Commemorating March 10 - Day of salvation of Bulgarian Jews, victims of the Holocaust and crimes against humanity
On the occasion of March 10, the day Bulgaria celebrates as "Day of Rescue of Bulgarian Jews, Holocaust Victims and Crimes against Humanity", the State Cultural Institute presents four documentaries on the fate of Jews in Bulgaria during the Holocaust.
The films were made in different years, but they ask the same questions - what kind of memory of history and cruel trials can one keep without losing the landmarks of good and evil. The forgotten word "war" on European soil has crashed into our day to confront us with the arrogant indifference to human life and the scenes of refugee flows, the horror in the eyes of young children. Is it an excuse to remain indifferent to the crime when geopolitical storms break out and what moral guidelines does Bulgarian society have in its historical experience?
The films will be promoted from March 7 to 13, 2022 in the programs of the Bulgarian diplomatic missions and consulates and before the partners of the State Cultural Institute in the Bulgarian-Norwegian project for counteracting anti-Semitism and protection of the Jewish heritage.
1. "Ships are full" - a film by Kostadin Bonev - restores an unusual journey by land and water. A journey fraught with dangers for several thousand children snatched from death. During the years of World War II, thousands of Jewish children from Central and Eastern Europe, fleeing the threat of extermination, passed through the territory of Bulgaria and reached the Promised Land - Palestine. The film outlines the Bulgarian routes of salvation, and in order to realize this unique journey and incredible organization, many people have helped - diplomats, politicians and ordinary adventurers, host families. Why did they do it, could they have done otherwise? The film outlines another route - which has no happy ending - the ships of the Danube port, which take their cargo from deported people to the doomed destination. Two routes - how many people on them will stand on the right side? What moral compass will they hear in their souls to distinguish good from evil.
Awards and nominations: Golden Knight, Moscow 2006 - Special Jury Award; IFF Riel, Los Angeles 2011 - Honorary Diploma
Link to version with Bulgarian subtitles https://vimeo.com/447903443
Link to English subtitle version https://vimeo.com/476649685
2. Elka Nikolova's film A Question of Survival
traces the story of three heroes whose childhood in Bulgarian Jewish families passed in the troubled years of anti-Semitic propaganda and preparations for deportation, and already established in New York meet the traumatic memories of survivors of the Nazi Holocaust. Their thoughts are related to the desire to make sense of what has distracted them from the tragic end. What else can be done to learn about the special "Bulgarian case" of prevented deportation, the role of many members of the public, representatives of the intelligentsia and civil society, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
Check out the movie trailer
Link to the movie in English
An emotional journey of Israeli descendants of Bulgarian Jews, as they discover the unknown history of Bulgaria during the Second World War - and its actions to save its entire Jewish population.
Next Generation - Film Trailer (English subtitles)
Watch the film - English subtitles
During the Second World War out of the 22 occupied by the Nazis countries, only one small nation succeeds to save its entire Jewish minority.
Directors - Plamen Petkov
Writers - Vladimir Ignatovski, Atanas Kolev
Stars - Svetlana Iva Lathrop Walker Lathrop Walker(voice)
The film is a Bulgarian-Israeli-American production of director Plamen Petkov and producer Atanas Kolev. The screenwriter is Prof. Vladimir Ignatovski. The film follows the dramatic story of the rescue of Bulgarian Jews, told by surviving witnesses to the events.
As in the other films of this presentation - unique documents, film and audio archive are presented. To film "49,172", the authors gained access to government and private archives in the United States, Israel and Bulgaria, including Steven Spielberg's and the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem.
Trailler of the movie
Watch the movie - in English with Bulgarian subtitles