Cancelled: Jewish Filmmakers Face Growing Marginalization

Independent Jewish filmmakers are quietly being pushed to the margins of the industry—and Jackie Tepper is deeply dismayed. As a producing partner and Documentary Programming Chair for the Dances with Films Festival in New York and Los Angeles, Tepper has witnessed a troubling trend: Jewish and Israeli creatives being dropped, silenced, or sidelined simply for telling their stories.

“Since October 7th, I’ve heard from many Jewish and Israeli filmmakers who’ve been ‘cancelled’ from festivals around the world,” she told Aish.com. “It’s heartbreaking—and unacceptable.”

Fear and Censorship on the Festival Circuit

For instance, Tepper included the short film Brothers for Life—which focuses on the Israeli Defense Forces in the aftermath of October 7th—in her New York festival lineup.

Jackie Tepper

“I called the filmmaker, Alon Juwal, to see if he was still in the country to attend the Q&A,” she recalled. “When he heard my voice, his first reaction was, ‘Please don’t tell us you are kicking us out of the festival.’ I was astonished that he would even think that.”

Juwal’s concern wasn’t unfounded. The film had already been pulled from several other festivals, even after being shortlisted, due to fears from organizers about potential protests at screenings.

“Protests were at an all-time high in New York City at the time, but we don’t believe in cancel culture. Art is art, and should be treated as such. Artists should be empowered to share their work freely,” Tepper stated.

Alon Juwal

Tepper added, “Although our festival does not take a stance politically, we will always champion free speech, and a filmmakers’ freedom to express themselves.”

A Story of Human Triumph—Silenced

Juwal, an Israeli filmmaker, shared how discouraging the experience had been throughout his time on the festival circuit. “At the time, I felt very angry and frustrated because my film was a story about the triumph of the human spirit and overcoming obstacles, rather than a political piece. Not showing it felt like a cowardly and ignorant move,” said Juwal, whose next project centers on the abduction of Noa Argamani from the Nova music festival.

Alon Juwal’s rejection letter

“I have no doubt that more Jewish filmmakers are facing the same problem because of how woke the industry has become and how sympathetic it is towards the Palestinian cause.”

Our Stories Are Not Propaganda—They’re Representation

Emmy-award winning actor/filmmaker Yuval David believes there is a “strange paradox” taking place.

“On one hand, we’ve been instrumental in building the entertainment industry. On the other, there's a growing discomfort—even resentment—when Jewish voices authentically tell Jewish stories or speak out about antisemitism. There’s a double standard: Jewish identity is scrutinized in ways others are not. When I, as a proud Jewish and Israeli filmmaker, center my identity or values, it’s often seen as 'too political.' But telling our stories is not propaganda—it’s representation. Just like everyone else, we deserve to tell our truths without being sidelined or silenced.”

Yuval David

David said he has faced discrimination, with film festivals excluding his work and that of other Jewish, Israeli filmmakers, while giving space for anti-Israel and even antisemitic demonstrations, flyers, productions, and hate speech.

“There’s a quiet, systemic bias that Jewish filmmakers—especially those who are visibly Jewish, Israeli, or pro-Israel—often encounter. Projects with Jewish themes may face more scrutiny, particularly when the narrative doesn’t fit a fashionable, political lens.”

David, whose current project is a Jewish-themed documentary about exposing and battling antisemitism, said he has seen peers have funding pulled, premieres delayed, or partnerships dissolve.

“All under vague reasoning like 'market sensitivity'—which, when unpacked, often just means fear of backlash for showing Jewish pride or truth. These aren’t isolated incidents; they reflect a broader discomfort with Jewish particularism in an industry that otherwise celebrates identity.”

Social Activism Comes with a Price

Writer/director Rakefet Abergel has become an outspoken activist on her social media since October 7th, which may have impacted how often her film gets accepted into progressive and women’s film festivals.

“After I started speaking out publicly in support of Israel and against antisemitism, I noticed my acceptances started to decline. One women’s festival rejected my film the same day it was submitted,” said Abergel, whose current project, “STILL” is about a miscarriage.

Rakefet-Abergel

“A couple of fest directors have reached out to tell me they support me and Israel and Jewish people around the world. For example, fest directors and staff from Filmquest, Cordillera International Film Festival, HollyShorts and GenreBlast made it known to me that they would never tolerate antisemitism at their fests and offered their shoulders to lean on during a difficult time.”

A Deafening Silence

But other film festivals haven’t supported Jewish people.

“Nothing has been said to me or on my socials, despite the fact that they speak out for every other minority and social justice issue. The silence since 10/7 is deafening. And Jewish filmmakers have taken notice. Some fests have even programmed extremely anti-Israel and antisemitic propaganda films.”

While the indie film community has been a home to Abergel for many years, she now feels “somewhat ostracized and unwelcome” in many progressive film spaces.

“It’s very unfortunate. But it will never make me stop speaking out for Jews. It just means I will never submit to or support those festivals again. Silence is complicity.”

Subtle Bias

For filmmakers like Yale Fried, the industry bias has been more subtle than blatant.

“It's hard to know for certain because festival submissions and acceptances are about as subjective as it gets,” said Fried, who has been rejected from four Academy qualifying film festivals, which he asked Aish not to name.

Yale Fried

“From my perspective, festivals are really leaning into films that have diverse perspectives, diverse filmmakers and diverse stories and people just don't view Jewish films or Jewish people as diverse. Whether that's because of latent antisemitism or a disproportionate amount of well-known Jewish filmmakers, who knows?”

While Fried feels “very lucky” that his film, "Unraveled," (in which a young man grapples with the fear of dropping the Torah at his upcoming bar mitzvah) premiered at a prominent festival like Dances With Films, he’s aware that it will exist almost exclusively in Jewish spaces from here on out.

“There is something disheartening about that. We made a film that shows a distinctly Jewish childhood that's often at odds with secular life, I want that story to exist in front of non-Jewish audiences as much as anyone else. My childhood was distinctly Jewish and when I make a film about it, I still have to consciously make it approachable to a non-Jewish audience to have a chance at premiering at a non-Jewish film festival.”

Fried thinks it's more important than ever to highlight Jewish stories. “Particularly those that demonstrate Judaism as a distinct culture and religion, as opposed to portraying Jews as ‘exactly like everyone else but with Hanukkah!’”

Too Jewish

An indie Israeli writer/director who was afraid to give her name for this story for fear of backlash, received feedback to reduce the Jewish angle in her film.

“One of my screenplays was moving forward with a producer who was excited about it. After a few months, during the war, she was still kind and supportive, but told me honestly that Jewish content isn’t commercial right now–It would not be easy to market or sell a Jewish story in the current climate. She even suggested changing the character’s background to make it more marketable.”

While it was hard to hear, the filmmaker appreciated her honesty.

“She’s not antisemitic, but she’s not an activist as well. She looks at it from a business point of view. Just being realistic about the risks in today’s climate. It was the first time I understood how much the industry has shifted. She believed in the project before, and still does to some degree. But she’s also giving me a very real picture of how the industry looks at this moment.”

Daniel Robbins

Nevertheless, the writer/director will not back down.

“I grew up in a home that never allowed me to see myself as a victim. I don’t like to cry or blame the world. But when I look around, the fact that some filmmakers are dealing with this, is particularly worrisome.”

For now, writer/director Daniel Robbins (“Bad Shabbos”) thinks that ​​Jewish filmmakers should try to remain open.

“The solution is probably to stay vigilant. Film festivals are a place to experience new ideas that the mainstream won't provide. So it’s important for filmmakers to feel as open as possible. They will continue to be pressured to bend one way or the other. Hopefully their programmers maintain their conviction and continue to choose what they think is best and not what will placate people.”