VR film on Holocaust survivor showing at London Film Festival
New technology changes the way stories are told
When Marion Deichmann was seven, she and her mother huddled in the back of a lorry, praying they would be safely ferried away from the Nazis. Marion, now 90, remembers those tense moments vividly, and has shared the story of their escape many times. But only now, with the advent of new technology, can people sit beside her on that journey.
Making its UK debut at the London Film Festival, which opens on 6 October, Letters from Drancy is a virtual reality film that changes the nature of how Holocaust stories are shared and experienced. Viewers accompany Marion as she guides them through her harrowing journey, first to Paris alongside her mother, and then alone to Normandy where she remained hidden until the end of the Second World War.
“My mother was my world, and she was taken from me,” says Marion. “This film is a tribute to her, and the millions killed during the Holocaust.”
Created by Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in partnership with London-based East City Films, Letters from Drancy is one of three new VR films created to ensure that stories like Marion’s are not only preserved for future generations but retain their impact.
Attendees at the London Film Festival will be able to put on a VR headset and join Marion at some of the most important places in her life – the apartment she and her mother fled to in Paris, the house where she sheltered during the Allied invasion of Normandy and, of course, the truck that took her on her first step to freedom.
“All of us at East City Films are deeply humbled and honored to have collaborated with the Illinois Holocaust Museum and the remarkable Holocaust survivor Marion Deichmann on this extraordinary VR documentary,” says Ashley Cowan, East City Films CEO & Executive Producer. Working alongside Marion, witnessing her courage and resilience, has been an awe-inspiring experience.
“Our film captures her compelling journey in a way that only VR storytelling can, allowing audiences to immerse themselves in her story like never before. Marion’s story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit, and we believe it has the potential to leave a profound impact on viewers, urging them to embrace empathy, compassion, and understanding,”
“We are honored to have Letters from Drancy selected for the BFI London Film Festival. I’m so proud of the Museum, East City Films, and most importantly Marion Deichmann for sharing her story which brought the film to life,” says Bernard Cherkasov, museum CEO. “Virtual reality gives us the opportunity to increase exposure to these important stories and gives viewers a more personal understanding of this history. By telling those stories, we’re hoping to inspire new generations and new audiences to take a stand for humanity. At a time when antisemitism and hatred are at a high, debuting this film at such a prestigious, international stage has an immense impact.”
Letters from Drancy made its worldwide debut at the Venice Film Festival and is also now playing at Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie, Illinois.
The largest independent Holocaust museum in the United States, Illinois Holocaust Museum has gained worldwide attention for how it uses technology to preserve survivors’ stories. Letters from Drancy is one of five virtual reality films the museum now has, each focusing on the individual survivor and their experiences of the Holocaust.
The London Film Fesival is at Bargehouse at Oxo Tower Wharf 6 – 22 October. whatsonbfi.org.uk
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