Philadelphia Jewish Film + Media has revealed the “Big Nights” for its 46th annual Philadelphia Jewish Film + Media Festival.

The event runs from Nov. 12-21, and the “Big Nights” are opening night, the first Saturday evening — Nov. 14 — and closing night. Those are the evenings on which the biggest screenings will take place.

“Once Upon My Mother” (Photo credit: Marie-Camille Orlando © 2024 Gaumont – Egérie Productions – 9492-2663 Québec Inc. (filiale de Christal Films Productions Inc.) – Amazon MGM Studios)

Those screenings are “Once Upon My Mother” on Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, “Bookends” on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. at the Philadelphia Clef Club and “Dust Bowls and Jewish Souls: Another Side of Woody Guthrie” on Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. at the Weitzman.

“Once Upon My Mother” explores a mother’s struggle to help her son walk after he’s born with a clubfoot. “Bookends” is the story of a man who is forced to leave the city after a bad breakup and live with his grandparents as his grandfather who survived the Holocaust begins to suffer from cognitive decline. “Dust Bowls and Jewish Souls” examines an unexplored chapter in the journey of folk music legend Woody Guthrie: He was influenced, both culturally and musically, by his mother-in-law, Aliza Greenblatt, a Yiddish poet and songwriter.

“PJFM’s 46th annual festival will offer the best of Jewish international films and digital media content from across the globe, from Philadelphia movie premieres to repertory cinema, children’s events, and collaborative events with local organizations,” according to a news release about the event.

All three films address the theme of “diverse generational influences,” according to the release.

“Once Upon My Mother” is about “a mother not giving up when everyone else around her is telling her there’s no hope,” said Beth Becker, the program manager for PJFM. According to the release, the film explores “the greatest love of all: a mother’s love for her child.”

“Bookends” (Photo credit: Marie-Camille Orlando © 2024 Gaumont – Egérie Productions – 9492-2663 Québec Inc. (filiale de Christal Films Productions Inc.) – Amazon MGM Studios)

In “Bookends,” the main character, Nate, wants nothing more than to leave the retirement community where his grandparents live. He is also getting tired of their attempts to “improve him,” according to the release.

But when his grandfather starts to show signs of decline and his grandmother refuses to acknowledge it, he feels the weight of generational responsibility.

“This man’s life blows up, and he goes and lives with his grandparents. What he learns from them and what they learn from him is, I think, inspirational to the rest of us,” Becker said.

Woody Guthrie performs before a group of Jews. (Courtesy of Woody Guthrie Publications)

“Dust Bowls and Jewish Souls” is less about generational responsibility than connection. Guthrie, who was not Jewish but married a Jewish woman, took great interest in Jewish culture through his mother-in-law.

“He learned so much about Judaism and the Jewish people. He wrote a whole Chanukah album,” Becker said.

Becker said she did not plan this theme in advance, rather, it came through as she watched film submissions and sent the best pictures to the screening committee.

“I think we’re at a moment in the Jewish community where we’re thinking about who we are in this society and where we’ve been and where we’re going. There’s such a discussion right now between the generations. That is reflected in the films we’re seeing,” she said.

This will be the program’s first film festival since it officially became part of the Weitzman in March.

At the same time, PJFM has been operating out of the museum since 2022. The Weitzman has also been a sponsor of “every PJFM festival and series” during that time, according to a news release about their unification.

The program’s mission is to celebrate Jewish culture and expression through film, digital media and other platforms. Digital media has become more of an emphasis in recent years. The Unapologetically Jewish competition launched in 2023.

The Weitzman has also begun placing more of an emphasis on culture and digital media in recent years. The museum’s press release about the unification emphasizes recent live podcast events featuring “Being Jewish,” “Chutzpod” and “Unorthodox.”

“The formal integration ensures long-term sustainability and continued growth for Jewish film and media programming within the museum’s cultural and educational mission,” the release explains.