Neshoma

Showtimes updated on Tuesday evenings
Legend
OCOpen Captioned
Special Content
35mm
SFSensory Friendly

Neshoma

Introduction by festival curator David Schwartz on March 27

Members Get Early Access During JFF Pre-Sale
JBFC member pre-sale opens Tuesday, February 17 at noon.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, February 20 at noon.

“Neshoma” is the Yiddish word indicating someone’s “soul” or “spirit.” Sandra Beerends’ beautiful and bittersweet film Neshoma captures the spirit and soul of Amsterdam’s Jewish community between the first and second World Wars, using a unique mix of authentic archival footage that is woven together by a fictional correspondence, letters between 17-year-old Rusha, who writes about daily life in the city to her older brother Max, who has emigrated to the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. This cinematic tapestry creates a lively portrait of a thriving center of Jewish life that was to be severely tested by an economic depression and then the rise of fascism. The film is about a lost way of life, but also about a vibrant spirit that still remains.

“Veteran Dutch director Sandra Beerends has crafted a massive archive of film and photographs into Neshoma, a brilliant look at a Jewish culture and society that was rapidly disappearing.”
Marc Glassman, POV

This film is part of the following initiatives:

This film is part of the Jewish Film Festival 2026 series.



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Midwinter Break

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