Before beginning full-length films, DuBowski worked for
Planned Parenthood as a research associate for nearly three years, creating videos on the
Christian Right and
anti-abortion movement. In 1996 he produced
Missionaries Form Militias, documenting anti-abortion leader Rev. Matt Trewhella calling for the formation of armed militias. It was screened for Attorney General
Janet Reno and federal law enforcement officials, following the murder of abortion provider Dr.
Bayard Britton. An excerpt was run on
CBS News, was reported by publications including
The New York Times and
Newsweek, and has been used by the Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment to train human rights activists. The film captures the responses of 31 authors, musicians, filmmakers and dancers as they listen to
Olivier Messiaen's organ piece "Apparition of the Eternal Church." DuBowski has worked as speaker and has moderated numerous religious dialogues on homosexuality, including a Mormon-Jewish dialogue and Christian-Muslim-Jewish panel. He and
Steven Greenberg, the first openly gay Orthodox rabbi, have traveled to 60 cities and organized over 400 question-and-answer sessions, dialogues, events, inter-faith discussions. The story, shown through a series of
vignettes, centers around his relationship with his grandmother, Malverna DuBowski, as 22-year-old Sandi DuBowski attempts to teach his 88-year-old grandmother how to film. The short video portrays struggles against
gender roles and
patriarchy. The Melbourne International Film Festival described the film:
Trembling Before G-d (2001) Growing up, DuBowski had not known any
Orthodox Jews. The main motivation to make the film was curiosity. The film took more than six years to make.
A Jihad for Love (2007) DuBowski produced the documentary
A Jihad for Love (previously known as
In the Name of Allah), directed by
Parvez Sharma. Filmed in 11 different countries in 9 different languages, the film explores the lives of gay, lesbian, and transgender Muslims, and DuBowski intends for it to be "a profound catalyst for change" As producer, DuBowski said that he wanted to screen the film in "every Muslim nation, even if it's underground."
Sabbath Queen (2024) Sandi DuBowski directed and produced the feature documentary
Sabbath Queen, filmed over 21 years. It follows Rabbi
Amichai Lau-Lavie, the heir to 38 generations of Orthodox rabbis, as he navigates the tension between tradition and personal identity. Lau-Lavie, rejecting conventional expectations, becomes a drag performer, a queer parent, and the founder of
Lab/Shul, a progressive, experimental Jewish congregation. The film explores his efforts to redefine Jewish practice, challenge religious authority, and advocate for gender inclusivity, interfaith relationships, and political activism, including calls for peace in Israel/Palestine.
Sabbath Queen examines shifting concepts of faith and community in contemporary Judaism. The project has been supported by the Sundance Institute. ==Awards and recognition==