Beyond the Filter: Q&A with Jill Kargman on Influenced
Tanya Schevitz, Chief Innovation and Communications Officer at Reboot, spoke with writer and star Jill Kargman (New York Times best-selling author and creator of Bravo TV’s Odd Mom Out) about her new film Influenced, a hilariously foul-mouthed, warm-hearted satire of New York City’s Upper East Side “influencer” culture that opens May 8 in theaters. What interested us about this film is that while it’s incredibly funny and sharply observed in its portrayal of influencer culture, status and performative giving, it’s also doing something deeper. It starts in a world that’s about being seen, but over the course of the story, it becomes much more about actually seeing other people and about the responsibility that can come with that. Those ideas are in the world of the film itself, in the B’nai Mitzvah storyline, in the questions it raises about charity culture and obligation. Watch the video interview or read the written Q&A to learn more through our conversation with Kargman.
There’s no single way to be Jewish in America. It’s shaped by migration and memory, tradition, reinvention and stories passed down and stories still being written. This Jewish American Heritage Month, Reboot invites you to explore a range of projects created by artists across our network and in our community, each offering a different lens on Jewish identity, culture and experience. From film and theater to food, digital interpretations and archival storytelling, these works reflect a Jewish culture that is expansive, evolving and deeply rooted in lived experience. This is not one narrative. It’s many. Together, these projects offer a snapshot of Jewish culture as it is being created and redefined today. The annual celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month is organized by the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History. Download Reboot’s guide.
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This Is What Jewish Looks Like
Underscoring that there is no singular way to “look Jewish” or “be Jewish,” Reboot Studios collaborated with Paramount Global on This is What Jewish Looks Like, a video short for Jewish American Heritage Month that celebrates the rich tapestry of Jewish identity. The visual techniques in the piece challenge stereotypes and preconceived notions of identity, especially important at a time when tensions are high among American Jews. Photographer Brian Molyneaux captured portraits of individuals who identify as Jewish, highlighting the rich diversity within the Jewish community across various dimensions such as age, gender and race. See the video short here.
Reboot is an arts and culture non-profit that reimagines and reinforces Jewish thought and traditions, offering an inviting mix of discovery, experience and reflection. Through Reboot Studios, our media investment and development arm, we fund and produce projects in television, film, theater, podcasts, music, publishing and beyond. We also provide a variety of educational experiences and resources connected to the arts.
Reboot envisions powerful creative arts and cultural experiences – drawn from the rich treasures of Judaism – transforming, inspiring and rekindling Jewish connections and meaning in our day-to-day lives.
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More than 1,500 organizations have partnered with Reboot to find new pathways into Jewish ideas and rituals. We believe in the idea of providing “tools and not rules” and all of our projects are adaptable to be authentic to your community.