DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

The Friendship Bicycle

Shot, directed, and edited by Jonah Stern

The Friendship Bicycle is a short film about local Philadelphia bicycle maker, Steve Bilenky, and his workshop, Bilenky Cycleworks, where he makes custom bikes. One day in May of 2021, Steve received a suspicious email from the U.S. State Department. This correspondence would lead to the commission of a lifetime: building a custom bike for President Joe BIden to give to a foreign leader as a diplomatic gift. The only catch: his team would have to put it together in just a few weeks with some very serious constraints.

The Musician | FIDF Holocaust Stories

Shot by Jonah Stern and Jonathan Wexler, Edited by Jonah Stern

The Musician tells the incredible true story of how David Wisnia used his musical talents to survive the Holocaust. After later escaping from the Nazis, he joined the American army and was able to fight back. This short film was made for Friends of the IDF to highlight the importance of Israel for the Jewish people from the perspective of Holocaust survivors.

For another moving testimonial, check out The Watchmaker: Jay Kuperman's Holocaust Survival Story.

Following Food Dreams

Shot, directed, and edited by Jonah Stern

Following Food Dreams describes the story of how Jamie Shanker went from eating her grandmother’s matzoh ball soup in Queens to blogging about Chinese food and giving food tours in Philly. Jamie’s journey was not straightforward and it took a number of diversions to take her to where she is today. This video was made when Jamie was still blogging for the website Midtown Lunch, but now you can find her writing and services at Philly Food Adventures!

Jouvenir Artist Profile: Tal Shtuhl

Shot, directed, and edited by Jonah Stern

This artist profile for Jouvenir highlights the work and life of Philadelphia jazz musician Tal Shtuhl. Tal’s parents and grandparents are all Israeli. Growing up in Philadelphia and playing jazz his whole life, Tal feels that music can act as a powerful medium to help bridge barriers. As he’s reconnected with his Israeli background, Tal has become inspired by the Israeli art and music scenes. He feels that through music, he can try to make a difference and provide a small step toward connecting Israeli and Palestinian children.

A Dynamic Dialogue

Shot, directed, and edited by Jonah Stern

A Dynamic Dialogue is a short film about six American Fulbright Scholars teaching English to elementary school children in Jinmen--a small, semi-rural Taiwanese archipelago that sits just off the coast of Mainland China and was a front-line during the Chinese Civil War. The English teachers decide to stage the first dance flash mob on the islands with their students.  They describe their experiences in this unique society where foreigners are rare and English-speakers are scarce.  The Americans try to use dance as a means of bridging the cultural and linguistic barriers between them and the locals.