Film Screening

Beyond the Bolex

Film

Run time: 94 minutes
Available for streaming from Sunday, May 22 – Thursday, May 26, 2022 

The Saul and Harriet M. Rothkopf Media Program

In the 1920s Jewish immigrant inventor Jacques Bolsey aimed to disrupt the early film industry with a motion picture camera for the masses: the iconic Bolex. Over 90 years later, filmmaker Alyssa Bolsey pieces together the fragments of a forgotten family archive to reveal the epic story of her great-grandfather in Beyond the Bolex. Interviewing family members and renowned filmmakers including Jonas Mekas, Alyssa uncovers Jacques' dramatic life story and his impact on generations of people.

This virtual film screening is presented in conjunction with the exhibition Jonas Mekas: The Camera Was Always Running, celebrating the centenary of filmmaker, poet, artist, and Anthology Film Archives co-founder Jonas Mekas. Over 70 years, Mekas made 93 films and videos, amassing footage that was both a record of his life and a resource for his art and used the Bolex camera in much of his early work.

This program has been funded by a generous donation endowment from the Saul and Harriet M. Rothkopf Family Foundation.

Tickets: $12 General; $10 Jewish Museum Members.

For general tickets, click here.

Members click here for discounted tickets. 

Viewing can occur any time during the virtual screening window and includes a virtual conversation with Director/Producer Alyssa Bolsey and Aviva Weintraub, Director of the New York Jewish Film Festival.

This program is presented with captions.

Movie poster: Beyond the Bolex