The Catskills Borscht Belt Museum unveiled the curated lineup of films presented at the 2nd annual Borscht Belt Film Fest, taking place October 31 – November 2, 2025 in Ellenville.
The weekend kicks off on Friday, October 31, at 5:30 p.m., with an opening night “Dirty Dancing” party at the Museum followed by a screening of the iconic 1987 film at Shadowland Stages. Guests are encouraged to dress like the stars of “Dirty Dancing.” Stay for the conversation between the film’s screenwriter Eleanor Bergstein and former New York Times journalist Joyce Wadler.
Emmy-winning comedian and actor Judy Gold will be the guest of honor at the party, where she will receive the first Borscht Belt Film Fest Mensch Award. But before that, join Judy at The Common Good for a seriously funny chat about her career and how the Borscht Belt shaped it. She will sign copies of her book about free speech, “Yes, I Can Say That.”
“The Borscht Belt Film Fest is a feast for everyone, whether you vacationed here decades ago, or you’re fascinated by the rich history of the region,” said Festival Director Melody Gilbert. “Our 2025 lineup features films about a summer camp for young actors, a bungalow colony for Holocaust survivors, trans and Latino vacationers, plus a laugh-out-loud history of Catskills Jewish stand-up comedy! Take part in lively post-screening discussions with filmmakers, actors, and experts. Connect with fellow vacationers and relive cherished memories of Borscht Belt days gone by.”
This year’s film lineup will all screen at Shadowland Stages, 157 Canal Street in Ellenville.
Highlights include:
“When Comedy Went to School” (Dir: Mevlut Akkaya, Ron Frank).
The Catskills was the cradle for American stand-up comedy. Legends like Jerry Lewis, Joan Rivers, and Jerry Seinfeld began by performing for demanding Borscht Belt audiences.
Nov. 1 at 8pm. Conversation with director Ron Frank and comedian Alex Grubard.
“Casa Susanna” (dir. Sébastien Lifshitz) preceded by “All About Amy” (directors Samuel Centore, Gene Fischer).
”Casa Susanna” celebrates a Northern Catskills bungalow colony, which drew male cross-dressers, now seen as early trans activists. “All About Amy” depicts a trans Ellenville taxi driver at the crossroads in life. Nov. 1 at 2:45pm. Conversation with trans activist Eve Papp and filmmaker Gene Fischer.
“The Dancing Man: Peg Leg Bates” (dir. Dave Davidson)
The story of Clayton “Peg Leg” Bates, the famous one-legged black tap dancer, whose vacation retreat drew Blacks seeking relief from bigotry.
Nov. 2 at 2:00 p.m. Conversation with director Dave Davidson, producer Amber Edwards, and Gammy Singer of the Ulster County NAACP.
“The Front” (dir. Martin Ritt)
In the 1940s and 1950s, conservative politicians launched a blacklist that destroyed countless show business careers — and lives. Stars Woody Allen and Zero Mostel. Nov. 2 at 11:15 a.m. Conversation with Lita Slutsky Newman Moses from Arrowhead Lodge, historian Daniel Moses and Jewish film historian Eve Sicular.
“Villa Encanto” (Dir. Joel Perez)
A snapshot of 1960s life from the Latino Borscht Belt. “Villa Encanto,” executive produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda, premiered at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival.
Nov. 1 at 6:30 p.m. Conversation with director Joel Pérez, Latino Borscht Belt historian Ish Martinez, blogger Carla Ramos.
Other incredible films in the lineup include:
“Four Seasons Lodge” (dir. Andrew Jacobs).
A group of Holocaust survivors finds a new life at a summer bungalow colony.
Nov. 1 at 12:45 p.m. Conversation with director Andrew Jacobs, historian Peter Alan Chester, and Jewish film programmer Isaac Zablocki.
“Stagedoor” (dir. Alexandra Shiva) Tomorrow’s Broadway stars prepare at a Catskills musical summer camp.
Nov. 1 at 10:30 a.m. Conversation with director Alexandra Shiva and former Stagedoor Manor camper Linnea Sage.
Oy, Such Nice Shorts! Short films about the Borscht Belt.
Screening of “America’s Forgotten Paradise” (Dir. Erik K. Swanson), “Villa Encanto” (Dir. Joel Perez); “Ellenville Rising” (dir. Jack Huppert); and “Let’s Fall In Love: A Singles Weekend at the Concord Hotel” (dir. Constance Marks); Nov. 2 at 4:00 p.m. at Shadowland Stages.
In addition to the films, attend Saturday morning’s A Conversation with Actor-Director Joel Pérez. From Broadway to TV to directing films like this festival’s “Villa Encanto,” this artist is on the rise. Pérez will discuss his dynamic career with Liz Nord, an Emmy-winning producer and filmmaker, currently Head of Programs and Creative Development at the New York University Production Lab.
The Borscht Belt Film Fest is presented by the Catskills Borscht Belt Museum in Ellenville. The museum is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Borscht Belt resort era, and celebrating its history as a refuge from bigotry, the cradle of stand-up comedy and a cultural catalyst that left deep imprints on America.
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