How are Jewish filmmakers fighting Israel's online battle?

Few mediums cut to the chase like film. 

When it comes to depicting the Oct. 7 atrocities, a dedicated group of international Jewish filmmakers is banding together to get across the messages of the past year, namely winning over “undecided voters” to support humanity (Israel) rather than Hamas. 

Accordingly, during the Sundance Film Festival last January, Marcus Freed, an award-winning actor, launched the Jewish Filmmakers Network in order to strengthen the community of Jewish filmmakers and content creators. 

What began as an alliance of like-minded creatives quickly turned into an army of filmmakers using their creative skills to fight Jew-hatred. 

The work of Jewish Filmmakers Network

“Since Oct. 7, we have held Filmmakers Against Antisemitism events in Los Angeles, London, New York, [and] Park City (Utah),” explains Freed, who divides his time between Los Angeles and his native London. They are planning more events in Israel and elsewhere.

In turn, this creative energy is strengthening communities in the Diaspora and paving the way for international ties between Israeli filmmakers and the rest of the world.

“We’ve had in-person meetings in several countries, and the cities include Los Angeles, London, New York, [and] Utah as part of the Shabbat Lounge events,” he explains. He has now added Global Town Halls to widen access to the cause. 

“The Town Hall concept is really having the opportunity for people to gather and share what’s going on for them – in short, e.g., speaking for a minute. I don’t know if they have the concept in Israel, but it’s a big thing in America, so in this case I did a Global Town Hall online so that we could allow people from different geographical locations to share what was going on for them as Jewish filmmakers,” says Freed. 

This incorporated members from Israel, Canada, and elsewhere. 

Just over 3,000 people have participated in the online group, in-person events, and associated groups. “It’s gaining steam, as we are starting to include Israeli filmmakers, Jewish film festivals, and Jewish film students,” adds Freed. “We also have alliances with various other Jewish creative groups in the UK, US, and Israel.

“We promote all of our events as welcome to Jewish and non-Jewish allies, and there have been non-Jewish filmmakers at most events. It is a small proportion of the overall makeup of participants – five percent at most – but it’s always incredibly heartwarming to remember that the Jewish community has friends and supporters on the outside.”

Taking his message further, and in response to “a world where there is such a relentless barrage of antisemitic content,” Freed created A Manifesto for Jewish Filmmakers in May.

“There are two simultaneous wars against the Jewish people: one on the physical battlefronts of Gaza and Lebanon, and one on the battlefronts of the Internet and media,” he says.

“We are referred to as the People of the Book, but today we need to be the People of the Film,” Freed said at his manifesto announcement. This means creating content through satire, factual, or short form, and posting through channels all over the world. 

“This [manifesto] can refine and focus our ideas for using creativity to counter the negativity,” explains Freed. 

According to Freed, in order to have an effect, “We need writers, actors, directors, producers, editors, composers, [and] distributors – and there are many more roles that must be filled. I am part of We Make Movies, the largest independent film community in Los Angeles. Its ethos – as the name suggests – is to join together and make your movie. 

“Jewish filmmakers and content creators need to fight the vast army of antisemitic content creators and more, and we have the ability to do so.” 

He notes that “Anyone with a cellphone is carrying around a mini-film studio in his pocket.” Context is important. “Whereas the Nazis destroyed visual records of their acts, the Palestinians used Go-Pros and Facebook to share their atrocities.”

He believes that a good place to start is to “focus on guiding principles for Jewish filmmakers. Storytelling is at the core of Jewish values and tradition, since the entire code of Jewish law is initially conveyed through the narratives of the Torah,” says Freed, who is an ordained rabbi.

Examples of success include the Jewish Conspiracy Channel on YouTube. A play on the trope that Jews control the media, the channel includes skits that shed light on high-profile antisemitic incidents. 

Freed believes that the channel is “one aspect of raising awareness about anti-Jewish bias, but by using satire.”

Other success has been propagated by celebrity influencers. Debra Messing, for example, shared Israel-A Slice of Cake, which conveys the centrality of the Holy City to the Jewish people.

Freed adds, “There are also others, not affiliated to our network, who are doing things along these lines but not specifically within our network. For example, Eli Doug Staimen has had some huge success with his character Lyle Culpepper.” 

A caricature of a clueless American academic, Staimen, a gender studies academic, has documented how his worldview has been challenged by pro-Palestinian activism on campus. 

“There’s lots to say about how more creators are doing it and changing the conversation,” Freed says. “For example, the recent documentary We Will Dance Again – a harrowing glimpse into the brutal assault on partygoers at the Supernova music festival.” 

This was shown on the UK’s BBC2, primarily aimed at non-Jewish viewers.

Freed affirms, “I encourage Jewish filmmakers to welcome non-Jewish allies, continue to unite and strengthen our community, collaborate on projects, use creativity to counter antisemitism, and build more connections with Israeli filmmakers. 

“During these times, we need community more than ever before.” ■