Beyond the Filter: Q&A with Jill Kargman on Influenced
Tanya Schevitz, Chief Innovation and Communications Officer at Reboot, spoke with writer and star Jill Kargman (New York Times best-selling author and creator of Bravo TV’s Odd Mom Out) about her new film Influenced, a hilariously foul-mouthed, warm-hearted satire of New York City’s Upper East Side “influencer” culture that opens May 8 in theaters. What interested us about this film is that while it’s incredibly funny and sharply observed in its portrayal of influencer culture, status and performative giving, it’s also doing something deeper. It starts in a world that’s about being seen, but over the course of the story, it becomes much more about actually seeing other people and about the responsibility that can come with that. Those ideas are in the world of the film itself, in the B’nai Mitzvah storyline, in the questions it raises about charity culture and obligation. Watch the video interview or read the written Q&A to learn more through our conversation with Kargman.
Underscoring that there is no singular way to “look Jewish” or “be Jewish,” Reboot Studios collaborated with Paramount Global on This is What Jewish Looks Like, a video short for Jewish American Heritage Month that celebrates the rich tapestry of Jewish identity. The visual techniques in the piece challenge stereotypes and preconceived notions of identity, especially important at a time when tensions are high among American Jews. Photographer Brian Molyneaux captured portraits of individuals who identify as Jewish, highlighting the rich diversity within the Jewish community across various dimensions such as age, gender and race. See the video short here.
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Mashhad: Available Exclusively on ChaiFlicks
Reboot Studios short film Mashhad streaming exclusively on ChaiFlicks. Set in the holy Islamic city of Mashhad in 1930’s Iran, Mashhad follows Miriam, a young Jewish ghetto girl struggling to understand why her family conceal who they are. An innocent day playing with a neighborhood friend soon threatens the fragile safety of two households. Produced by Reboot Studios and inspired by writer-director Sarah Solemani’s family history in the Mashhadi Jewish community, the film offers a rare cinematic window onto a long-suppressed chapter of Iranian Jewish life. Though set in the past, the story of Mashhad resonates today as conversations about Iran and its people often overlook the complexity of the country’s history and the diverse communities who have lived there. Learn more here.
Reboot is an arts and culture non-profit that reimagines and reinforces Jewish thought and traditions, offering an inviting mix of discovery, experience and reflection. Through Reboot Studios, our media investment and development arm, we fund and produce projects in television, film, theater, podcasts, music, publishing and beyond. We also provide a variety of educational experiences and resources connected to the arts.
Reboot envisions powerful creative arts and cultural experiences – drawn from the rich treasures of Judaism – transforming, inspiring and rekindling Jewish connections and meaning in our day-to-day lives.
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More than 1,500 organizations have partnered with Reboot to find new pathways into Jewish ideas and rituals. We believe in the idea of providing “tools and not rules” and all of our projects are adaptable to be authentic to your community.