The WJFF’s Annual Visionary Award recognizes creativity and insight in presenting the full diversity of the Jewish experience through moving image. The 2018 honoree is Roberta Grossman, who will join us for a special extended Q&A and Award ceremony. The award will be presented alongside a special preview of clip excerpts from her forthcoming film, Who Will Write our History.

ROBERTA GROSSMAN

WJFF Visionary Award Honoree

Roberta Grossman is an award-winning filmmaker who has written, directed, and produced more than 40 hours of film and television. Grossman’s 2012 Hava Nagila (The Movie) uses the song “Hava Nagila” as a portal into 150 years of Jewish history, culture, and spirituality. Hannah Senesh: Blessed Is the Match, Grossman’s 2008 film, was shortlisted for an Academy Award, aired on PBS, and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy.

In 2014, Grossman completed Above and Beyond with producer Nancy Spielberg, about the Jewish- American WWII pilots who volunteered to fight in Israel’s War of Independence. Most recently, Grossman teamed with Sophie Sartain to co-direct the Netflix documentary Seeing Allred, which premiered to great acclaim at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.

She also produced Dorothea Lange: Grab a Hunk of Lightning, 500 Nations, and Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action.