DEAR FREDY: An Unusual Holocaust Documentary

DEAR FREDY directed by Rubi Gat:

Fredy Hirsch was a proud Jew and a openly gay man who fled Germany to the Czech Republic in 1935. With the deportation of the Jews to Ghetto Terezin, Fredy was appointed head of the youth department and dealt with 4,000 youth. When arriving in Auschwitz, Fredy persuaded the Germans to set up a daycare center for 600 children where he granted them final moments of happiness. Fredy planned a revolt that never came to pass following his mysterious death, which this film attempts to reveal. The film combines interviews, archival materials and animation.

Won the Jury Prize Award, 2018 Qfest (Houston, Texas) and 2019 Prix Du Public, Vues D’en Race (Grenoble, France). Winner of Programmer’s Choice, Best Feature Film, 2020 Fairy Tales Queer Film Festival (Calgary, Canada). Participated in over 40 festivals worldwide.

Zoom screening and discussion offered by DEAR FREDY film team:

The film team offers a Zoom program that includes a screening of the film followed by a discussion with the film director Rubi Gat. He will share what inspired him to make this film, his encounters with people who knew Fredy personally, and the lessons he learned about the meaning of courage. He will also address the professional aspects of the film and cinematic decisions he made, and the discussion will be open to questions from the audience.

Upon request, the Zoom program can be joined by Rachel Masel, Fredy’s niece; Ido Goldberg, the soundtrack composer; Yael Oz-Sinai, the film’s animator; or historian Dr. Margalit Shlain, the film’s consultant.

For further information contact dearfredy2017@gmail.com, Instagram dearfredydocumentary or Facebook @DearFredy

The film can be screened with English, Hebrew, German, Spanish, French, Czech, Serbian or Chinese subtitles.

DEAR FREDY can be streamed on Chaiflicks.com and on https://vimeo.com/ondemand/dearfredy

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And read this firsthand account of Fredy Hirsch in Terezin and Auschwitz.