Inked: Our Stories Remarked

Synopsis

Inked: Our Stories Remarked is an exploration into a captivating yet complex, new phenomenon—where third generation descendants of Holocaust survivors choose to remember their ancestors through commemorative Holocaust tattoos.  

Through interviews with Holocaust survivors and their descendants, combined with cinematic visuals and archival footage, this short documentary explores the decision to etch history onto the body—an act that invites us to confront essential questions about memory, Jewish identity, and self-expression. 

About the Director

Dara Bratt is a passionate storyteller dedicated to unveiling cinematic beauty in all her work. Collectively, her films have screened all over the world, including the Tribeca Film Festival, SXSW, Cannes, Abu Dhabi International Film Festival, ShortShorts Tokyo and many more. She is the recipient of the Alfred P. Sloan Production grant, the FAP grant from the National Film Board of Canada, the Tribeca Film Institute Sloan Award, the documentary grant from the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts, and Sciences, the production grant from First Look Films for Topic, and most recently, was the 2023 Claims Conference short production film grant recipient. Dara holds her MFA in film from Tisch School of the Arts, NYU. Born and raised in Montreal, she now calls Brooklyn, NY home. 

Artistic Statement

In 2024, as the number of living Holocaust survivors are dwindling, their grandchildren are faced with the challenge of preserving their memories and in turn push the boundaries of tradition, entering into a new and controversial territory of commemorative tattoos. As a filmmaker, I’m always drawn to subjects or stories that are unique and complex, and aim to shine a light on something out of the ordinary, and let it resonate with audiences to let them decide if it’s extraordinary. I was drawn to this topic because it explores the complexities of memory, and the enduring need to never forget the stories of the Holocaust.  

I am the 2023 recipient from the short documentary film grant from the Claims Conference. I was awarded this grant about two weeks before the October 7th massacre in Israel. Initially, it was very difficult to continue this project, but I soon realized that this project was more important than ever.  In the wake of a surge of anti-semitism, younger generations are proudly embracing their Jewish identity with renewed vigor to remind others to not let history repeat itself.  

These tattoos tell stories of empowerment and resilience, but they’re also stark reminders of a specific horror committed to those who survived who don’t want to be reminded in this manner. The film asks, how do we transform personal narratives into everlasting art, and what are the implications of doing so?