To Never Forget

While rooted in a specific historical event, the film's strength lies in its humanistic approach. The inclusion of personal testimonies, particularly from Ethel Davis and the filmmaker's grandmother, provides accessible emotional entry points. The narrative aims to connect the past to the present, making its themes of remembrance and consequence relevant to a broad audience.

The film transcends a mere depiction of a filmmaker's process. It delves into the enduring impact of the Holocaust, illustrating how its repercussions continue to resonate across generations, affecting families and even influencing contemporary geopolitics. It highlights the ongoing relevance of historical trauma and memory.

Ethel Davis, a 92-year-old Jewish Australian, plays a crucial role in the film. Her family perished in the 1941 massacre that the photograph commemorates. Her involvement brings a deeply personal and poignant dimension to the documentary, offering direct testimony and lived experience to the historical tragedy being investigated.

Filmmaker Peter Hegedüs employs immersive 360 technology to create a dramatic recreation of the 1941 photograph. This innovative approach allows for a more visceral and engaging experience, drawing viewers into the historical moment. It moves beyond a simple documentary to offer a powerful, technologically advanced reinterpretation of a devastating event.

The film centres on a harrowing photograph taken in December 1941, capturing a group of women and a young girl, Sorella, being forced to undress on a Baltic Sea beach in freezing conditions. This chilling image serves as the catalyst for filmmaker Peter Hegedüs's exploration of a massacre that tragically claimed the family of Ethel Davis, a 92-year-old Jewish Australian.