A new documentary to premiere this month at the Miami Jewish Film Festival is shining a light on a forgotten legal battle that forced one of the world’s most powerful men to answer for his prejudice.
The documentary film, Sapiro v. Ford: The Jew Who Sued Henry Ford, chronicles the high-stakes "David-versus-Goliath showdown" between the automotive tycoon and Aaron Sapiro, a Jewish lawyer who took on Ford’s massive propaganda machine at the height of his influence.
While Ford is recognized for revolutionizing the auto industry, the film explores a darker side of his legacy. Through his newspaper, The Dearborn Independent, Ford launched a "rabid" antisemitic campaign that earned him the admiration of Adolf Hitler and the Ku Klux Klan.
The conflict began when Ford singled out Sapiro, an orphan from San Francisco who rose to become a leader in the agricultural movement. Ford initiated an "antisemitic smear campaign" against Sapiro's work organizing farmers, leading to a legal battle that eventually forced the industrial titan to issue an unexpected apology in 1927 and shutter his hate-filled publication.
Actor Ben Shenkman, who portrays Sapiro in the film using the lawyer's own words, said the story transcends a single community.
“What I think hooked me was this story of a patriot, Aaron Sapiro, who lived and believed in the American promise and wanted to spread it, bravely going up against someone who was so rich and powerful — Henry Ford — that he believed he owned the truth," he said. "That's a story for everyone right now."
Directed by Emmy Award-winner Gaylen Ross, the documentary arrives at a time when the world is once again grappling with the spread of propaganda and the rise of hate speech.
“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?” Ross said.
For producer Carol King, a Detroit native, the project was a way to confront a sanitized version of history. While she grew up in a community that "revered Henry Ford for his contributions to the automotive industry," she noted that many knew very little about the depth of his antisemitism.
"This film confronts that history head-on — not just as a Jewish story, but as an American one," King said.
IF YOU GO
What: Sapiro v. Ford: The Jew Who Sued Henry Ford documentary debut at the Miami Jewish Film Festival
When: Sunday, January 18, at 4 p.m.
Where: O Cinema South Beach, 1130 Washington Ave #200, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Both Director Gaylen Ross and Producer Carol King will be in attendance for a post-film conversation. Tickets and further information can be found on the Miami Jewish Film Festival website. Additional screenings will be held at the Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival on Thursday, Jan. 29 and Monday, Feb. 5.
