Commemorating January 27 with an Online Presentation of the Film of Elka Nikolova A Question of Survival
On the occasion of January 27 - International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the State Institute for Culture with the media support of BTA offers online access to the programs of the Bulgarian diplomatic and consular missions an online presentation of the documentary film A Question of Survival by the Bulgarian fimmaker, who lives and works in New York, Elka Nikolova.
The film follows the story of three heroes whose childhood was spent in Bulgaria in the troubled years of anti-Semitic propaganda and preparation for deportation, traces their fates after their families left for Palestine, various life paths through Europe until their establishment in New York. Here in the middle of the Jewish community they meet the traumatic memories of the 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.
The film uses rich documentary material, the portraits of the characters are conveyed with special warmth. Another proof of the creative challenge, such as the many faces of the Holocaust - a memory of the collapse of civilization and humanism, but also of the moral strength of those opposed. Through this "view from New York" Elka Nikolova's film adds more features to this key moment in the protection of humanitarian and democratic values in our society.
The film, which is in English, will be available for viewing for 5 days - between 25 and 30 January 2022 at the following link.
A Zoom meeting with the authors of the film is scheduled for January 30 from 16:30 to 17:30 Bulgarian time, which will be available at the Q&A section.
The initiative is part of the communication activities of the State Institute for Culture under the Bulgarian-Norwegian project for counteracting anti-Semitism and the preservation of the Jewish heritage, funded by the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism.