35TH TORONTO JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

In-theatre MAY 27 - JUNE 6, 2027

Looking for Yadida

Documentary

Sponsored By
Marsha Bronfman
Canadian premiere
June 11
2:00pm
scheduled
Leah Posluns Theatre
June 18
12:00am
online
Online at TJFF Virtual Cinema
1200usd for both Looking for Yadida and Tango for Rachel, both to presented in 1 physical screening and a 72-hour online window, geo-blocked to Ontario
COUNTRY
Israel
Year
2026
Running Time
64 minutes
Language
Hebrew
Subtitles
English
Director
Israela Shaer Meoded

Award-winning director Israela Shaer Meoded investigates the disappearance of her aunt Yadida as an infant from a Yemeni immigrant camp in 1950, one of hundreds of Mizrahi babies who vanished in Israel’s early years. Framing herself as a detective in a noir-styled inquiry, she explores newly opened archives and long-suppressed testimonies while confronting decades of denial by state commissions. Looking for Yadida exposes systemic discrimination and the enduring pain of families seeking truth about this unresolved chapter in Israel’s history. Both personal and political, the film challenges official narratives and compels Israeli society to confront an unresolved chapter of its history.

Live Zoom Q & A with
Director Israela Shaer Meoded
Reviews

“A moving and effective film.” The Jerusalem Post

Awards & Festivals
Winner – Best Director of a Documentary Film, Jerusalem Film Festival 2025
Community Partner(s)
Communaute Juive Marocaine
nosilenceonrace