Film Screening: "Sapiro v. Ford"
For:
Students, Faculty, and Staff
Join the Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies and Austin Jewish Film Festival (AJFF) for a screening of the 2026 documentary film Sapiro v. Ford: The Jew Who Sued Henry Ford by writers Carol King and Gaylen Ross.
Sapiro v. Ford tells the story of Aaron Sapiro, a young Jewish lawyer, taking on one of America’s most powerful men—and most notorious antisemites—Henry Ford. In the 1920s, as Ford’s anti-Jewish publications incited hatred across the nation, Sapiro filed an unprecedented libel suit, challenging the limits of hate speech long before such laws existed. In an unexpected victory, Sapiro forced the industrial titan to back down, issue an apology, and shutter his hate-filled newspaper, leaving a legacy that resonates today. As antisemitism rises and the struggle to balance free speech with protection against hate continues, Sapiro v. Ford examines the enduring question: how can societies confront power, prejudice, and propaganda while upholding justice?
There will be a post-film Q&A with the co-writer/exec. producer Carol King and director Gaylen Ross, moderated by AJFF Director David Finkel.
For more information, please visit the event webpage on the College of Liberal Arts website.