Jewish Story Partners (JSP), a pioneering non-profit organization in independent film funding, has announced the latest recipients of its Reprise grants, distributing $170,000 among 10 feature-length documentary projects. These grants aim to accelerate the progress of previously funded films, ensuring they reach completion and distribution.
“With the current crisis in independent film financing and distribution, JSP’s commitment to supporting top-tier documentaries on Jewish themes is more crucial than ever,” said Roberta Grossman, JSP’s Executive Director.
The Reprise Grant Program, which provides follow-up funding twice a year, allows JSP to deepen its support for standout projects at critical development stages. The latest grantees include acclaimed directors such as Hilla Medalia (*Web Junkie*), Dror Moreh (*The Gatekeepers*), and Ondi Timoner (*Last Flight Home*). Since its inception in 2021, JSP has awarded a total of $3.2 million to 101 projects, with 35 already complete and reaching audiences globally.
Expanding Impact Through New Programs
JSP is also advancing its Education-Impact Program, launched in partnership with educational distributor Good Docs. This initiative underwrites over 600 free screenings annually of JSP-funded films at schools, nonprofits, and religious institutions. The 2024 cohort includes All We Carry (Cady Voge), The Conspiracy (Maxim Pozdorovkin), and Under G-d (Paula Eiselt), accompanied by free viewing guides and opportunities for filmmaker-led discussions.
“Film is an unparalleled tool for education,” said Caroline Libresco, JSP’s Head of Granting and Programs. “By sharing these stories in community settings, we foster empathy and connection, not only among Jewish audiences but also across diverse groups.”
Additionally, JSP will launch its Film Circuit in 2025, featuring five screenings of JSP-funded films in collaboration with cultural institutions across Los Angeles. The series begins on January 19 with a screening of Ilana Trachtman’s Ain’t No Back to a Merry-Go-Round at AMC The Grove, presented in partnership with the Holocaust Museum of Los Angeles to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Notable Achievements and Upcoming Projects
JSP-supported films continue to make waves in the festival circuit and beyond. Notable recent premieres include Julia Loktev’s My Undesirable Friends: Part 1 – Last Air in Moscow at the New York Film Festival, hailed as “the best doc of the year” by Vulture, and Sandi DuBowski’s Sabbath Queen, which debuted at Tribeca and earned praise as “awe-inspiring” from The Hollywood Reporter.
Other standout projects include Yael Melamede’s Ada – My Mother the Architect, which premiered at the Jerusalem Film Festival, and Oren Rudavsky’s Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire, featured at the Hamptons International Film Festival. This November, seven JSP-funded films are screening at DOC NYC, including Art Spiegelman: Disaster is My Muse! and A Photographic Memory.
Looking Ahead
JSP has opened its next call for submissions, inviting applications for feature-length documentaries by U.S.-based filmmakers. Submissions are due by January 17, 2025. With its continued investment in diverse storytelling, JSP remains a critical force in bringing untold Jewish stories to audiences worldwide.
For more details on JSP and its grant programs, visit jewishstorypartners.org.