The Jewish movie moment I’ve personally been waiting years for is finally here: “The Floaters,” a Jewish summer camp movie starring Jackie Tohn, Sarah Podemski and Seth Green, is coming to theaters on July 10 — perfectly timed for summer camp season.
Directed by Rachel Israel, the movie stars the “Nobody Wants This” favorite, mah jongg lover and all around menschy actress Tohn as Nomi, a musician who takes up a job at her BFF’s summer camp after some band-related drama. Nomi, who is floating herself, is assigned to supervise the floaters, the kids who can not find their camp niche. Meanwhile, Podemski’s campy goodie-two shoes character Mara is stuck dealing with all the logistics and craziness of running the camp. (Anyone who has ever worked at a Jewish summer camp will feel so seen by this movie!)
This movie has everything. Dancing to Hebrew music, Aya Cash as an awesome camp rabbi, camp conversations about Israel and, perhaps most exciting to Jewish millennials, Seth Green as the resident villain, the rivaling camp director! (Kveller talked to Green about his experience filming this movie and his personal life-altering experience at Jewish summer camp.)
If that’s not enough (dayenu?), the movie also features “Police Academy” star and Pacific Palisades wildfire hero Steve Guttenberg and Jill Kargman, whose wonderfully Jewish and funny movie “Influenced” is out in theaters right now (and was also directed by Israel). And that’s just the tip of the iceberg of Jewish talent in this movie, which ranges from pro wrestler Maxwell Jacob Friedman to young Guatemalan Jewish actress Nina Bloomgarden. You can read all about the rest of the cast in our first write up of “The Floaters.”
And just to seal the deal on why we’re so excited for this movie, it was filmed at an actual Jewish summer camp, New York’s Camp Tel Yehudah. The Korman siblings, who produce the movie, have a personal connection to the camp: their parents met there! So sweet!
“’The Floaters’ is a joyful summer comedy about finding your people and leaving your mark,” Israel shared in a statement this week. “We’re thrilled to share an experience of summer camp that audiences have never seen before.”
So get your lanyards, tie dye shirts and your acoustic guitars ready for the Jewish feel good movie of the summer. I truly can’t wait.
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