Seven Claims Conference-supported projects have been selected for 2025 grants from Jewish Story Partners. New grantees are:
The Survivor in a Tuxedo (dir: David Fisher, prod: David Fisher, Michael Berenbaum and Naama Pyritz) examines the multi-layered transformation of Elie Wiesel from Holocaust survivor to American moral icon, exploring the complexities and nuances that accompanied his rise to prominence.
Walking Under Palms (dir: Adam Weingrod, prod: Alexis Bloom and Kobi Mizrahi). As children, Margot and Lotte flee Nazi Germany to find refuge in the tropical Philippine Islands; but when Japan invades Manila, their newfound sanctuary is shattered. After the war, betrayal and envy between their fathers drives them apart. Now, in their 90s, they get a chance to say goodbye for the last time.
The Grandfather Puzzle (dir: Ora DeKornfeld, prod: Noémi Veronika Szakonyi, Máté Artur Vincze) documents the filmmaker as she creates puzzles of her 100 year-old Hungarian Holocaust survivor grandfather’s storied past, hoping to unlock his memories and bridge the silence that has defined their relationship. Winner of the 2024 Claims Conference Emerging Filmmaker Contest.
Hannah Arendt: Facing Tyranny (dir: Jeff Bieber, Chana Gazit, prod: Jeff Bieber, Chana Gazit, Salme M. López Sabina) illuminates the extraordinary life and work of one of the most influential and fearless political thinkers of the 20th century. Arendt’s time as a World War II political prisoner and refugee generated daring insights about the human condition and totalitarianism, which continue to resonate profoundly today.
The Lonely Child (dir: Marc Smolowitz, prod: Alix Wall) is a haunting Yiddish lullaby written during the Holocaust, capturing the heartbreak of a mother and daughter torn apart by war. Eighty years later, the daughter of the child in the song embarks on a powerful journey to trace the song’s footprint, uncovering its unexpected impact across generations.
Returning grantees:
My Underground Mother (dir: Marisa Fox, prod: Marisa Fox, Deborah Shaffer, Kelly Sheehan) documents the filmmaker’s search for her late mother’s hidden identity, which leads her to a shocking story of Nazi trafficking, sexual violence and agency, as she confronts the price of silence.
The Consequences of Truth (dir: Denis Dobrovoda, prod: Silvia Panáková), a documentary on Slovak Jewish hero Alfred Wetzler, who warned the world about Nazi extermination camps. More here.