Mashhad: A Hidden Chapter of Iranian Jewish History
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. The film premiered at the 2025 HollyShorts Film Festival and Tiffany Haddish hosted a special Mashhad screening and Q&A with Solemani, October 16 at the Museum of Tolerance Los Angeles. Find out more here.
Is there a wrong way to talk about the Holocaust? That’s the question at the heart of The Anne Frank Gift Shop, a dark Reboot Studios comedy short by writer Mickey Rapkin (Pitch Perfect) about antisemitism that packs a vital and timely message. The film, shortlisted for the best live action short category for the 96th Academy Awards, is now streaming on ChaiFlicks, the world’s leading streaming platform dedicated to Jewish content. In the film, a team of designers is tasked with rebranding the Anne Frank House gift shop. What follows is an absurd and unsettling pitch meeting where they debate strategies ranging from TikTok campaigns and true-crime podcasts to Instagram-famous cats and influencer tie-ins. Learn more here.
Featured
Magic and Mystics
Reviving the 1920s film, The Golem: How He Came Into the World, Reboot reimagined the classic horror film as eight-part episodic series, each segment newly scored by renowned musicians and hosted by leading scholars, composers and film historians. Together, they explored the film’s lasting impact, its haunting music and its rich connections to Jewish history, occultism, Hollywood, tradition and astrology. In this episode, scored by Threshing Floor, we explore the themes of magic and mystics, Jewish folklore, Talmud and philosophy with Dr. Justin Sledge, a professor of philosophy and religion in the Metro-Detroit area. He looks at the mystical spiritual leader Judah Loew ben Bezalel or “Rabbi Lowe” in The Golem film, who, in an effort to protect his people and avoid their expulsion, creates a massive warrior out of clay, using magic to bring him to life. Watch 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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