• The Survivor

    Directed by Barry Levinson
    USA/Hungary | 129 minutes | U.S. Premiere | Modern Masters

In this searing film based on an incredible true story from illustrious director Barry Levinson, Ben Foster gives a powerhouse performance as Harry Haft, an Auschwitz survivor, who was forced to fight in gladiatorial matches for the entertainment of the Nazis.

film synopsis

In this searing film based on an incredible true story, Ben Foster gives a full-bodied, transformative performance as Harry Haft, a Polish Jew whose imprisonment at Auschwitz was spent in savage, gladiatorial boxing matches against fellow prisoners for the entertainment of the Nazis. Beginning anew in 1949, Harry comes to America in search of the woman he loved (Dar Zuzovsky) that he met before the war. There, he is helped by a woman (Vicky Krieps), dedicated to helping survivors find their loved ones, but he struggles to adjust to life after the war and reconciling the survivor’s guilt and unfathomable horrors he experienced firsthand. Haft recounts his story to a reporter (Peter Sarsgaard) after becoming a winning prizefighter, believing that enough public attention will help him in his ongoing search for his true love. Directed by Oscar® winner Barry Levinson (Rain Man) and boasting a heavyweight supporting cast that includes Billy Magnussen, Danny DeVito, and John Leguizamo, The Survivor is a haunting, heartbreaking story of a man in a lifelong search for redemption and displays Foster’s virtuosity as an on-screen powerhouse.

film details

Director: Barry Levinson
Producers: Matti Leshem, Aaron L. Gilbert, Barry Levinson, Jason Sosnoff, Scott Pardo
Screenwriter: Justine Juel Gillmer
Cinematographers: George Steel
Editor: Douglas Cruise
Music: Hans Zimmer
Cast: Ben Foster, Vicky Krieps, Billy Magnussen, Peter Sarsgaard, Saro Emirze, Dar Zuzovsky, Danny DeVito, John Leguizamo
Country: USA/Hungary
Language: In English and German with English subtitles.
Year: 2021
Running Time: 129 minutes
Premiere Status: U.S. Premiere
Director Filmography: Paterno (2018), The Wizard of Lies (2017), Rock the Kasbah (2015), The Humbling (2014), The Bay (2012), You Don't Know Jack (2010), Rain Man (1988), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
Primary Company: HBO

Film Festival 2022