At the 2026 edition of the Toronto Jewish Film Festival, Elena’s War and Life is Beautiful offer two powerful and deeply different portraits of Jewish resistance, resilience, and humanity in the shadow of the Holocaust.
TORONTO JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL 2026
ELENA’S WAR
Elena del ghetto
IN-PERSON SCREENING
Sunday, June 7 | 2:00PM
CINEPLEX CINEMAS
Empress Walk
5095 Yonge St | 3rd Floor,
North York ON
ONLINE STREAMING
Monday, June 15 to Wednesday, June 17
TJFF Virtual Cinema
Closed captioning available for online screening
NOTE: All films are geo-blocked to Ontario
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This historical drama tells the true story of Elena Di Porto, a rebellious Jewish woman in Rome’s ghetto during World War II. Known for defying social norms and openly confronting fascist authorities, Elena was repeatedly arrested yet refused to remain silent. As Nazi control tightened in 1943, she joined the resistance and discovered plans for a mass roundup of Rome’s Jews. Racing through the streets, she tried to warn her neighbours and save lives. Branded “Elena the Crazy,” her courage and defiance made her a threat to the regime. The film honours her extraordinary bravery and lasting impact on the history of Rome’s Jewish community.
CANADIAN PREMIERE
COUNTRY ITALY
YEAR 2025
RUN TIME 98 MIN
LANGUAGE ITALIAN
SUBTITLES ENGLISH
DIRECTOR STEFANO CASERTANO
LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL:
MICHEL KICHKA CARTE BLANCHE
La vita è bella
Saturday, June 13 | 1:00PM
AL GREEN THEATRE
Mile Nadal JCC
750 Spadina Ave | Toronto ON
USE CODE IIC@TJFF TO RECEIVE A 15% DISCOUNT
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS
TJFF2026’s Artist in Residence, Israeli-Belgian cartoonist Michel Kichka presents a special screening of Roberto Benigni’s Oscar-winning film. For those who admired it—and those who have long been skeptical—this is a chance to revisit Life is Beautiful with fresh eyes. Blending comedy and tragedy, the story follows Guido, a father who uses imagination and humor to protect his young son from the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp. Upon its release, the film sparked both acclaim and debate about its daring tonal approach. Seeing it again today invites a thoughtful reassessment of Benigni’s much-discussed film, often compared to Jerry Lewis’ uncompleted The Day the Clown Cried.
Part of the series, Artist in Residence: Michel Kichka
COUNTRY ITALY
YEAR 1997
RUN TIME 116 MIN
LANGUAGE ITALIAN, GERMAN, ENGLISH
SUBTITLES ENGLISH
DIRECTOR ROBERTO BENIGNI
Presented by the Toronto Jewish Film Festival, and Community Partners: Istituto Italiano di Cultura Toronto and ICFF – Italian Contemporary Film Festival.