Boulder Jewish Film Festival: We Met at Grossinger’s
Sunday, November 1 at Grace Gamm Theatre, Boulder
Grace Gamm Theatre $20.70
About this event
TICKETS Built and run by three generations of trailblazing women, the Catskills’ premier resort became the epicenter of American Jewish life, an embodiment of Jewish values, and a breeding ground for a generation of Jewish comics. The real-life inspiration for “Dirty Dancing,” it accommodated 1,000 guests a day and featured a 27-hole golf course, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis, boating, horseback riding, flying lessons on its private airstrip, dancing – and in the winter skiing, sledding and skating – a mountain of food, around-the-clock entertainment, and the best singers and comics in the world. This nostalgic ode to the bygone glory of Grossinger’s is above all a homage to Jennie Grossinger, whose charm, hospitality and business acumen were crucial to the resort’s unrivaled success. Jennie was also a champion of civil rights who used her position to welcome African American athletes and performers, who became personal friends. The Catskill resorts were created to serve the needs of Jews excluded from American life. By welcoming a wide range of celebrities and politicians, Grossinger’s served as a model of inclusion that reflected and shaped a changing America. Documentary/104 minutes/In English/2026 Directed by Paula Eiselt
What to expect
The film is a nostalgic portrait of Grossinger's, which hosted 1,000 guests a day. It had a 27-hole golf course, pools, a private airstrip, skiing in winter, a mountain of food and around-the-clock entertainment. It centers on Jennie Grossinger, who built the place with three generations of women. It also covers her civil rights work, welcoming African American athletes and performers who became friends. The Catskill resorts were made for Jews excluded from American life, and the film argues Grossinger's became a model of inclusion that helped shape a changing America. It also traces the resort's role in launching a generation of Jewish comics.
Why go
The film suits anyone curious about American Jewish history, Catskills comedy or the real story behind "Dirty Dancing." The festival is a community event, and the Grace Gamm is a small, fixed-seat theater of about 116 seats. That makes it an intimate room for a documentary. The Dairy's Polk Cafe is also nearby.
Where
Grace Gamm Theatre · Walnut Street · Boulder CODirections