Sapiro vs. Ford: The Jew Who Sued Henry Ford

Friday, Apr 3
2:30

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Sapiro vs. Ford: The Jew Who Sued Henry Ford

Q&A with director Gaylen Ross and actor Ben Shenkman on March 26

2025. 69 m. Gaylen Ross. Independent. US/Canada. English. Rated NR.

Auto tycoon Henry Ford was America’s wealthiest man in America, and its most notorious anti-Semite. (He published the four-volume The International Jew: The World’s Foremost Problem). In 1927, the young Jewish lawyer and labor organizer Aaron Sapiro sued Ford for defamation. The courageous David vs. Goliath court case, considered the nation’s first hate speech trial, is the subject of this riveting documentary, which was originated by the late Michael Rose, and completed by Gaylen Ross. Resourcefully bringing the story to life with archival footage, animation, and Sapiro’s words dramatized by actor Ben Shenkman, Ross has brought to life an important chapter in the story of extremism and resistance that is all too timely.

Tickets (on March 26 with Q&A): $20 (members), $25 (nonmembers)
Tickets (other showtimes): $13 (members), $18 (nonmembers)

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Q&A with director Gaylen Ross and actor Ben Shenkman moderated by festival curator David Schwartz

Thursday, Mar. 26 2026, 4:00

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Gaylen Ross is an award-winning documentary director, writer, and producer with over 25 years of experiences, including Emmy-winning Blood Money: Switzerland's Nazi Gold and multiple films that premiered at major international festivals like Berlin, Toronto, and Hamptons. Her notable works include Killing Kasztner: The Jew Who Dealt With Nazis (theatrical releases in US, Israel, and France), Dealers Among Dealers (PBS) and two Chin documentaries co-directed with Andy Cohen and executive produced by Ai Weiwei. She serves as an Honorary Board member of the Indiana Jewish Historical Society and was named one of four Jewish women shaping Indiana history.
Ben Shenkman (in the role of Aaron Sapiro) is known to TV audiences for seven seasons of Showtime’s Billions and series regular roles on Shondaland's ABC series For the People and USA's Royal Pains. He recurred on Curb Your Enthusiasm, and was featured in HBO's acclaimed limited series The Night Of and Angels in America (Emmy and Golden Globe nominations). He'll next be seen in Ryan Murphy's upcoming JFK Jr. drama Love Story. Movie credits include last year's indie standout Christmas Eve in Miller's Point, The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Gotham Award), Blue Valentine, Then She Found Me, and Pi. On Broadway, he appeared in Larry David's Fish in the Dark, Sight Unseen and Proof (Tony nomination).
David Schwartz is a New York–based film curator and writer, and former Chief Curator at the Museum of the Moving Image. A recipient of the New York Film Critics Circle’s Career Achievement Award, he is currently Director of Film Programming at the Barrymore Film Center and President of The Film-makers’ Cooperative. He previously programmed the Paris Theater for Netflix and has worked with leading institutions including Film Forum, Metrograph, and the Kennedy Center. Schwartz is also the editor of David Cronenberg: Interviews and has taught film history at Purchase College and NYU.