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The Miami Jewish Film Festival (MJFF), the world’s largest Jewish cultural event and one of the most influential international film festivals in the American Southeast, proudly announces a transformative slate of interdisciplinary film-and-performance presentations for its 29th annual edition, taking place January 14-29, 2026. In keeping with its mission to expand and elevate the cinematic experience, MJFF will present special events that merge film, live music, and in-person artistry—inviting audiences into a storytelling environment where cinema transcends the screen and becomes a fully immersive, emotionally resonant encounter.
In a standout centerpiece event, MJFF will host the North American Premiere of Hold On to Your Music, an inspiring film chronicling the real-life journey of pianist Mona Golabek, whose mother—the Holocaust survivor Lisa Jura—passed down not only a story of survival, but a legacy of artistic courage. In a rare and profoundly moving hybrid presentation, the screening will be accompanied by a live classical piano performance, with Golabek herself and the filmmakers attending. The result is more than a film event—it is a living dialogue between narrative, memory, and music.
This kind of interdisciplinary blending represents a hallmark of MJFF’s identity. Over the past decade, the Festival has emerged as a pioneer in reimagining moviegoing for contemporary audiences, integrating live performance, conversation, and unexpected modes of artistic expression directly into its programming. Past editions have featured live concerts, theatrical performances, immersive screenings, literary tie-ins, and site-specific events that transform film from a passive experience into a dynamic communal ritual. The 2026 slate continues this tradition with renewed ambition, reaffirming MJFF’s role as a cultural innovator and a leader in experiential storytelling.
The Festival’s commitment to such live components reflects a belief that film, at its best, is porous—reaching beyond its frame to connect the audience with the heartbeat of its subject matter. By pairing cinema with music, performance, and real-time creative expression, MJFF actively defamiliarizes the traditional moviegoing experience, allowing audiences to encounter stories in fresh, immediate, and deeply tactile ways. These moments create bridges between viewer and narrative that conventional screenings often cannot: music becomes shared breath, history becomes presence, and characters become companions rather than abstractions.
In the case of Hold On to Your Music, the integration of live piano transforms the story of one young musician’s survival and resilience into a physical, sensory encounter. As melodies echo through the theater, audiences feel the emotional gravity that defined Lisa Jura’s life, the cultural heritage she carried, and the artistic torch she passed to her daughter. The film becomes not just watched, but felt—a fusion of memory, art, and testimony.
MJFF Executive Director Igor Shteyrenberg notes that these innovative formats are essential to the Festival’s mission and continued growth.
“Interdisciplinary programming is part of the soul of this Festival. When we combine film with performance, music, and live artistry, we’re giving audiences more than a movie—we’re giving them an experience of connection, empathy, and discovery. These hybrid presentations deepen the emotional resonance of the films and remind us that storytelling is a living art form. They are a cornerstone of why the Festival has grown into the largest Jewish cultural event in the world and why our audiences return year after year seeking not just films, but moments that stay with them.”
As audiences increasingly seek meaningful, multisensory cultural experiences, MJFF remains at the forefront of redefining what a film festival can be. Its interdisciplinary events not only broaden cinematic vocabulary, but also strengthen community ties, deepen understanding of Jewish and global narratives, and expand access to the arts in Miami and beyond.
The full lineup and schedule for the 2026 Miami Jewish Film Festival, including “Made in Florida” screenings, will be available at: www.miamijewishfilmfestival.org
MORE INFORMATION:
Tickets for the festival’s in-theater and virtual events go on sale to the public on Wednesday, December 10 and sales continue throughout the festival. In addition to individual tickets ($11-$54), the festival offers All-Access Theater Badges ($350) providing entry to all in-theater events and All-Access Virtual Passes ($249) giving access to all films streaming in the festival’s digital screening room. Festival films will be available to stream starting Thursday, January 15 until Wednesday, January 28 in MJFF’s virtual program. More information is available at www.miamijewishfilmfestival.org
Follow the Miami Jewish Film Festival on Facebook (/miamijewishfilmfestival) or Twitter (@MiamiJFF) for updates and the latest information about the Festival and attending filmmakers. The Miami Jewish Film Festival is a program of the Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE), a subsidiary of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.
