JIFF program to launch with Surviving Malka Leifer
Co-presented with The AJN, the 2025 JIFF program will launch with a screening of Surviving Malka Leifer, followed by a panel discussion with the crew and sisters.
When filmmaker Adam Kamien first encountered the story of three sisters fighting to bring their former school principal to justice, he was sitting in the Australian Jewish News newsroom where the scandal initially broke.
Now, more than a decade later, his documentary Surviving Malka Leifer premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival, will debut on Stan on October 5, and will launch the Jewish International Film Festival program for 2025.
The film will screen at the program launch, co-presented by The AJN, and will be followed by a panel featuring Kamien alongside Dassi Erlich, Elly Sapper and Nicole Meyer, moderated by The AJN‘s Carly Adno.
Having covered previous child sexual abuse scandals within the Jewish community during his time at the paper, including the Manny Waks trials and the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Kamien understood the complexities of the Malka Leifer case. And the sensitivities.
What drew Kamien to transform this news story into a documentary was deeply personal.
“Social justice has always been important for me,” he explained. “The story of Dassi, Elly and Nicole really spoke to me, because, particularly in a closed community like Adass, speaking out comes with some pretty serious ramifications.”
The documentary, shot over five years, captures more than just the legal battle.
“Documentary allows you to convey a sense of who a person is,” Kamien explained. “They’re not defined solely by this incredible thing that they did.”
Through intimate access, viewers witness not just the survivors’ courage but their humanity, including their growth, resilience and the relationships that sustained them throughout the very long legal process.
The emotional toll of the project was significant for everyone involved.
“It leaves a mark. It’s tough,” Kamien admitted, before saying though that he had the luxury of perspective. “However difficult it was for me in that time, what must it have been like for them?”
Kamien told The AJN that his ultimate goal extends beyond storytelling, hoping that the film encourages awareness and leads to behaviour change.
“I think change comes about because either the culture shifts, and people have a better understanding of what child sexual abuse does to survivors, what trauma is. The other thing is, they may change their behaviour because they’re worried they’re going to end up on a documentary that ends up in cinemas and on streaming,” Kamien laughed.
“Either way, I’m happy, as long as the behaviour changes.”
As Surviving Malka Leifer prepares for its streaming release and ahead of the JIFF program launch, Kamien feels “a deep sense of pride” with a side of nervousness. He said though that the most important audience have already seen the film – Dassi, Elly and Nicole themselves.
“If the sisters didn’t feel like we had done their story justice, then none of it means anything. And they do feel that way, and they are proud.”
The launch of the 2025 Jewish International Film Festival, co-presented by The Australian Jewish News will feature the screening of the Stan Original film Surviving Malka Leifer followed by a panel. Join us in Sydney on September 18 at 7pm or in Melbourne on September 21 at 4pm. For tickets, visit jiff.com.au