Documentary

January 21, 2026, 3:48 pm

Judd Apatow grew up idolizing Mel Brooks. Now he’s telling Brooks’ story.

The comedy director reflects on Brooks’ Jewish identity, his influence on modern comedy and “Mel Brooks: The 99-Year-Old Man!”

By Stephen Silver

Pittsburgh SWAT team member Bob Stroschein leaving the scene of the synagogue shooting (Photo courtesy of Jon Becker, via Steve Mescan)

September 3, 2025, 9:03 am

New Pittsburgh synagogue shooting film chronicles bravery of first responders

Viewers learn details about the tactical decisions made by the first responders, and about their roads to physical and psychological healing.

By Toby Tabachnick

TIFF Lightbox is the headquarters for the Toronto International Film Festival. (Credit: Raysonho via Wikimedia Commons)

August 14, 2025, 1:59 pm

Toronto film festival backtracks after pulling Oct. 7 documentary

The movie focuses on IDF Maj. Gen. (res.) Noam Tibon, who saved his family, including his two granddaughters, from the Hamas massacre.

By JNS Staff

Israel Defense Forces Maj. Gen. (res.) Noam Tibon speaks during a press conference, March 12, 2024. (Photo by Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90, via JNS)

August 13, 2025, 9:47 am

Toronto film festival cancels screening of Oct. 7 documentary

Sources told "Deadline" that TIFF pulled the film due to risks of anti-Israel protests at the event, which is scheduled to run Sept. 4-14.

By JNS Staff

Billy Joel performing at Madison Square Garden in 2016 (Photo by slgckgc, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons)

July 17, 2025, 5:02 pm

Can 6 hours of Billy Joel turn critics into believers?

The HBO doc ‘And So it Goes’ makes the case for the Piano Man’s ongoing angst

By PJ Grisar

An image is from the film "The 2,000 Kidnapped Jewish Children." (Credit: Courtesy of HispanoJewish Foundation of Madrid and the Jewish Community of Porto, via JNS)

May 27, 2025, 11:16 am

‘The 2,000 Kidnapped Jewish Children’ connects hostages across time

The free 30-minute film about the forced deportation of Jewish children from Portugal is also a reminder to European leaders of their own history.

By JNS Staff

Still from 'The Art of Weightlessness' courtesy of Moshe Mahler

September 6, 2024, 6:35 pm

Moshe Mahler’s ‘The Art of Weightlessness’ braces for upcoming award season

'I learned a long time ago that you want to work on stuff that you would want to see yourself'

By Adam Reinherz

Flower memorial outside the Tree of Life building after the shooting (Still from "Repairing the World: Stories from The Tree of Life")

October 2, 2023, 3:09 pm

Free screening of ‘Repairing the World: Stories from the Tree of Life’ to be held Oct. 17

“Repairing the World” is the inspirational story of the citizens of Pittsburgh who were determined to turn the phrase “never again” into action.

By Toby Tabachnick

Bella Abzug shown in 1979. (Courtesy of Bernard Gotfryd, Library of Congress)

August 23, 2023, 9:56 am

Bella Abzug documentary aims to restore the Jewish congresswoman’s legacy

In just six years as a New York representative, she demanded the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Vietnam and fought discrimination against women, LGBTQ people and Black Americans.

By Shira Li Bartov

Still from 'Murray Avenue: A Community in Transition' courtesy of Pittsburgh Sound + Image

July 24, 2023, 11:38 am

Screening of ‘Murray Avenue’ documentary showcases old haunts, familiar faces

The irony of revisiting a place that alters, adapts and yet remains familiar, is that 'it’s like coming home'

By Adam Reinherz

Still from “Repairing the World: Stories from The Tree of Life”

March 16, 2023, 4:26 pm

Point Park hosts free screening of Pittsburgh synagogue shooting documentary

Screening is Monday, March 27, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

By Toby Tabachnick

October 14, 2022, 1:13 pm

Documentary about the attack at the Tree of Life building premieres on HBO

"‘A Tree of Life’ was made with the sacred memory of the victims and the lives of the survivors at the center of every production and artistic decision."

By David Rullo

Shaul Ladany walking at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp memorial in 2019. (Julian Stratenschulte/picture alliance via Getty Images)

September 21, 2022, 5:40 pm

ESPN documentary focuses on Holocaust and Munich Olympics survivor Shaul Ladany

Ladany is a race walker who was one of the few Israeli athletes to get out of the Munich Olympic village alive as the attack turned into a nearly-24-hour hostage crisis.

By Jacob Gurvis

Eric Lidji, John Spurlock, Barbara Burstin and Lauren Bairnsfather recently spoke at a public screening of the new WQED documentary “The Letters: A Plea for Help.” Photo by Kim Rullo.

September 13, 2022, 12:02 pm

WQED documentary tells of Pittsburgh residents’ attempts to help strangers

Lawyer and his wife worked to assist Austrian couple trying to flee Nazi controlled Austria

By David Rullo

August 26, 2022, 10:53 am

Holocaust story with Pittsburgh ties premieres Sept. 9 on WQED

The film tells the story of an Austrian Jewish family trying to find a family to support them in the States so that they could escape the Nazis.

By Toby Tabachnick