Fritz Bauer Institut · Cinematography of the Holocaust
ID |
FBW000301 Fiction |
Country / Year |
USA / Israel [Palestine], 1947-1948 |
Original Title |
The Illegals / Lo Tafchidunu |
Other Title(s) |
Lo Tafkhidunu (German) |
Directed by |
|
Produced by |
Film Documents Inc., New York, NY / Americans For Haganah, Inc., New York, NY |
Staff |
Producer: Meyer Levin; Production manager: Paul Cayatte; Script: Meyer Levin; Camera: Jean-Paul Alphen, Bertrand Hesse, André Cauvin; Editing: Paul Cayatte; Technical, var: Ben Gradus (Technische Assistenz); Music: Edmund Halpern, Wally Karveno-Paquin; Musical direction: Darius Citanova (Ondioline Ensemble, Paris), Shlomo Hofman (Hachalutz Youth Chorus, Paris), Henri Milstein (Chorale des Eclaireur Israelites de France [EIF], Paris); Musical arrangements: Shlomo Hofman; Lyrics: Shlomo Hofman; Narration: Meyer Levin |
Cast |
Tereska Torres (Sara Wilner); Yankel Mikalowitz (Mika Wilner) |
Length |
77' |
Format |
35mm/sw/1:1,37 |
Dates |
- 00 Sep 1947-23 Dec 1947: Shooting period |
Further Remarks |
- Tonsystem: Helios |
Abstract |
Holocaust survivors travel across Europe along the Haganah's underground route on their way to Palestine during the British blockade. From Warsaw 1945 a young couple, Sara and Mika, starts to a training farm on the Czech border. During the crossing from one zone in Austria to another, the young couple is seperated. Although Mika has been caught and jailed, pregnant Sara decides to continue her journey with her group of DPs, so that her baby will be born in Palestine. Using voice-over narration, the film documents the illegal journey of DPs crossing the snow-covered Alps on foot to Italy and the sailing for Palestine of the Haganah ship "The Unafraid", which attempts to break the British blockade. On board the cargo vessel, crowded with DPs, Mika finds Sara again. Sara's friend is pregnant and about to give birth. There are rough seas and much sickness. Then the British destroyer appears and, in a most dramatic sequence, comes right along side the cargo vessel; quite remarkably, the British soldiers jump aboard as the camera rolls. The British ships encircle them and the DPs do not resist. They know that although they must go to Cyprus, they will eventually reach Palestine. Sarah's friend's baby is born on the ship as they approach Haifa harbour. |
Subject Terms |
1940-1949; Aliya Bet; Bratislava; Briha; British Army; British Mandatory Regime; Refugee ships; France; Hagana; Haifa; Survivors of the Holocaust; Jewish Agency; Yiddish cinema; Jewish displaced persons; Marseille; Munich; Palestine; Rothschild-Krankenhaus; Strykow; The Unafraid (Ship); Warsaw; Vienna; Cyprus |
Holdings |
- Israel Film Archive - Jerusalem Cinematheque, Jerusalem: 72'; 35mm; engl. Version |
Distributor |
Maybur Films, Inc., New York (initially) |
Materials |
- Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive, Jerusalem; Dokumente |
Bibliography |
- Avrunin, Judith: "No Change in Deportation Routine: 880 to Cyprus", in: The Palestine Post (Jerusalem), Vol. 22, Nr. 6593, 24.12.1947 |
Contents (detailed) |
Shotlist (- ft): |
Credits |
THE ILLEGALS |