Nineteen-year-old Semon Shabaev, a Jewish native of Berlin, is proud of his religious and cultural heritage, attending a Jewish school, participating in a Jewish theater group, and playing on a Jewish soccer team in his hometown. As the last generation of Holocaust survivors fades into history, a new wave of Jews, including Shabaev’s family, has emigrated to the country that attempted to eradicate them. Shabaev interviews community leaders, friends, and rabbis, observes a remembrance service, and facilitates a cross-cultural workshop as he examines German-Jewish identity. Mentored by filmmaker Anja Baron, Shabaev shines a light on resurgent Jewish life in Germany at a time of rising worldwide antisemitism.

New York metro area, THIRTEEN: Sunday, April 18, at 7:30 PM

National viewers, please check your local listings for air dates beginning April 6, 2021.

Teens document antisemitism, disability, generational trauma and globalization in Season Three of Films BYkids airing on public television beginning April 6, 2021.

The new season of Films BYkids presents teenagers from diverse cultures documenting their experience of struggle and triumph dealing with antisemitism, disability, generational trauma and globalization. A collaboration between THIRTEEN and BYkids, Films BYkids pairs accomplished filmmakers with teens from around the world to create short personal documentaries that encourage understanding about universal issues and help foster empathy and global citizenry.

In the New York metro area, the series begins airing on Sunday, April 18, at 7:00 p.m. on THIRTEEN.

Sunday, April 18, at 7:00 PM for AGAINST THE CURRENT
Sunday, April 18, at 7:30 PM for L’CHAIM
Sunday, April 25, at 7:00 PM for FAITH’S WORLD
Sunday, April 25, at 7:30 PM for BUDDHISM, BHUTAN AND ME

National viewers, please check your local listings for air dates beginning April 6, 2021.

AGAINST THE CURRENT screens at the Cinejoy Film Festival March 20-30 as part of a lineup of 200 films from 55 countries (111 of them world and U.S. premieres) and virtual experiences for a 10-day event that kicks off March 20. 

A group of 20 college kids from the Transdisciplinary Education and Arts Collaboration Hub (TEACH) imagined and organized a powerful night of film, conversation and engagement by partnering with the California Film Institute EDUCATION and BYkids with a screening of I COULD TELL YOU ‘BOUT MY LIFE (documenting Mike Martin’s return to Harlem after five months on Rikers Island), a live conversation between director Mike Martin and his mentor Chiemi Karasawa and moderated by Kenyamarie Mahone (TEACH member and Pomona College student) with a lively audience Q&A, a virtual after party featuring musical performances by Mike Martin, New York-based poet/Hip-Hop artist Messiah Ramkissoon and percussion artist Bashiri Johnson and an opportunity to TAKE ACTION.

We welcome two new Board members who bring amazing expertise to our mission, Maya Kopytman and Brian Mateo. Maya Kopytman is a partner at C&G Partners in New York City, a multi-specialty creative studio dedicated to design for culture. She has three decades of design experience and is internationally recognized for her pioneering work in interactive media. After more than a decade at IconNicholson, where she served as Chief Creative Officer, Maya joined C&G Partners in 2006, where she leads interactive, web and branding for non-profit and cultural institutions.

Brian Mateo is Bard College’s Associate Dean of Civic Engagement and Director of Strategic Partnerships for the Globalization and International Affairs Program. Brian is also a term member on the Council on Foreign Relations, a trustee at the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, a Truman National Security Project fellow and a Climate Reality Leader.

Amelia Spalter (Brown University, Class of 2022) interviews Founder and Executive Director of BYkids, Holly Carter, for “Brown University Interviews”.