About The Film

Inspired by the potential for variation in the design of sukkahs—the temporary dwellings built during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot—best-selling author Joshua Foer (Moonwalking with Einstein) challenged contemporary architects and designers to construct radical sukkahs. And so, in the heart of New York City, was born the design competition and exhibition known as Sukkah City: NYC 2010. This inspirational documentary from filmmaker Jason Hutt (ORTHODOX STANCE, SJFF 2008) tracks the competition from the jury’s review of more than 600 submissions to the construction and exhibition of the winning 12 designs.

These innovative sukkahs were presented during a two-day exhibition at Union Square, and the film follows the designers (few of them actually Jewish) through their design process and musings on the spirit of creation.

SUKKAH CITY creates an entertaining and inspiring story of the project’s visionary architects and captures a singular moment in the American Jewish experience.

Guest Speaker

Director Jason Hutt is a New York-based documentary filmmaker whose films explore unique individuals and cultures that most people don’t know about, don’t understand or take for granted. After graduating from Harvard with honors and participating in the Telluride Film Festival Student Symposium, Hutt worked in Hollywood as an assistant to Academy Award-nominated director/producer Mike Tollin. His  film ORTHODOX STANCE (SJFF 2009) is a portrait of Dmitriy Salita, a Russian immigrant, professional boxer and religious Jew in pursuit of a professional boxing title. The film premiered at the 2007 SILVERDOCS Festival, was broadcast by BBC Storyville in the UK, YES in Israel, MSG Network in New York and is being distributed on DVD by Indiepix. It received finishing funds from the Foundation for Jewish Culture, played theatrically in New York & Los Angeles, was a “Critic’s Pick” of the NEW YORK TIMES & NEW YORK MAGAZINE and won 2008 Best Documentary honors from the London Jewish Cultural Awards. Mr. Hutt also works as a freelance producer, director, cameraman and editor (BROADWAY MUSICALS, SJFF 2013) on video projects for production companies, corporations, musicians, artists and websites. He has been a teaching artist in NYC schools for The Leadership Program and Urban Arts Partnership.

Sponsor

• Glazer's Camera

Community Partner:

• Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation