Melbourne Documentary Film Festival 2020 – Man on the Bus
The secret history of an Australian Jewish family.
The true story of a Polish Holocaust survivor who led a double life in Melbourne, and her daughter Eve, a psychologist and filmmaker, who discovered the deception that upended her life.
Interview with Director/Producer/Actor Eve Ash
Watch Man on the Bus on iTunes
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I grew up with Holocaust survivor parents and as a psychologist and filmmaker always felt their story should be told. But I started to unravel more than I anticipated long after they died, and I knew I had to film myself searching for the truth.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
This film has incredible unfolding twists. It will take the viewer from tears to laughter, and everyone will want to discuss it afterwards. It's an Australian film, a Jewish film, a personal story about a search for the truth and discoveries that upend the filmmaker's life forever.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
This story starts with two remarkable survivors coming together under the most horrific circumstances of war, making a new life in a new country far away from their horror and murder of their families... and a search for the truth by their daughter who follows her instinct to uncover the secret. This is a universal story of love and loss, secrets and suspense, cover-up and courage.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
This film took ten years to evolve over many shoots in Australia, Europe and USA. It was also a search into archival footage, audio interviews and photos, and interviews with key personalities and family. Sadly several of those I interviewed have since died.
One of my biggest challenges was including the holocaust elements yet keeping the film light.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
I have been humbled by the outpouring of supportive and congratulatory emails, texts and online contacts about this film. Incredible publicity eg:
GRAEME BLUNDELL - Film Critic: "Such a delicious, beguiling mystery with an unexpectedly happy ending."
Audience award and 40+ encore screenings at the Jewish International Film Festival. Great reviews and Q&As at various festivals, most recently the Toronto Jewish Film Festival.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
There have been some 20 Q&A sessions, live and online, and all amaze me at how much people want to know more about why, how, when... Questions I enjoyed were about religion, family, loyalty and affairs, monogamy, trust, holocaust escape and survival, and many questions directed at or about "the man on the bus". That man is still alive at 96 and working full time... has even attended and responded to Q&A questions.
Many people were blown away by my dad's remarkable and courageous escape from a concentration camp. (Around 134 escaped, 13 survived, and many German guards were killed. It's a story not known by the public and the subject of my next film)
Some minority feedback that was challenging was the suggestion that my mother's secret should not have been told, but I am a believer in open, honest communication and by me telling my story, many others have told me it helped them now talk about their family secrets.
One person in Canada wrote to me and realised it was HIS father that my dad escaped with but he never knew what happened. No-one ever wanted to reveal the truth of that fateful night.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I believe my film is a great discussion starter about relationships, survival and optimism. I would like to expand the audience and try to recoup the budget over time.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Buyers!
Distributors and Film Festival Directors.
Film reviewers and journalists.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I'd love big word of mouth. I'd like this film to trigger discussion in audiences about family secrets, relationships, honesty, love, the holocaust, DNA discoveries... I hope people love this film generally as much as the audiences so far.
I am delighted people have an uplifted feeling after seeing the film.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
How do we feel about people who have secret affairs? Or even secret children?
Are children entitled to know their genetic origins?
Can you successfully love two people at the same time?
Why did holocaust survivors keep their stories secret?
Would you like to add anything else?
I love doing Q&A events about this film. As a public speaker, I am finding the events after the screenings fascinating. I get 10-30 questions each time, people are engaged, so any opportunities for that is also very welcome.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
In development:
Escape from a concentration camp.
Cover-up - a series of wrongful convictions and injustices exposed.
Just filmed:
50 x 2 minutes to success programs for the educational and business market.
Interview: July 2020
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
Man on the Bus
The secret history of an Australian Jewish family.
The true story of a Polish Holocaust survivor who led a double life in Melbourne, and her daughter Eve, a psychologist and filmmaker, who discovered the deception that upended her life.
Length: 1:23:55
Director: Eve Ash
Producer: Eve Ash
Writer: Eve Ash, James Carr, Nic Swift
About the writer, director and producer:
EVE ASH directed the shoots for Man on the Bus over ten years, in many cases doing the filming herself as the secret unfolded. Eve's direction credits include 700+ short films, Undercurrent TV series x 6 episodes, Shadow of Doubt documentary and human relations TV series. Also a psychologist, Eve wrote and directed this true story over a decade, filming as she developed the ideas and unfolded the secrets in her family. Eve has written hundreds of short films, TV series and another feature documentary. She co-produced and starred in Undercurrent, true-crime TV series x 6 eps Channel 7, 2019. Eve founded Seven Dimensions, produced over 700 short films, documentaries and TV episodes, winning over 170 international awards. Eve has won several awards for her latest feature, Man on the Bus, including a REMI at the Houston International Film Festival and an audience award with 40 encore screenings at the recent Jewish International Film Festival.
NIC SWIFT a former Exec producer for ABC Factual, crafted the structure and developed key interviews.
JAMES CARR, the documentary editor, shaped this film into its visual story.
Key cast: Eve Ash (self), Helen Schamroth (self), Dixie Lee (self), Feliks Ash (self); Martha Ash (self)
Looking for: film festival directors, buyers, distributors
Facebook: Eve Ash
Twitter: @eveash
Hashtags used: #ManOnTheBus
Website: manonthebus.com.au
Other: IMDb
Funders: Self-funded
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Melbourne Documentary Film Festival to July 1 2020; Aust & NZ: Classic Cinemas "at home"; Chaiflicks.com in North America from July 2020.