hostages taken on October 7th, 2023.