Nicholas Winton: Czech Republic/ Slovak Republic, 2002, 64 minutes, color Public Exhibition Formats: 35mm (English subtitles only), DVD (subtitle multitrack) |
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Synopsis
A gripping documentary about the courage and determination of a young English stockbroker who saved the lives of 669 children. Between March 13 and August 2, 1939, Sir Nicholas Winton organized eight transports (one airplane and seven trains) to take children from Prague to new homes in Great Britain, and kept silent about it until his wife discovered a scrapbook documenting his unique mission in 1988.
Sir Winton was a successful 29-year-old stockbroker in London who "had an intuition" about the fate of the Jews when he visited Prague in 1939 and quietly but decisively got down to the business of saving lives. Only two countries, Sweden and Britain, answered his call to harbor the young refugees. Documents then had to be forged ("We didn't bring anybody in illegally, we just, er, speeded up the process a little") and once foster parents signed for the children on delivery that was the last he saw of them. "You had to treat it like a business," says Sir Winton.
Narrator Joe Schlesinger, journalist for CBC Television and a rescued child himself, describes Winton as a man of "ordinary human decency". Winston has become a national hero in Prague and Britain where his good works ripple through the lives of many. In 2003, Sir Nicholas Winton was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
Nicholas Winton: The Power of Good includes 70 minutes of bonus material making available for the first time details of the rescue operation as well as of Sir Winton's private life, views from some of his rescued children, and footage from events including his knighthood ceremony.
Subtitle tracks in English, Italian, German, Hebrew or Czech.
Awards
Christopher Award for Film that Affirms the Highest Values of the Human Spirit (2006)
Best Documentary International Emmy Awards (2002)
Trilobit Prize Czech Republic (2002)
Slovak Film Critics Prize IGRIC (2002)
Selected Screenings
Tallahassee Film Festival (2011)
Austin Jewish Film Festival (2009)
Karakare Film Days, Istanbul (2008)
Pittsburgh Jewish Film Festival (2006)
Detroit Jewish Film Festival (2006)
Pacific Jewish Film Festival (2005)
Credits
Director Matej Minác
Producers Partik Pass, Matej Minác
Music Janusz Stoklosa
Co-producers Slovak Television, Czech Television, Cedok, Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic, State Fund for the Support of the Czech Cinema
Chief film partners Cedok, UNIMEX Group, JUDr. Jirí Šimáne, Ing., Jaromír Šmejkal
Co-producer Bessel Kok
Collaboration Vera Gissing
Press
| New York Times Nicholas Winton obituary, July 2015 | Read Article |
| The Guardian (UK), May 2013 | Read Article |
| The Jewish Advocate, August 2007 (PDF) | Read Article |
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