Elliot Green (Jeremy Steyn) finds himself caught up in a whirlwind of caterers, guest lists, hairdressers and Torah study as Maria Charles’ endearingly fussy matriarch Rita prepares him for the most important day of his life.
Exhausted dad Victor (Bernard Spear) and elder sister Lesley (Adrienne Posta) take a more serene approach, but Eliot’s about to experience an acute case of cold feet.
Affectionately satirising the rituals of Jewish community and debunking the myth of adulthood, Jack Rosenthal’s witty time capsule of 1970s Britain holds a near‑mythical status in British Jewish culture and remains a landmark of UK television drama.
Special Screening: Thursday 28 May @ 6.30pm
On Thursday 28 May, join us for a special screening of the beloved classic. The screening will be preceded by an introduction, as well as a screening of the short film Beshert (2025), and will be followed by an in‑conversation discussion.
We will welcome Jason Solomons, film critic and presenter-turned-film producer whose debut production is the award-winning short Beshert. Alongside playwright Amy Rosenthal, Jack Rosenthal’s daughter, they will reflect on the award-winning screenwriter’s celebrated body of work and the enduring legacy of Bar Mitzvah Boy.
Audiences on Thursday 28 May will also receive a copy of Dr Julia Wagner’s essay Bar Mitzvah Boy, which was originally published with the BFI Blu‑ray edition of the film, distributed with the kind permission of both the BFI and the author.