A Mother’s Heart

How my parents survived a harrowing and miraculous journey in the ghettos and forests of eastern Poland and found each other and love during the Holocaust years.

This deeply personal short film, first of a four-part series, details how they survived through courage, wit, luck, and the aid of non-Jews who risked their own lives to help them.

Through direct interviews, photos and evocative archival footage, my mother, Bertha Bauer, recounts the story of her and her sister surviving the first aktion in her small town, Burzstyn.

Set against the backdrop of World War II and Hitler’s invasion of Poland, the film’s power lies in its first-person testimony. As our world takes a dark turn towards authoritarianism, I feel an urgent need to share their stories, to show what happened when fascism arrived at my own family’s doorstep. The striking parallels between the current events unfolding in our nation are both frightening and serve as a cautionary tale. It’s critical that we continue talking about how to protect the vulnerable, speak the truth, and resist fascism.

Producer, Director, Editor, Writer: Marta Wohl

Technical and Creative Consultant: David Weissman

Supervising Sound Editor, Re-Recording Mixer: Paul Zahnley, Disher Sound

Re-Recording Mixer: Tom Disher, Disher Sound

Colorist: Gary Coates

Archival Producer: Jennifer Petrucelli, Sub-Basement Archival

“Hear with You” Composer: Keiko Matsui, Forever Keiko Music  

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