Discovering Ruth

Name: Discovering Ruth
Released: 2026-08-18
Duration: 51 min

<p style="margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-width: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: system-ui; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;">Join us along with Harvard University President Emeritus Lawrence Bacow and special guests for a free sneak peek screening, pre-show reception, and conversation about the new documentary DISCOVERING RUTH on Tuesday, August 18, before its official premiere at the Boston Jewish Film Festival later this year.<p style="margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-width: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: system-ui; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"> <p style="margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-width: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: system-ui; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;">The film shares the story of Larry Bacow's mother, Holocaust survivor Ruth Wertheim Bacow, through the perspectives of Ruth's children and German high school teacher Jens Hausner. While researching his own family history Jens discovers the erased Jewish history of his small German village of Londorf—and the story of Ruth, the only survivor of the village's 1942 Nazi deportation. As Jens confronts his family's ties to the Nazi Party, his journey also leads him to Ruth's family in America. Ruth’s story ultimately comes full circle, deepening our understanding of the past while offering a powerful reflection on the dangerous parallels we face today.<p style="margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-width: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: system-ui; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"> <p style="margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-width: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: system-ui; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;">Following the screening, in addition to Larry Bacow, we will be joined by Ruth's daughter, Lainey Simonson; Ruth's lifelong friend and fellow Holocaust survivor, Hannelore Noé; and producer Ceci Chan, for a special conversation about the film and Ruth's legacy.<p style="margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-width: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: system-ui; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; min-height: 20.3px;"> <p style="margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-width: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: system-ui; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal;">Pre-show reception starts at 6 pm, film starts at 7 pm.<div> </div>PT51M2026-08-18Discovering Ruth"Discovering Ruth"

Showtimes

August 18, 7:00 pm