Beyond the tears

Synopsis

The film focuses on a group of artists, prisoners of the camps, who expressed their approach to the ongoing horror with dark humor, caricatures, irony and satire.

They drew at night, few survived, most were sent to the death chambers. These works reflected their resistance to the Nazis inhumane acts.

We encounter artists such as Zvi Kanar, the mime who cynically depicted his experiences in the camp via the Charlie Chaplin character, caricaturist Erich Leskly, artist Yaacov Zim, collage artist Arye Ben Menachem, Joseph Bau – artist, animator and caricaturist and Thomas, who was 3 when his father, the artist Bedrich Fritta, drew a comic book for him called “Tommy”, before being deported to Auschwitz where he died. The book became the spiritual mentor of the orphan who survived the horrors and was liberated from Theresienstadt when he was 4 years old.

The survivors of the camps and the horrors convey that what enabled many to endure and maintain their humanity was their imagination and sense of humor.

Their artwork was not merely a means to protect themselves, but a spiritual weapon against their oppressors.

Written and Directed by: Hedva Galili-Smolinsky

Editor: Hayim Yafim Kochok

Producers: Zafrir Kochanovsky, Miri Ezra

Cinematography: Yoav Kush, Nili Atzlan

Sound: Hayim Kochok, Ashy Milo

Research: Ronit Nagari

Sound Editing: Eva Spitkovsky

Production company: TTV Productions Ltd