American actor and comedian Michael Rapaport will attend the Jerusalem Jewish Film Festival in December for the closing screening of “Am I Cancelled Yet?,” a documentary examining his renewed connection to his Jewish identity and the personal and professional consequences of his outspoken support for Israel.
Rapaport, who also produced the film, will join director Ruth Berdah-Canet for a discussion with the audience after the Dec. 10 screening at the Jerusalem Cinematheque.
Director Ruth Berdah-Canet
(Photo: Alon Gilboa)
The festival’s 28th edition will run Dec. 5-10 during Hanukkah, presenting more than 40 films from 15 countries. German director Volker Schlöndorff will open the festival with his latest film, “Visitation,” and receive an achievement award recognizing his contribution to cinema.
Director Volker Schlöndorff
(Photo: Courtesy of Lev Cinemas)
Known for roles in “True Romance,” “Beautiful Girls,” “Prison Break” and “Only Murders in the Building,” Rapaport has become an outspoken supporter of Israel since the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023.
Michael Rapaport
(Photo: Alon Gilboa)
The 88-minute documentary follows him as he visits the sites of the massacres, meets survivors and hostage families and grapples with the backlash to his public stance. Combining comedy with scenes of grief and reflection, the film explores the relationship between his Jewish identity, public advocacy and career. According to organizers, it received a special screening supported by the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival.
The closing event will begin at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10, followed by the discussion with Rapaport and Berdah-Canet.
From 'Visitation'
(Photo: Courtesy of Lev Cinemas)
From 'Visitation'
(Photo: Courtesy of Lev Cinemas)
Schlöndorff’s “Visitation,” which premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, will open the festival at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5. Set around a lakeside house near Berlin, the film traces decades of German history through its residents, including the architect who builds it for his family, Jewish neighbors forced to flee and those who arrive later.
Schlöndorff’s 1979 film “The Tin Drum” won both the Academy Award for best foreign-language film and the Palme d’Or at Cannes. He will attend the opening as the festival’s guest of honor.
An additional screening of “Visitation” will take place at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6, followed by a conversation with the director moderated by Benjamin Tovias, film critic for Yedioth Ahronoth and ynet.
From 'Visitation'
(Photo: Courtesy of Lev Cinemas)
From 'Visitation'
(Photo: Courtesy of Lev Cinemas)
In a joint statement, Jerusalem Cinematheque CEO Roni Mahdav-Levin and festival artistic director Daniella Tourgeman-Glass said the opening and closing films share common concerns despite their different approaches.
“Though vastly different in style and cinematic language, both films explore, in their own ways, questions of identity, memory, belonging, and the challenges of navigating a changing reality,” they said.
The wider program will include documentaries, features, shorts, restored classics and archival films exploring Jewish life, culture, faith, antisemitism, Holocaust memory and relations between Judaism and other religions. Screenings will be accompanied by filmmaker discussions, lectures, workshops and panels. The full program will be announced later.
Tickets for the opening event go on sale Nov. 8, with sales for other screenings and the closing event beginning Nov. 22 through the Jerusalem Cinematheque website. Film tickets cost 43 shekels, or 38 shekels for students.