Yad Vashem Award at Docaviv for an Outstanding Holocaust-Related Documentary

2024: The Commandant's Shadow | Directed by Daniela Volker

Award Committee Statement:

Daniela Voelker's film examines the implications of the Holocaust and its relevance in today's world. She follows Hans-Joergen Hoess, son of Auschwitz Commandant Rudolf Hoess, and the latter's grandson Kai, on a journey to the past that ultimately involves a meeting with Jewish survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, the "cellist from Auschwitz", and her daughter, Maya. 

Voelker raises painful questions about guilt, responsibility, identity and memory, while focusing on the second and third generations of both the victims and the murderers. The film makes thoughtful use of iconic archival footage, and features unique and hitherto unknown audio-visual documentation.  Dramatic clips from the Nuremberg trial testimonies of the Commandant of Auschwitz, and excerpts from his autobiography written in prison provide additional information and depth.

Intergenerational relationships in both the Hoess and Lasker-Wallfisch families are explored in the dense, yet tightly structured narrative crafted by Voelker, who proves to be an incisive and sensitive director. Hans-Joergen Hoess undergoes a profound and uncompromising process of self-discovery while Anita Lasker-Wallfisch celebrates her 98th birthday, illuminating the film with her shrewd, noble outlook on life. Together, they address some of today's most pressing and relevant issues.

2023: Nathan-ism (U.S.) | Director: Elan Golod

Award Committee Statement:

Nathan-ism tells the story of obscure artist Nathan Hilu, who created a large body of work depicting his memories from the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg,  where his unit was charged with guarding the twenty-four major Nazi war criminals being tried by the victorious Allies after World War II.   In his art Nathan recalls his encounters with them, especially with Herman Goering, who as Hitler’s deputy was the most senior Nazi on trial. 

The film explores Nathan’s artwork and his memories, highlighting how visual representation is as much a form of testimony as written or oral testimony. The attempt to corroborate Nathan’s testimony is one of the film's most important aspects, highlighting issues regarding testimony and how to relate to it. The viewer comprehends that memory is not necessarily an accurate reflection of reality, and gains a deep insight into the way historical events affect human perception and experience. In rich, precise cinematic language, Golod succeeds in evoking a wide range of emotions towards the outsider artist, in bringing his works to life and raising awareness about the complexity of Holocaust documentation, art and testimony.

2022: Three Minutes: A Lengthening | Director: Bianca Stigter

Award Committee Statement:

For many years, Holocaust research and education has focused on eye-level history, in which individuals are placed in wider contexts.   This is the approach of much of the ongoing work at Yad Vashem.

This visually and narratively rich film depicts the kind of detective work researchers engage in as they seek to identify people and places, and create meaningful contexts for otherwise obscure and opaque historical fragments.  The result not only enriches our knowledge and provides an important teaching tool; it can also be very moving, as this film so clearly demonstrates.

This meditative film resurrects three forgotten minutes filmed in 1939 in the Polish village of Nasielsk: the result of comprehensive and profound research that focuses on the circumstances surrounding the shooting of the footage. The film tells the story of the village's locals and  Jewish residents, who lived together side by side and held a variety of worldviews.  In parallel, Three Minutes restores the names and voices to some of those Jews appearing in the film.

The choice to make exclusive use of images appearing in the original footage, and the focus on the preservation and identification process, create a film that also explores the fascinating relationship between sound and image. This is a tight and unique work highlighting the archeological excavation of footage by a first-generation filmmaker, as well as research into victims and survivors of the Holocaust.