In The Footsteps of Elie Wiesel

Country: France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, U S A

Director: Stephanie Ansaldo

Runtime: 00:53:00

Cast: Richard Gere (Voice)

Category: all documentaries

Short Synopsis: The extraordinary story of twelve American students as they trace the life of Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel from his birth place in the Transylvania Mountains, to the death camps of Hitler's Third Reich, and beyond. A coming of age story as these students discover that they too, can change the world.

Detailed Synopsis: In The Footsteps of Elie Wiesel' chronicles the travels of twelve suburban high school students through Europe as they trace the life path of Nobel laureate, author, humanitarian and Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel. What transpires along their journey is a social dialogue with history as these youth discover lessons from the past, their responsibility to humanity, and their personal power to make a difference. The goal of the film is to serve as a model: When you move beyond familiar horizons and open your mind and your heart to another, your own life is enriched, and, in so doing, the lives of others become accessible, important and worthy. As the audience witnesses the transformation of these students, they too will be inspired to do their part to create a more humane world. At its core, the film is about developing the next generation of compassionate, global citizens.In addition to stunning imagery of the environments that shaped Wiesel, the documentary features archival Holocaust footage, original footage of speeches by Wiesel, interviews with Holocaust survivors and historians, footage of current events, a musical affirmation of faith by Wiesel, and the thoughtful reflections of the students themselves as they look to a more just future. The documentary is in the final stages of post-production. Target markets for distribution include: high schools internationally, houses of worship, PBS, HBO, film festivals, special screenings and open distribution to all through Internet sales.