JIFF: Lansky: The Jewish Godfather

This film is also showing at our sister cinemas, Lido Cinemas and Ritz Cinemas

Lansky: The Jewish Godfather

Australian Premiere

The untold story of the infamous Jewish-American gangster Meyer Lansky, and the gripping political dilemma he ignited when he fled to Israel in the 1970s.

Emerging from New York City’s Jewish underworld, Lansky – or “Little Man” – would strike fear across the United States for his illicit activity in gambling and money laundering. Less is known about Lansky’s fight against antisemitism during the rise of Nazism, his dramatic contribution to the establishment of the State of Israel, or his attempt to flee the United States as the FBI sought to investigate his involvement in the mafia.

Landing in Israel in the early 1970s, his presence presented Prime Minister Golda Meir with a profound dilemma: help him as a Jew seeking refuge, or hand him over to the Nixon administration as a fleeing criminal.

Constructed around the only interview he ever gave and the testimony of his secret mistress, this documentary reveals a mafioso mastermind with complex Jewish connections.

Festival Appearances/Awards
DocAviv 2025 – Official Selection

Rating

Unclassified 15+

Duration

80 min

Country

Israel, United States

Language

English, Hebrew (English subtitles)

Director

Avi Maor Marzuk