Jonathan Kesselman (born 1974) is an American film director,
screenwriter, and producer, who first gained notice as the writer and
director of The Hebrew Hammer (2003).Kesselman grew up in the San
Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. He graduated from the University of
Colorado with a degree in psychology, and then spent a few years
working as an information systems consultant. He studied film at the
University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, graduating
in 2001 with a master's degree in film production.While at USC,
Kesselman wrote and directed a short film version of The Hebrew
Hammer, which screened at the 2000 Austin Film Festival. In 2001,
ContentFilm offered to finance a feature film version, with Edward R.
Pressman and John Schmidt onboard as executive producers.Kesselman
wrote and directed The Hebrew Hammer, a "Jewxploitation" send-up of
Blaxploitation and superhero films, starring Adam Goldberg as
Mordechai Jefferson Carver, an Orthodox Jew on a quest to save
Hanukkah from Santa Claus's evil son. It also stars Andy Dick, Mario
Van Peebles, Nora Dunn, Peter Coyote, and Judy Greer, and has a cameo
from Melvin Van Peebles reprising his role as Sweetback from Sweet
Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971). It premiered at the 2003 Sundance
Film Festival, had its television premiere on Comedy Central on
December 8, 2003, and opened theatrically on December 19, 2003. It
aired exclusively on Comedy Central for five years after its
theatrical release, and is generally considered to be a cult film.
screenwriter, and producer, who first gained notice as the writer and
director of The Hebrew Hammer (2003).Kesselman grew up in the San
Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. He graduated from the University of
Colorado with a degree in psychology, and then spent a few years
working as an information systems consultant. He studied film at the
University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, graduating
in 2001 with a master's degree in film production.While at USC,
Kesselman wrote and directed a short film version of The Hebrew
Hammer, which screened at the 2000 Austin Film Festival. In 2001,
ContentFilm offered to finance a feature film version, with Edward R.
Pressman and John Schmidt onboard as executive producers.Kesselman
wrote and directed The Hebrew Hammer, a "Jewxploitation" send-up of
Blaxploitation and superhero films, starring Adam Goldberg as
Mordechai Jefferson Carver, an Orthodox Jew on a quest to save
Hanukkah from Santa Claus's evil son. It also stars Andy Dick, Mario
Van Peebles, Nora Dunn, Peter Coyote, and Judy Greer, and has a cameo
from Melvin Van Peebles reprising his role as Sweetback from Sweet
Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971). It premiered at the 2003 Sundance
Film Festival, had its television premiere on Comedy Central on
December 8, 2003, and opened theatrically on December 19, 2003. It
aired exclusively on Comedy Central for five years after its
theatrical release, and is generally considered to be a cult film.
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