🗓️ Saturday, March 14-Sunday, March 29, 2026
🕰️ Showtimes vary, see the full film schedule
📍 SJCC: 3801 East Mercer Way, Mercer Island and venues throughout Seattle
📽️ Virtual screenings available
The Seattle Jewish Film Festival, one of the largest and longest-running film festivals in the Pacific Northwest, returns March 14-29 with “Roots + Reels,” continuing its celebrated tradition of presenting powerful international cinema that illuminates Jewish life, culture and identity. Now in its 31st year, SJFF invites audiences to explore how roots — family, faith, tradition and community — sustain and connect us through films that inspire conversation and connection.
Featuring 30 films, SJFF 2026 launches Saturday, Mar. 14 with an opening night screening of “Once Upon My Mother” at AMC Pacific Place, a crowd-pleasing, big-hearted French megahit about a Moroccan mother’s fierce love and determination to move mountains for her child, followed by a French ’60s hits DJ and dessert party.
On Sunday, Mar. 15 at AMC Pacific Place, the Sunday brunch + film event pairs “We Met at Grossinger’s,” a nostalgic look at Catskills summer-resort life, with a Sunday brunch spread. Following Sunday brunch, as part of the festival’s annual Sephardic spotlight, SJFF presents “Left Lane Straight,” a work-in-progress screening and deeply personal story about Greek Jews and the filmmaker’s family lore, followed by a conversation and reception with the filmmakers and local contributors including Warren Etheredge (writer and SJFF shorts program curator) and UW Sephardic Studies Chair, Prof. Devin Naar (a film interviewee).
The festival closes with “31 Candles,” a hilarious and heartfelt New York City rom-com, written, directed and starring Jonah Feingold. The film features a spate of comedic cameos about finding Jewish joy and coming-of-age (bar mitzvah) at any age. After the film, toast the festival’s conclusion with champagne and enjoy local, homemade cheesecake.
Alongside screenings, the festival features a range of special events — from live music and festive receptions to filmmaker conversations — bringing people together to share stories both personal and universal. The Roots + Reels lineup offers festivalgoers a rich blend of narrative features, documentaries and cultural moments on the big screen.
Tickets and packages are on sale now, and many films are also available with extended virtual access. For more information and film listings, visit seattlejff.org.
Join us to celebrate more than three decades of powerful storytelling, community and culture with our outstanding 2026 lineup.
