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Traces: Portraits of Resistance, Survival and Resolve

Encouraging resistance and resilience through animated documentary film

The latest Humanity in Action film series is Traces: Portraits of Resistance, Survival and Resolve, a new animated documentary trilogy. Co-produced by Irene Braam and Humanity in Action’s Executive Director Judith Goldstein, it includes the films Voices in the Void, Two Trees in Jerusalem and My Father’s War.

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“All extremely affecting films that will definitely stay with us … They are beautifully made and important testimonies.” Jess Gormley, Executive Producer Documentaries, Guardian News & Media

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In the face of unfathomable horror, fleeting moments of bravery and generosity remind us of our capacity for courage and compassion

Seventy-seven years after the fall of Nazi Germany, the Holocaust stands as a staggering crime against humanity, and the world continues to grapple with the deep void of the six million souls lost. Yet, in the face of unfathomable horror, fleeting moments of bravery and generosity remind us of our capacity for courage and compassion even under the most harrowing circumstances.

Trace = Vestige, sign, mark, indication, suggestion, evidence, clue, remains, remnant, relic, survival, ghost, echo, memory. [Oxford Dictionary]

As we push deeper into the 21st century, humanity faces an inflection point: the last survivors and witnesses of the Holocaust and the Second World War leave us, taking with them their personal memories of one of humanity’s darkest chapters. It is incumbent upon us to safeguard their stories and lessons learned at such tremendous expense.

The Traces trilogy brings three such histories to life and to new audiences. Developed by an international team of documentarians, researchers and animators, the trilogy preserves these critical stories for future generations.

All films are available in English with subtitles in English, German, Polish, Hebrew, Russian and Ukrainian. Two Trees in Jerusalem is also available in a German version and Voices in the Void is available in Danish, both narrated by the protagonists themselves.

“Having seen all three, I can only marvel at how well animation fits this subject matter. Before seeing them, I wouldn’t have guessed that approach would work, but the style makes the material warm and poignant and personal. Usually the Holocaust is dealt with in shocking black-and-white newsreel footage and the sense of horror can make one feel numb and helpless. The animated stories bring the sweeping history down to street level and thereby highlight the individual choices that people make… Endless stories to tell and each one has such unique features.” Historian Ron Chernow

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