In conversation: Nina Menkes

“Hebrew is a big part of my life. I’m not a religious Jew, but spiritual questions are central to my work and life”

Jewish American filmmaker Nina Menkes has been a pioneer of independent cinema since the 1980s, challenging conventions through her unwavering and unique vision. The BFI Southbank is currently running a retrospective of her work, in light of which Menkes sits down to chat with critic and lecturer Dr Julia Wagner. Menkes discusses her latest documentary, Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power; the significance of being a child of parents who fled the Holocaust; and the visual and aural style of her films.

Cinematic Sorceress: The Films of Nina Menkes runs until Wednesday 31 May. Times and prices vary. BFI Southbank, SE1 8XT. whatson.bfi.org.uk

In conversation: Amos Gitai

“All my work is a civic gesture – about war, about religion – about the issues I'm interested in”

As acclaimed as he is controversial, Israeli filmmaker Amos Gitai speaks to Judi Herman about the theatrical staging of one of his films in London this month, as well as his screening at the UK Jewish Film Festival. The performance of A Letter to a Friend in Gaza, based on his 2018 film of the same name, features four actors from Israel and Palestine, onstage with Gitai himself and three musicians, seeking common ground between the opposing sides. At UKJFF his 2018 film A Tramway in Jerusalem takes its audience on a tram journey that reflects the city’s fragmentation, even as it celebrates its diversity. Note: this conversation was recorded before the current escalation of tensions and violence in Israel and Gaza, which sadly makes it all the more timely.

A Letter to a Friend in Gaza runs Monday 18 - Saturday 23 November. 7.30pm. £30, £25 concs. The Coronet Theatre, W11 3LB. 020 3642 6606. www.thecoronettheatre.com

A Tramway in Jerusalem takes place Thursday 21 November. 8.30pm. £15. Ciné Lumière, SW7 2DT. https://ukjewishfilm.org