This film grabs you with true stories about courageous people across borders, who risked their own lives and families sheltering and protecting Jews during the Nazi Holocaust. What makes this film unique is Writer/Director Nick Davis casting an impressive roster of A-list actors to the be the important voices reading the accounts and letters by “The Righteous Among the Nations.” Helen Mirren came on first, followed by Carrie Coon, F. Murray Abraham, Ellen Burstyn, Marcia Gay Harden, Stephen Fry, and many more on this project. They play the selfless friends, neighbors and strangers who risked everything to keep Jews safe.
Watch our interview with Writer/Director Nick Davis who talks about how he collected this stellar cast who reacted to the stories they read, and how he was able to incorporate new found archival footage from that era.
Included is Incredible never-before-seen archival film along with the actors voicing the non-Jews who had the courage to help and hide men, women and children from the Nazis to keep them from being executed or sent to the gas chambers. You get to see what life was like being tucked away, hiding in tiny, confined spaces, in an attic, or behind a wall, to keep from being discovered when every day could be their last. The hidden Jews had to give up their living and work space, eating only when sustenance was brought by their courageous protectors. They were always hoping that the Germans didn’t come in to question the people who were helping them, which could lead to being discovered and all would be punished.
Davis includes interviews with survivors describing the conditions endured while trying to escape freezing in forests or hiding under cover in trucks.
Each story is more devastating than the last. One, in particular, was when the Nazis rounded up Jews and a woman holding a crying baby couldn’t keep it quiet. The German soldier took the baby out of her arms, threw it on the ground and crushed its head, killing it before her eyes.
Fortunately, there are interviews with those who made it to America and other countries. They recant stories of the life they were able to live and the families they were able to raise, once they were free.
It is so refreshing to hear stories of people who were not Jews, but were willing to go to great lengths to protect every man, woman and child they could. Make no mistake, it’s a very hard watch both heartbreaking but inspiring, and extraordinary with its collection of all- stars lending their voices bringing these brave saviors to life. Davis’ film is powerful and memorable with the hope, Never again.
Series of Dreams 1 hour 2 minutes Documentary
Streaming now
