New Film The Optimist Honors a Holocaust Survivor's Unbreakable Spirit
A new film about Holocaust survivor Herbert Heller is set to hit cinemas across the country. The Optimist tells the story of Heller's escape from Auschwitz at just 15 years old and his later life in America. The release comes after years of work by director Rachel Thomas, who fought through personal health struggles to bring his powerful journey to the screen.
Herbert Heller was imprisoned in Auschwitz as a teenager but managed to escape in 1945. After fleeing, he found refuge with a Catholic family who took him in. Decades later, he built a new life in the United States, though the trauma of his past stayed with him—he suffered lifelong nightmares about Josef Mengele, the infamous Nazi doctor known as the 'angel of death'. In 2004, Heller began sharing his story publicly, speaking to students about survival and resilience.
Director Rachel Thomas first learned of Heller in 2014 and grew close to him over the years. She spent three years developing the script with a screenwriter before the COVID-19 pandemic forced a pause. Then, in 2021, Thomas faced her own battle: doctors discovered tumours, giving her only a 50% chance of surviving surgery. The experience pushed her to finish the film, determined to honour Heller's legacy. *The Optimist* centres on an elderly Heller forming an unlikely bond with Abby, a troubled teenager. Their connection changes both their lives, weaving past and present together. The film's release on **March 11 and March 15** will support mental health and Holocaust education initiatives. Thomas is donating 20% of proceeds to **KAVOD SHEF** and **Bring Change to Mind**, with the film also partnering with both organisations for wider awareness campaigns.
The film arrives in theatres as both a tribute to Heller's survival and a call to remember history's darkest chapters. Proceeds will fund education and mental health programmes, ensuring his story continues to inspire. For Thomas, completing The Optimist became a mission—one she nearly didn't live to see through.
