Browse Films

Tragedies play out for years. In the Shadow of Memory focuses on Jerri Zbiral, the daughter of a survivor of the Nazi destruction of the Catholic village of Lidice, Czechoslovakia. Even though Jerri was born after the war, her mother's stories had a profound effect on her life. This compelling story addresses emotional issues that span generations. What do we tell children about personal tragedies? How do we resolve grief, anger and long-standing hatreds? How do we communicate across ethnic barriers? The film combines historic footage and contemporary interviews with survivors. The 50th anniversary of the massacre is a starting point for an ongoing personal exploration of the legacy of tragedy, relevant far beyond a WWII setting.

...a powerful teaching tool on the effects of Nazi terrorism on succeeding generations.... prejudice and bigotry does not by itself diminish with the passing of time, the tragic story of Lidice is a legacy for all people...The fact that the film deals with a non-Jewish incident, the impact of evil on children and subsequent generations is one which must be communicated to a mass audience.
Karen Friedman Director, ADL Braun Holocaust Institute

An excellent and multifaceted film about coming to grips with a horrific event; powerfully instructive on how the ways in which we remember the past impacts on present and future generations....In the many gripping stories presented here, memory defies the ultimate intentions of the Nazis and provides timely warnings on the universal dangers of prejudice, ethnic hatred, and aggressive war.
Leon Stein, Professor of History, Roosevelt University
Educational Director, Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois

AWARDS & SCREENINGS:

• Jerusalem International Film Festival

  Karlovy Vary - Distictive selection

  CINE Golden Eagle

  Broz award Fla