Barbara Rosenthal

Barbara Rosenthal

For almost four decades in the video and film industry, Barbara Rosenthal has actively sought out projects that educate, inspire, and broaden public understanding of important historical and cultural issues. Rosenthal received her B.A. in history from Western Carolina University in 1987 and, although awarded a fellowship from Wake Forest University to pursue a master’s degree, she chose instead a career path that allowed her to develop her skills as a filmmaker.

Her most recent film, Grit & Grace: How Jewish Women Built a Better Texas, explores key sociological and cultural developments in nineteenth- and twentieth-century Texas history through the lives of five influential Jewish women. Centered on interviews with direct descendants and experts from communities shaped by these women’s contributions, the film reflects Rosenthal’s lifelong fascination with women’s history and her passion for storytelling. Three years in the making, Grit & Grace highlights the enduring impact of women whose leadership helped shape Texas.

Rosenthal’s previous documentary work includes Seders & Cigars – A History of Jews in Tampa (2019), which examines themes such as Jewish immigration quotas, maintaining extended family bonds in competitive economic environments, cultural assimilation, the intersection of antisemitism and segregation, and the rise of women in politics. That film is archived in the Judaic Collection at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Her other films include You Are the One: A Journey of Recovery, Discovery & Empowerment (2012) and Losing Lois (2001).