GOLDA gang, I am so excited for Jill Kargman’s new movie, Influenced. If you don’t read or follow her or haven’t watched Odd Mom Out, Jill is the brilliant and hilarious satirizer of New York City’s upper (upper, upper, upper) class. She takes aim at her neighbors—and herself—with a knowing wink, and in her latest project she’s bringing her over-the-top character Dzanielle to the big screen.
Influenced follows Dzanielle, an Upper East Side momfluencer, on her increasingly deranged quest to reach one million followers. It’s fun, it’s silly, and just the kind of lighthearted release we need.
“This film is meant to be a giant blob of cotton candy,” Kargman told me. “The world is so dark and f’ed up right now, so I wanted to make a silly comedy that holds a funhouse mirror to this bizarre moment of influencer culture and fake friendships.”
It’s absurd and entertaining—and also very Jewish. Dzanielle is planning her son Jahhred’s bar mitzvah, adding a level of shtress to the storyline.
“I’ve always loved Jewish satire. So many comedians who I’ve idolized have hyperbolized their own respective communities, so I wanted to have some fun with ours, too,” she said.
Join GOLDA for a screening of Influenced followed by a conversation with Jill on Monday, May 11 at 7 p.m. at Quad Cinema in NYC. I can’t wait to see you there. Get your ticket here.
GOLDA Events
Thursday, April 30 — New York City: I’ll be moderating The Paley Center’s “Jewish Storytelling in the Podcast Era” event, featuring podcasters Noam Weissman, Margarita Lyadova, and Jen Richler. Register here.
May 13, 2026 — New York City: Don’t miss the final conversation in the Unpacking the Book series, Love, Sex, and Jews: Writing Jewish Romance. I’ll be interviewing authors Dahlia Adler (Soon By You) and Lily Meyer (The End of Romance) at the Jewish Museum in partnership with Jewish Book Council, The Ripped Bodice, and GOLDA. Register here for the 7 p.m. event, and get there early to check out the Jewish Museum’s exhibit Joan Semmel: In the Flesh.
Wednesday, May 27 — New York City: Join GOLDA at The Harmonie Club for a night of conversation with some of our favorite authors, plus shopping and a book signing. GOLDA readers can join Harmonie members and their guests by signing up here.
Stay GOLDA,
Stephanie