Boulder Filmmakers Screen and Talk at Denver Jewish Film Festival

“For the Living,” a feature documentary by Boulder filmmakers will screen on Tuesday, Jan. 28th at 4:30pm at the Denver JCC as part of the Denver Jewish Film Festival.  There will be a Q&A with Co-Director Tim Roper, Co-Director & Producer Marc Bennett, and Producer Lisa Effress to follow the screening.

“For the Living“ is a poignant feature documentary that sheds light on the complex coexistence of dehumanization and empathy in our world, and the continuous struggle between these forces. The film brings into sharp focus the universal need for compassion through the lens of the annual Ride for the Living, a powerful event that bridges history with the present.  

At the heart of the documentary is the harrowing story of Holocaust survivor Marcel Zielinski. In January 1945, after enduring two years in a death camp, then 10-year-old Marcel who was liberated by advancing Russian forces, embarked on a perilous 60-mile journey by foot from Auschwitz-Birkenau to Krakow, Poland, through an active war zone in search of his surviving family. This dangerous journey was a child’s desperate march from Darkness to Light.

Decades later, in a profound act of solidarity and remembrance, 250 cyclists from 12 different countries retraced the liberation path of the 84-year-old Marcel during the Ride for the Living, created and run by the JCC Krakow. This annual event serves as both a memorial and a collective act of empathy, re-enacting Marcel’s journey while shining a light on the enduring battle between the extremes of human nature: dehumanization and empathy. 

While the Holocaust is just one focal point of the film, “For the Living“ ultimately addresses a more universal and humanistic story about each of us, drawing a stark parallel between humanity’s darkest moments and our capacity for light and compassion. The film’s narrative is further brought to life with insights and commentary from notable academics like Timothy Snyder and Neil Degrasse Tyson. Posing the urgent questions:  When will we stop building monuments for the dead and get busy re-humanizing the living? When will we finally say NEVER AGAIN and truly mean it? 

“For the Living“ is co-directed and co-written by Marc Bennett (“Should’ve been Romeo,” “Hot Flash Havoc“) and first-time feature director Tim Roper (Emmy-nominated & Cannes Lion winning advertising campaigns). Executive producers are Melinda Goldrich and Andrea Cayton and co-producers are Lisa Effress and Marc Bennett. Additional co-writer is Brett Kopin, editors are Alanna Schmelter, Travis Mitchell, Pedro Urgilies and John Polk and the film’s cinematographers include Patrick Lewtschanyn, Alejandro Marin, and Del Feltz. Composer is Daniel Alcheh.