Cannes Short Film Corner 2018 - Maydeleh and the Prisoner
After decades of steadfast resilience, Arie Weiss, a Holocaust survivor relapses into childhood trauma when Haruka, a Japanese caregiver, moves in with him. Arie’s powerless situation and his dependency on a non-Jew causes repressed memories of the war to resurface which lead him to mistrust Haruka. Through their struggles to trust and accept one another, this poetic tale explores the compassion and empathy that can flourish between two strangers of different cultures but of a similar pain.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Maya Ben Yair
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Originally from Israel, I moved to Los Angeles to be a part of its film industry and never imagined that I’ll make a film with the holocaust as one of its topics. Moving away from Israel where holocaust education is extensive, I found that most people knew about the holocaust through movies and books, and as such, it was suspect to being mythologized.
I wanted to explore the experience of holocaust survivors in old age - when being resilient is no longer possible, but I wanted to do so from the perspective of an “outsider”, in this case, a non-Jew.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I hope the film promotes a unique statement about cross-cultural ability to empathize, relate, and communicate despite barriers and without words.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The film handles universal themes of the fear and rejection of strangers and how past trauma and pain are used to justify mistrust. A more personal theme is the lack of communication around sensitive topics such as the holocaust which was common in my family. In the film, both characters believe strongly that ignorance is bliss.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
During the rehearsal process, it became clear that Haruka is not a secondary character as written in earlier drafts of the script, but in fact, this is her story. The actors and I shared similar notions and Nami, who plays Haruka became the lead alongside Milt who plays Arie.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The second time the film ever screened in front of an audience there were two holocaust survivors in attendance and several others whose spouses or close friends were survivors. They indicated that they were able to connect and empathize with the characters and found their struggles familiar and indicative of their personal experiences. Some people approached me and told me that Arie and Haruka’s story helped them understand relatives who never spoke about their pain.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Portraying the experience of a holocaust survivor in old age with accuracy and realism has always been of paramount importance to me. But no matter how many people I spoke with, and how many memoirs and research I read, I was still in my twenties and have not experienced such paralyzing trauma in my life. Therefore, their feedback surprised me very much but helped me realize that directors don’t need to experience their subject matter personally but should always educate themselves as much as possible in preparation.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
The film screened several times in front of a primarily Jewish audience. I hope to have the movie screened to more people, and especially to non-Jews with less media exposure to topics to the holocaust.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
My goal is for the film to start a conversation and bring people together. Local film festivals are an excellent place for community-based discourse, but I would also love the film to be more accessible to people in consumer platforms, and for that, we need buyers, distributors, and journalists to help spread the word.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I would like people to leave the theater thinking about the film’s messages, subtext, and symbolism. It’s not a film that serves itself on a silver platter but might require additional thought and analysis. I want people to engage with its motifs and themes with one another and start a conversation.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Every culture has painful collective memories in its history that are affecting its identity until today. What do we know about other culture’s trauma’s beside our own? What can we do more to learn?
Why are we afraid to ask difficult and personal questions? Can we be more open to and receptive to other people’s pain? Is it easier to do so with strangers than with family?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I am currently finishing work on a short film by the name of Place 21.
Interview: May 2018
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Maydeleh and the Prisoner
After decades of steadfast resilience, Arie Weiss, a Holocaust survivor relapses into childhood trauma when Haruka, a Japanese caregiver, moves in with him. Arie’s powerless situation and his dependency on a non-Jew causes repressed memories of the war to resurface which lead him to mistrust Haruka. Through their struggles to trust and accept one another, this poetic tale explores the compassion and empathy that can flourish between two strangers of different cultures but of a similar pain.
Length: 26min
Director: Maya Ben Yair
Producer: Maya Ben Yair & Erin Walsh
Writer: Maya Ben Yair
About the writer, director and producer: Maya Ben Yair is an Israeli filmmaker based in Los Angeles. She served as Chief editor for the IDF’s Film Unit and has a BA in Film and Television Production from Loyola Marymount University
Key cast: Nami Paix, Milt Kogan (Grace & Frankie, the Descendants, E.T, Barney Miller)
Looking for: Looking for [producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists] - worldwide rights are available.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Maydeleh2016/
Funders: Joe Lumer Family Fellowship, et al.
Made in association with: Joe Lumer Family Fellowship, Loyola Marymount University Department of Jewish Studies
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Screening in Jewish Motifs International Film Festival in Warsaw at the end of the month.