NJJFF: Documentary Double Feature: Jerry's Last Mission & The Path Forward

Post-screening Q&A with filmmakers Mike Yellin and Julie Cohen

Jerry’s Last Mission
Director: Louisa Merino
2021, USA, 58 minutes
English and Japanese with English subtitles
Documentary

Newark-born fighter pilot Jerry Yellin flew combat missions on Iwo Jima and over Japan, including the last combat mission of World War II. He returned home with PTSD, suffering survivor’s guilt and daily thoughts of suicide, with a deep hatred for Japanese people. This documentary illustrates how Yellin overcame his hatred and mental health struggles, embraced his blended family after his youngest son married a Japanese woman, and dedicated his golden years to teaching humanism and peace to other veterans and schoolchildren.

Mike Yellen, Jerry’s son and an executive producer of Jerry’s Last Mission, will join us for a Q&A following the film.

The Path Forward
Director: Julie Cohen, Mo Husseini
2024, USA, 39 minutes
English, Hebrew, and Arabic with English subtitles
Documentary

As the discourse about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict becomes increasingly vitriolic and destructive, powerful alternative voices are emerging. A growing chorus of Palestinians and Israeli Jews are speaking up — often in cross-cultural pairs — against violence and retribution and for peace, justice, empathy, and sanity. The Path Forward amplifies the voices of three eloquent and inspiring pairs of activists: Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon, who have both lost family members to the conflict; Sally Abed and Alon-Lee Green of the coexistence group Standing Together; and feminist peace activists Yael Braudo-Bahat and Riman Barakat. Interweaving their moving on-stage dialogues in the U.S. and Europe with their poignant life stories, this documentary creates a tapestry of voices seeking a peaceful future. This film is designed to be non-triggering and contains no images of war, death, or public protests. Instead, viewers will be immersed in the open-minded and open-hearted world of innovative thinkers pursuing a new path forward.

Codirector Julie Cohen (RBG, The Sturgeon Queens) will join us for a Q&A following the film.

Host or Publisher JCC MetroWest