This is How I Remember It

Synopsis

In 1943, at the age of 15, Shimon Rothschild, a Polish-born Jew, was deported to the Auschwitz and Sachsenhausen concentration camps. Shimon was separated from his family and thrust into the unimaginable horrors of the Holocaust. In Sachsenhausen, he became one of 11 Jewish children subjected to brutal medical experiments conducted by the SS. Now 99 years old, Shimon’s story is not solely one of suffering but of remarkable resilience. Despite enduring conditions designed to dehumanize and destroy, Shimon emerged from this hell with an unwavering will to live.

The film weaves together pivotal chapters from his life, ranging from his childhood in Poland to the horrors of Auschwitz and Sachsenhausen, the death march, and the end of the war. Advanced LED screens with real-time virtual environment rendering create immersive settings that allow viewers to step directly into Shimon’s memories, with actors portraying key characters from his journey. At its heart, this film offers a rare opportunity: to witness history directly through the eyes of one of its last living participants.

About the Director

Tomer Heymann

Tomer Heymann is an award-winning documentary filmmaker whose career spans over 25 years. His critically acclaimed films have been screened at festivals worldwide and have received prizes at the Berlin International Film Festival, Hot Docs, SXSW, and IDFA. His film “Mr. Gaga: A True Story of Love and Dance” (2015) streamed on Netflix, was shortlisted for the European Film Awards, theatrically released in 17 countries, and is considered the most-viewed Israeli documentary in the country’s history. Other films include “Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life” (2019), which aired on the BBC documentary series Storyville, and “I Am Not” (2021), which won Best Director and Best Cinematography at Docaviv. In 2025, he directed “Orna and Ella”, which had its world premiere at Docaviv and was also selected for the New York Jewish Film Festival.