About the Film
Barry Levinson’s biographical drama stars Ben Foster as boxer Harry Haft, who looks to carry on after fighting to survive in WWII concentration camps. Haft is a man bent, bruised, but never broken by his experience of the Holocaust.
When the Nazis invade Poland, Harry Haft is sent to the Auschwitz extermination camp. He is a powerfully built man, so a charming but sadistic officer (Billy Magnussen) offers him an impossible deal: fight fellow prisoners in the boxing ring for the amusement of his captors, or die. The winner of the bout survives to fight again. The loser is shot or sent to the gas chamber. How far will Harry’s will to live take him? What will he do to escape the death all around him?
Levinson weaves these harrowing scenes together with two key later periods in Haft’s life. In 1949, Harry has made it to America. Shattered by the camps, he falls into the only life he knows: boxing. A trainer (Danny DeVito) helps him prepare to fight Rocky Marciano, and it looks like a hopeless contest for him. It’s during this time that he meets a woman dedicated to helping survivors find their loved ones (Vicky Krieps), but their personal traumas make the relationship a daily struggle. Later, in 1963, Harry tries to reconcile with the worst of his memories and find a way to love.
The Survivor is produced by New Mandate Films’ Matti Leshem (“The Shallows”), BRON Studios’ Aaron L. Gilbert (“Bombshell,” “Monster,” “The Front Runner”), Baltimore Pictures’ Jason Sosnoff (HBO’s “Paterno” and “The Wizard of Lies”) and Barry Levinson (“Donnie Brasco,” “Bugsy”) and Scott Pardo (“Hope & A Little Sugar”). Executive Producers are Joel Greenberg, Ben Foster, Danny Devito, Brenda Gilbert, Steven Thibault, Ashley Levinson, Anjay Nagpal, Ron McLeod, Jason Cloth and Richard McConnell. The film is from New Mandate Films and BRON Studios, in association with Baltimore Pictures, Endeavor Content, USC Shoah Foundation and Creative Wealth Media.
Official Trailer
Crispin Brooks is curator of the Visual History Archive and over the years has played a key role in archiving its testimonies. He is also immersed in Eastern European studies. He spoke to us about consulting on The Survivor.
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In this clip from his 1995 testimony, Harry Haft describes how winning was a matter of life or death.
Auschwitz Survivor Stories from the Visual History Archive
Harry Haft survived through his skills as a boxer for the entertainment of the Nazis in Auschwitz. Others imprisoned at the camp—including Benjamin Jacobs, a dentist—have mentioned in their testimonies that their professional usefulness to their captors may have saved their lives. Besides boxing, another form of entertainment for the Nazis at Auschwitz was the camp orchestra. The Visual History Archive has testimonies of several musicians who recount their experiences playing in the orchestra.
Anita Lasker Wallfisch on the Auschwitz Orchestra
Anita Lasker Wallfisch recalls how she came to be the cellist in the female orchestra in Auschwitz. She talks extensively about the orchestra's conductor and music instructor, Alma, painting her in a positive light.
Anita Lasker Wallfisch on the Auschwitz Orchestra
Language: English
Anita Lasker Wallfisch recalls how she came to be the cellist in the female orchestra in Auschwitz. She talks extensively about the orchestra's conductor and music instructor, Alma, painting her in a positive light.
Shony Braun on performing in the Auschwitz Orchestra
Language: English
Shony Braun a violinist, recalls being selected to play music for the SS officers at Dachau. He believes that he would’ve been killed if not for his ability to play music.
Joseph Horn on the Auschwitz Camp Orchestra
Language: English
Joseph Horn describes the Auschwitz camp orchestra, which was made up of some of the best musicians in Europe. He distinctly remembers that the orchestra's concerts every Sunday were scheduled so the local townspeople could come into the camp after church and attend the concert.
Day 42 of 70 Days of Testimony: Benjamin Jacobs on being a dentist in Auschwitz
Language: English
Benjamin Jacobs discusses how his forced labor assignment was to serve as a dentist in Auschwitz. This is the 42nd testimony clip in the series 70 Days of Testimony: Leading up to the 70th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz.
Louis Bannet on How Trumpet Saved His Life
Language: English
Famous jazz trumpeter and violinist Louis Bannet talks about his experience auditioning for the Auschwitz camp orchestra and how his talent saved his life. April 30 is International Jazz Day.
Agnes Kun
Language: English
Jewish Survivor
Agnes describes her experience working in the camp hospital at Auschwitz II-Birkenau and her good fortune for her work assignment as a medical assistant. She attributes her survival to her cousin, a prisoner doctor, for giving her this opportunity.
DOB: 5/3/1926
City of birth: Satu Mare
Country of birth: Romania
Ghettos: Satu Mare (Romania)
Camps: Salzwedel (Germany), Auschwitz (Poland), Braunschweig (Germany)