The documentary about Alice Herz-Sommer DID win the Academy Award! The director, in his acceptance speech, said this: "When I met Alice, I was struck by two things: her extraordinary capacity for JOY and her amazing capacity for FORGIVENESS. Seeing the film will help you live a much happier life."
"A Century of Wisdom: Lessons from the Life of Alice Herz-Sommer, The World's Oldest Living Holocaust Survivor" by Caroline Stoessinger is a book that I want to read!
Caroline Stoessinger is a New York concert pianist who interviewed Alice for over 15 years and admired her greatly. Apparently, it was Ms. Stoessinger who approached Malcolm Clarke to make this documentary, but he was a bit hesitant at first to do so, since he had already made a documentary about Kurt Gurron "Prisoner of Paradiese" who was in the same concentration camp, Theresienstadt, where Alice had been interred.
So now, I have TWO documentaries that I want to see in addition to reading the book by Caroline Stoessinger!
Yes, I was happy to see that it had won too. If only she had lived just a little longer so she could have shared in the joy of recognition!
ReplyDeleteIt seems a shame that she did not live to see this documentary win this award, but for this woman, it would have been just icing on the cake of life, it was already very sweet. x
DeleteThis is so inspiring. Thank you for posting it. I knew nothing about Alice and her life and philosophy.
ReplyDeleteI only just found out about her myself, but when I find someone that is inspiring and positive, I always want to point that person out to others!
DeleteCongratulations to him, i'm also glad they recognized what a worthy story it is.
ReplyDeleteI know, the director could have just decided it was too much the same as that other documentary. I bet that when he met Alice Herz-Sommer, he knew he had to make the film!
DeleteJoy and Forgiveness make life worth loving. I was happy to see this documentary win the Oscar. Have a happy day, Kay!
ReplyDeleteHey Louise!
DeleteJOY and FORGIVENESS, you might have noticed I put them in all capitals.
I did that for a reason, I wanted to make sure those words stood out!
My friend lives in the apartment next door to her and we used to hear her playing. I am annoyed with myself that I never asked for an introduction, they knew her well and did little errands for her. A most inspiring person, they said she was incredible.
ReplyDeleteI read that her neighbors very much enjoyed her playing Chopin for hours on the piano. What a lovely thought and how nice it is for me to know that one of those neighbors is a friend of Jenny Woolf! What a small world it is!
DeleteThank you very much for your comment! I can't tell you how much it means to me!
I saw that at the awards and wondered about her. She sounds like an amazing lady.
ReplyDeleteHey Kay!
DeleteI haven't seen the documentary or even read those books, and I like her from just the bit that I have read about her! And what about Jenny Woolf knowing her next door neighbor! Amazing world we live in, isn't it?