Babka: short film screening and panel discussion

Join us for a screening of Serena Dykman's award-winning short BABKA, starring Saul Rubinek, followed by a conversation with the director, the Israel Guide Dog Centre UK, and guide dog owner Gary Mazin and his dog Chip. And yes, there will be babka.

Funny, warm and surprisingly moving, BABKA stars Saul Rubinek (Warehouse 13, Unforgiven, True Romance, Hunters) alongside Jonny Beauchamp (Penny Dreadful), 2 time Tony nominated-Betsy Aidem, Hani Furstenberg and Ronald Guttman.

The film was made with The Seeing Eye, the oldest guide dog school in the world, which lent a real guide dog and trained the lead actors in handling.

BABKA has been an official selection at 30+ film festivals, including Oscar qualifiers. The recipient of 7 awards and a Humanitas Prize and Webby Award nominee.

Serena Dykman first had the idea while walking her own medical alert dog through Hasidic Brooklyn. She noticed people stepping away from her dog, until a baker explained that the Jewish Orthodox community isn't used to dogs. What if a dog had to live in the community...? Thus started BABKA, which is now being developed into a feature film in partnership with Steven Spielberg-backed Reboot Studios.

Serena last came to JW3 in 2018 with her documentary feature NANA, and we're delighted to have her back.

After the screening, Serena will be in conversation with:

Karen Brosh, Executive Director of Israel Guide Dog Centre UK, which breeds, trains and partners guide dogs with blind and visually impaired people in Israel.

Gary Mazin, Stories Manager at RNIB, who has lived with sight and hearing loss himself and has spent his career helping people tell their own stories of sight loss. Gary will be joined by his guide dog Chip.