The Sabba Willi Film
ABOUT US:
Eliyahu Ungar-Sargon is an award-winning filmmaker who has spoken and written extensively about issues of human rights, religion and politics. His films have received critical acclaim and screened all over the world. He holds two degrees from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago; one in film, and one in the fascinating field of cognitive film theory.
ABOUT THE FILM:
The purpose of this film is more than just chronicling the life of a remarkable man. It will be a powerful educational tool to elucidate some of the lesser known aspects of the history of the Holocaust. Specifically, it sheds light on the history of Viennese Jewry, explores the issue of Britain’s deportation of German-speaking Jewish refugees who were classified as “enemy aliens”, and examines their subsequent internment in Australian prisoner of war camps. It is especially relevant in today’s political climate because it ties in issues such as the current rise of antisemitism and the treatment of refugees.
FILM SYNOPSIS:
This film chronicles the story of Wilhelm (Willie) Ungar, a Jewish refugee who escaped from Nazi controlled Austria in 1939. Willie was forced to leave his family behind when he was granted a rare spot on a Kindertransport to London. As World War II progressed and threatened England, German-speaking refugees were viewed as suspect, and classified as “enemy aliens.” In the fear and hysteria that gripped the British public, Willie was rounded up and sent to an internment camp. He embarked on a treacherous journey through U-Boat infested waters to Australia, aboard the HMT Dunera. The ship was infamous for its poor treatment of detainees and has become a symbol of injustice during wartime. After a harrowing journey, Willie spent years in Britain’s Australian internment camps at Tatura and Hay.
During his years in London and Australia, Willie corresponded with his family, who were left behind to face Nazi oppression in Vienna. His recently discovered letters offer a rare glimpse into Jewish life in Austria after the Anschluss. The film brings to life a vibrant, loving family who were ripped apart in the midst of one of the greatest tragedies in human history.
Rather than focusing on the huge, abstract numbers of the millions of Jews who were horrifically killed during the Holocaust, the film approaches the subject by making it deeply personal. This is the story of the members of one family, whose personalities come alive and leave the viewer with a sense of the immense tragedy of each individual life that was lost.
Despite the historical setting of the film, it’s message is eerily timely and crucially relevant in today’s political climate. It tells the story of a man who was made a refugee twice over, and asks the viewer to consider how refugees should be treated. It is a reminder of the dire consequences of antisemitism in a time when antisemitism is again on the rise. Yet, in the face of the tragedies that it explores, the film is also about the indominable spirit of a remarkable man and his commitment to building an enduring Jewish legacy.