The Buchenwald Ball released on line

To commemorate the 70^th anniversary of the liberation of Buchenwald, the makers of The Buchenwald Ball is being re-released on demand with all proceeds from downloads going towards a new documentary about Holocaust survivor…set in Melbourne’s Holocaust Museum.

In 2005, on the 60^th anniversary of the liberation of Buchenwald Concentration Camp, local filmmakers Danny Ben-Moshe, Uri Mizrachi and Andrew Weisman made the acclaimed documentary The Buchenwald Ball which followed the Buchenwald “boys” as they set about celebrating the 60th anniversary of their liberation with a gala ball. 10 years on, and to commemorate the 70^th anniversary of the liberation of Buchenwald, the film is being re-released on demand. All proceeds from downloads will go towards a new inspiring documentary about Holocaust survivors set in the Holocaust Museum in Melbourne.

Originally screened at prime time on SBS, the film rated in the top 10 documentaries of the year for the multicultural broadcaster. The Age reviewed it as “A beautiful tribute to human spirit and to men who embody it”, while The Sydney Morning Herald 
review stated “Meeting these people with their sad eyes and smiling faces is a pleasure”. The film went on to play on TV stations and at Jewish film festivals around the world.

The Buchenwald Ball is an uplifting story that celebrates survival. Full of swagger and joie de vivre, the documentary tells the story of forty-five orphans who survived the Holocaust and settled in Australia after the Second World War where they celebrate the anniversary of their liberation from the Buchenwald Concentration Camp with a gala ball on the day of their liberation, 11 April 1945. These men drink hard, argue with gusto and dance to live, but as the film unfolds, we see through intense, intimate, soul-searching, darkly humorous and always revealing moments, how they also live with one of the darkest episodes of human history.

Filmmaker Danny Ben-Moshe said, “The film was so well received when it was originally released and people still talk about. I often get requests from people asking where they can see it, and as the 70^th anniversary approaches it seemed like an appropriate time to re-release the documentary”.

The Buchenwald Boys are men with an irrepressible lifeforce full of vigour and humour. This post-Holocaust film documents the tenacity of their human spirit in the aftermath of tragedy. Filled with dancing, music and a spritely energy that defies their age, the ball is a testament to their determination to survive. This film captures their passion and memories for future generations – it is a cautionary tale for when they are gone, with many having sadly passed away in the decade since the film was made.

Buchenwald Boy and lead character in the film Shiya Chaskiel said “unfortunately we have lost some of the boys since the film was made, but they live on, as does our collective legacy, in this film”.

The film is available on demand at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/buchenwaldball or www.identity-films.com It costs $4.99 to view over a 24 hour period and $10.99 to download for permanent viewing.