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The Optimists
by Jacky ComfortyThe story of the rescue of the Bulgarian Jews from the Holocaust
Watch TrailerHow were 50,000 Bulgarian Jews saved from the Holocaust despite the efforts of the government to deport them? THE OPTIMISTS tells the dramatic story of Christians and Muslims who, at the eleventh hour, secured the safety of their Jewish neighbors. Individuals made a difference. Labor unions, the Bulgarian Bar Association, members of Parliament, writers and teachers, all worked together to change the course of history. By telling their unique and little-known story, THE OPTIMISTS offers insight into how people can mobilize to protect human and civil rights. The film features role models and exemplary stories, invaluable for students, educators, community leaders, activists and clergy alike. This powerful documentary informs and inspires audiences with its masterful blend of personal and historical narrative, and its abiding optimism in the human spirit.
THE OPTIMISTS is a wonderful film. The title refers not only to a Bulgarian jazz band, but to how the audience feels after watching such a moving testament to human decency.
Annette Insdorf, Director of Undergraduate Film Studies
Columbia University
Author of "Indelible Shadows: Film and the Holocaust"
Hearty congratulations on the warm reception of your film at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. The dialogue that ensued demonstrates not only your command of the material in your thoughtful replies, but also your skill as a filmmaker who elicited such good questions. I have been at many such sessions at film festivals. This session was one of the very best interactions I have seen between a director and the audience. Bravo!.
Edward McGlynn Gaffney, Jr., Professor of Law
Valparaiso University
Everyone is entitled to his own faith. No one should violate the intimate, spiritual life of another. That's how I think now, that's how I have thought in the past, and if I live any longer, that's how I'll think then.
Bishop Boris Kharalampiev
The Bulgarian Orthodox priest who helped stop the deportations of the Jewish citizens of his city in 1943.
AWARDS & SCREENINGS:
- First Prize, "Documenting the Jewish Experience" - Jerusalem International Film Festival
- Peace Prize - Berlin International Film Festival
- CINE Golden Eagle Award
- Best Documentary - Hope and Dreams Film Festival
- US Holocaust Museum Washington DC
- San Francisco Jewish Film Festival
- New York Jewish Film Festival
Resource Web Sites
Rich web site with imaged and testimonials about the Bulgarian Jewish experience over the generations.
THE BULGARIAN JEWS AND THE FINAL SOLUTION, 1940-1944
The Author Frederick B. Chary, professor emeritus of history at Indiana University.
Virtually all of Bulgaria's Jewish citizens escaped the horrors of the Polish death camps and survived either to migrate to Israel or to remain in their homeland. Frederick Chary relates the history of the Bulgarian government's policy toward the Jews and how the determination and moral courage of a small country could successfully thwart the Final Solution.
Resources to Download
Visit the official website for The Optimists
