Contemplating the devastation of the past in an emotional way can ultimately influence the next generation from repeating the horrors that have long plagued society. The importance of studying the conflicts that befell people’s ancestors in a deeply personal manner and truly ensures society’s survival is highlighted in the new documentary, ‘Stories for my Children’s Children: Lessons from the Holocaust.’
The feature was directed and produced by Brooklyn based independent filmmaker, Christopher Wells, who owns the production company Kaleidoscope Pictures. His new movie chronicles the journey of subject Sarah Rolnick. She was determined to showcase her parents’ struggles as Holocaust survivors on screen for not only her children, but also all future generations. She collaborated with the filmmaker to help teach younger generations about the past tensions that happened to their ancestors and how they can prevent those battles from happening again
‘Stories for my Children’s Children’ chronicles how Rolnick’s mother, who was a young woman during the Holocaust, and her family of five hid in a barn for two years as the Nazis took over Poland. In order to stay warm during the winter months, they stood next to the farm animals. They also had to keep quiet in a hayloft so that they wouldn’t be discovered.
Nobody knew about their situation. Only the family who owned the farm were willing to take the risk of hiding a Jewish family from the Nazis. Discovery would surely get them all killed.
Rolnick’s father wasn’t so lucky as her mother. He had a family but sadly, like many others, his first wife and children were shot and killed while he was sent to a concentration camp to be worked to death.
‘Stories for my Children’s Children’ is set to have its New York premiere this Wednesday, November 8 at 8:00pm EST during the Big Apple Film Festival 2023. The screening will be held at the Cinema Village theater (22 E 12th St) in Manhattan.
Wells generously took the time to talk about directing and producing ‘Stores For My Children’s Children’ during an exclusive interview over Zoom last week. Among other things, the filmmaker discussed why he felt it was important to helm such a timely, important feature; why audiences should see the documentary now, as the turmoil that has plagued the Gaza strip over the past month during the Israel–Hamas war escalates; and what it means to him that the feature is having its New York premiere this week during the Big Apple Film Festival.
Film Factual 