Academy Award nominee joins Holocaust & Humanity Center for Cohen Family Upstander Month at Union Terminal
Contact: Kara Driscoll, Director of Strategic External Engagement
(513) 638-0508 | [email protected]
CINCINNATI — The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center is thrilled to announce that Academy Award-nominated actor, writer, and director Jesse Eisenberg will headline the Upstander Awards Gala on June 22, 2025, at historic Union Terminal — the premier event of the 2025 Cohen Family Upstander Month.
Eisenberg’s latest film, A Real Pain, explores grief, memory, and generational trauma through the story of two cousins traveling to Poland to honor their grandmother, who survived the Holocaust. The film premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award, and was later released by Searchlight Pictures to widespread acclaim. Eisenberg received a BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay and an Academy Award nomination for his work.
“We are honored to welcome Jesse Eisenberg to Cincinnati,” said Jackie Congedo, CEO of the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center. “Jesse’s work exemplifies how storytelling can bridge the lessons of the Holocaust to the challenges of today. Through his deeply personal and powerful filmmaking, he helps ensure that memory becomes meaningful action — that history inspires humanity.”
The Cohen Family Upstander Month is a citywide celebration honoring those who stand up for others and drive change in their communities. Supported by the Cohen Family and presented by Duke Energy, the Mayerson Family Foundation, and Procter & Gamble, the month includes engaging programs that encourage participants of all ages to discover their own upstander potential.
Events this year include:
- June 5, 6 p.m. – Museum Mindfulness Yoga: Tapping into the Science of Well-Being
- June 22, 6 p.m. – Upstander Awards Gala featuring Jesse Eisenberg
- June 29, 8:30 a.m. – Upstander 5K Run & Walk
- June 29, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Upstander Family Museum Day at Union Terminal, featuring Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon and a lifelong advocate for gender equity in sports
For tickets and the full event schedule, visit www.cincyupstander.org. Early bird pricing for the gala is available through May 1.
About Jesse Eisenberg
Jesse Eisenberg is an Academy Award-nominated actor, director, playwright, and author. His film credits include The Social Network, Adventureland, Zombieland, Batman v Superman, and Fleishman Is in Trouble. His second feature as writer-director, A Real Pain, was named one of the Top Ten Films of 2024 by the American Film Institute and the National Board of Review. He is currently preparing to direct his third film, an original musical comedy starring Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti.
About the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center
Located at Cincinnati’s historic Union Terminal, the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center exists to ensure the lessons of the Holocaust inspire action today. Through museum exhibitions, educational programs, and public events, the Center empowers individuals to become upstanders — people who stand up for others and create positive change.
