The Essential Link: The Story of Wilfrid Israel
The Essential Link: The Story of Wilfrid Israel is a documentary by Israeli director Yonatan Nir. The film, which is inspired by Naomi Shepherd's book Wilfrid Israel: German Jewry's Secret Ambassador, exposes the story of Wilfrid Israel - a wealthy Jewish businessman and owner of Berlin’s largest department store in the 1930’s, who was involved in the saving of tens of thousands of Jews and played a key role in the Kindertransport rescue operation. The film was produced by Highlight Films and premiered at the 2017 DocAviv International Film Festival.[1][2][3][4]
The Essential Link: The Story of Wilfrid Israel | |
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Directed by | Yonatan Nir |
Produced by | Noam Shalev |
Music by | Isaar Shulman |
Cinematography | Yoav Kleinman |
Edited by | Tal Brog, Shlomi Shalom |
Release date | May 12, 2017 (Israel) |
Running time | 71 minutes |
Country | Israel |
Language | English, German, Hebrew |
Interviewed subjects
The documentary features filmed interviews with Kindertransport survivors, members of Kibbutz HaZore'a, historians, scholars and relatives of Wilfrid Israel. These interview subjects include:
- Alisa Dvir
- Hanna Openheimer
- llana Michaeli
- Dr. llan Baer
- Ophir Baer
- Naomi Shepherd
- Yonatan Nir
- Peter Roxborough
- Holger Schwarting
- Dr. Christoph Kreutzmueller
- Dr. Jochen Palenker
- Bruno Wachsner
- Omri Marc Behr
- Barbara Danckwortt
- Jonathan Wilfrid Oppenheimer
- Dr. Yiftach Nir
- Amos (Kurt) Kuni Nikolai
- Michael Smith
- Adi Daliot
- Prof. (Emeritus) Moshe Zimmermann
- Lisa Sophie Bechner
- Dr. Paula Hill
- Prof. Leslie Brent
- Walter Feldman
- Aliza Tennenbaum
- Yoel Dorkam
- Pola Maroz
- Hannelore (Horn) Cohen
Notable screenings
The documentary was screened in several film festivals and Holocaust remembrance events around the world, including:[5]
- 2017 DocAviv International Film Festival
- 2017 Scottsdale International Film Festival
- 2017 UK Jewish Film Festival
- 2017 Jewish International Film Festival (Australia)
- 2017 Chicago Israeli Film Festival
- 2017 Jewish Film Festival Berlin & Brandenburg
- 2017 Museum of Tolerance
- 2018 United Nations Office at Vienna
- 2018 Festival of Tolerance
- 2018 SERET International Film Festival
- 2018 Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival - winner of Audience Choice Award
- 2018 New Hampshire Jewish Film Festival - winner of Audience Choice Award
- 2018 Santa Barbara International Film Festival
Short film (2012)
Wilfrid Israel - The Savior from Berlin | |
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Directed by | Yonatan Nir |
Produced by | Noam Shalev, Ilan Baer, Ophir Baer, Estie Hazarie |
Music by | Isaar Shulman |
Cinematography | Yoav Kleinman |
Edited by | Aviv Peres |
Release date | January 21, 2012 (Israel) |
Running time | 34 minutes |
Country | Israel |
Language | English, German, Hebrew |
In 2012, a 34-minute documentary under the name of Wilfrid Israel: The Savior from Berlin was released by Yonatan Nir, Noam Shalev, Ophir Baer and Ilan Baer. The film is screened on a weekly basis at the Wilfrid Israel Museum in Kibbutz HaZore'a. Many of the materials that were collected during the production of the film were later used in The Essential Link: The Story of Wilfrid Israel.[6][7]
References
- Wilfrid Israel, an unsung Holocaust hero, gets his due. Times of Israel, Jessica Steinberg, January 14, 2018
- A Hero Unearthed. Richmond Magazine, Arrman Kyaw, January 4, 2019
- The Jewish Schindler (German). Jüdische Allgemeine, Katharina Schmidt-Hirschfelder, December 16, 2018
- The Mystery Man Who Saved 20,000 Jews (Hebrew). Mako, Zion Nanous, April 24, 2017
- Official film website
- The Jewish Savior Who Was Left Behind (Hebrew). Israel Hayom, Bat-Chen Epstein Elias, September 20, 2013
- Wilfrid Israel Museum official website