About this Event
Join us for the San Francisco premiere of Hold On To Your Music: A Mother’s Legacy, including a live performance by internationally acclaimed concert pianist Mona Golabek.
Vienna, 1938. The parents of 14-year-old piano prodigy Lisa Jura faced an unimaginable choice: which of their three daughters to send to safety on the Kindertransport. They chose Lisa. She arrived alone in London, carrying her dreams, memories of her family, and her mother’s parting words: "Hold on to your music."
Directed by Academy Award nominated Josh Aronson and Emmy Award winner Adam Wood, the film tells Lisa’s remarkable story through rare archival footage, newly restored recordings, and performances by her daughter, Mona Golabek. Drawing on Golabek’s best-selling book and acclaimed stage production, The Pianist of Willesden Lane, it celebrates the enduring power of music and a mother’s love – a story that has reached more than 20 million people worldwide.
Following the screening and live performance, Golabek joins director Josh Aronson and producer Susan Solomon Libitzky in conversation with executive producer, Dr. Anita Friedman.
Best Documentary | Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival (2026)
Audience Award for Best Documentary | JFilm Festival Pittsburgh (2026)
Best Holocaust Documentary | Boca International Jewish Film Festival (2026)
Torchbearer Jury Award | Miami Jewish Film Festival (2026)
UK–USA | 2025 | 75 minutes | English
Film courtesy of Menemsha Films.
Presented with generous support from the Libitzky Family Foundation, in partnership with JFI and the JFCS Holocaust Center.
5:00–7:15 PM – Film screening, live performance & conversation
7:15–8:30 PM – Reception following…sips, sweets, savories.
Watch here
Questions? Email [email protected]
Event venue & nearby stays
Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, 3200 California Street, San Francisco, United States
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