The Escape (Ha'Bricha) — Claims Conference Film Grants

Home | Project Database | The Escape (Ha’Bricha)

Synopsis

In this road movie a group of Israeli teenagers from different backgrounds set out on a personal and fascinating adventure following the original “Bricha Movement”, which was set up to help Jews escape post-War Europe and get to Israel. Using today’s Europe as the backdrop, and throughout the different stops on the routes of the Bricha, the teenagers meet with survivors, witnesses and local youth to hear their personal extraordinary experiences. The journey they take, both physically and emotionally is complex, amusing, eye-opening-and very important to an understanding of themselves and of their history.

About the Director

Meni Elias is a filmmaker and a cinematographer.

His first film as a producer — “Troubled Water”, won “Best documentary film in Israel” in 2005. Meni also won a prize for filming it. The film was screened in about 50 international festivals.

To this day Meni Elias has directed 5 and produced 4 films. He gained a lot of experience in filming, participating in over 80 films of multiple genres. He also made various music videos and art videos.

His latest film — ‘The Jerusalem Dream’ is nominated for The Best Documentary film of the year (2017). It was screened at the “Doc Aviv Festival 2016” and at the “Cinema South Festival” as well as in many festivals around the world. In the last year since its release, the film has already been screened in some 120 screenings around Israel and abroad.

Artistic Statement

The film “The Escape” is first and foremost a road film. A journey that follows a unique, original and almost impossible story.

Eight outspoken teenagers of varying backgrounds and identities from all over the country go out for a personal and fascinating journey following “The Escape Movement”. The film is an historical film, but not in the regular sense of the term. Throughout the 14 day and 14 night journey the teenagers experience places rich with memory, through meetings with witnesses and survivors and their personal stories, and coincidental and non-coincidental meetings with the local population. Each meeting and personal story sheds light on one aspect of the multifaceted movement of “The Escape”.