"There have been so many impactful films made about the Holocaust, but two things drew me in as a writer. One was that this man kept his secret for 60 years, which I later found out was quite common among survivors. So, the idea of holding on to a secret until you're in your early 70s, even from your children and your family, was compelling."
Herbert Heller, a Czech immigrant, survived the Holocaust by escaping during a 1945 death march from Auschwitz, losing his father and brother in the process. He operated Heller's for Children in San Rafael for 53 years while keeping his traumatic past hidden from even his family. Later in life, he found his voice and became a respected speaker sharing his story with Bay Area youth. Producer Jeanine Thomas developed his story into a film called The Optimist, directed by Finn Taylor. The drama alternates between World War II and the early 2000s, featuring Stephen Lang as elderly Heller and Luke David Blumm as young Herbert, with Elsie Fisher as a troubled teen named Abby to whom Heller recounts his experiences.
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