Where to Watch We Remember: Songs of Survivors (2022)

Summary

WE REMEMBER: SONGS OF SURVIVORS, is a one-hour documentary special celebrating the lives of Holocaust survivors through storytelling and music. The documentary premiered the week of Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, on Tuesday, April 26, 2022. WE REMEMBER: SONGS OF SURVIVORS follows four talented singer/songwriters who work for the community arts organization SageArts in New York's Hudson Valley. Through a program offered by Jewish Family Service of Orange County, they visit local Holocaust survivors to create original songs based on their conversations. The film documents the relationships that develop and the songwriting process over many months, culminating in an emotional live concert where the survivors and songwriters are celebrated by friends, family and the community. "At a time when the world is faced with the horrors of war and hatred, we wanted to tell this hopeful story of perseverance and love," said Ilene Cutler, co-producer of WE REMEMBER: SONGS OF SURVIVORS. "PBS is honored to shed light on this moving and powerful project, which illuminates the ways in which music can uniquely memorialize these stories of resiliency," said Zara Frankel, Director of Programming and Development at PBS. "Through a collaborative songwriting process, the musicians featured in this film showcase the inspirational lives of each survivor, commemorating the full breadth of strength and joy they inspired in their lifetime." In-depth interviews with the survivors - Rita, Tibor, Tommy and Freide - and access to rare personal archives lead to revealing stories, many of which have been deeply buried in their memories for decades. At the same time, the songwriters - Michael, Jude, Kelleigh and Elizabeth - create video diaries to document their own thoughts and feelings about the experience of telling a Holocaust survivor's story through song. "Many documentaries exist about the Holocaust. However, few have taken such a unique approach to telling these horrific stories. We wanted to shed light on the devastating experiences of Holocaust survivors while celebrating the possibilities of healing through the power of music," said Tim Miller, executive producer and co-producer of WE REMEMBER: SONGS OF SURVIVORS. "Little did we know this film, with its powerful message, would change the lives of both the survivors and songwriters." The film is a production of Big Chief, inc., copyright 2022.