Mar

9 2025

HJFF Closing film: Nathan-ism

2:00PM - 4:00PM  

Wadsworth Atheneum 600 Main St
Hartford, CT 06103

Contact Jennifer Sharp
jsharp@mandelljcc.org

$ Cost $ 15.00

The Phyllis Hoffman Hartford Jewish Film Festival, in collaboration with the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, presents NATHAN-ism, a fascinating documentary by Elan Golod that delves into the life and work of Nathan Hilu, a little-known “outsider artist” whose experiences as a U.S. Army guard of top Nazi war criminals at the Nuremberg trials fueled a lifelong artistic obsession. The son of Syrian Jewish immigrants, Hilu spent the next 70 years creating vivid, intricate artworks that blend history and personal myth, challenging the line between memory and imagination. Through Golod’s lens, viewers witness the evolution of Hilu’s work, a powerful testament to art as both archive and invention. This absorbing film captures one man’s urgent need to share his unique version of history with a world that isn’t always willing to listen. Join us for a reception following the screening to discuss Hilu's journey, the role of art in preserving memory, and the complexities of truth.