Gideon Taylor, President of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference), announced the winner of the Claims Conference’s Short Film, Large Subject Emerging Filmmaker Contest. First place goes to Sabina Vajrača, a Bosnian-American filmmaker who was influenced by her Muslim family’s experience in Bosnia during World War II. The contest received thirty-nine applications from seven countries. The criteria for all entries required the topic of the film be focused on the Holocaust. Ms. Vajrača will receive $40,000 USD as well as additional development support to turn her screenplay into a film.
Gideon Taylor, President of the Claims Conference, said, “The Claims Conference is pleased to provide a new generation of filmmakers the opportunity to bring to life the memory and lessons of the Holocaust. We are proud to facilitate the creation of these narratives and documentaries. Film is a critical medium when it comes to telling the story of the Shoah, and it is an incredible opportunity to support these directors as they share their unique lens on this history. This film comes at another pivotal moment in history when we are witnessing the importance of standing up – of not being a bystander.”
This year’s winner, Sabina Vajrača, crafted an exciting narrative inspired by a true story set during two wars in Bosnia. Her film, Sevap / Mitzvah, tells the story of a Muslim family that saves their Jewish friends when the Nazis invade Sarajevo only to have them return the favor fifty years later during the Bosnian war.
The film is inspired by the story of the Hardaga family, who were Muslim, and the Kavilio family, who were Jews. When the Nazis reached Sarajevo during World War II, the Hardaga family took in the Kavilio family and treated them as their own, risking their lives in the process. For years, they provided support and comfort even though doing so put them in grave danger. Because of the Hardaga family’s heroism and humanity, the Kavilio family survived the Holocaust and immigrated to Israel.
In 1984, the Kavilio family provided testimony to Yad Vashem, and the Hardagas were recognized as Righteous Among the Nations. Fast forward to 1994—50 years later— the Hardagas were in peril as war raged in Sarajevo and Serbs perpetuated their ethnic cleansing campaign. As a result of the Kavilio family’s urgent pleas, the State of Israel intervened and secured safe passage for the Hardaga family to Israel.
Ms. Vajrača’s film and the Hardaga family are featured in the recently launched Claims Conference social media campaign, Don’t Be A Bystander. The Hardaga/Kavilio family story alone has garnered over 1.8 million views with the overall campaign has received more than 14 million views. The Claims Conference has deployed this campaign to highlight those recognized as Righteous Among the Nations, the honor given by Yad Vashem to non-Jews who risked their lives and often the lives of their families to save Jews during the Holocaust. Claims Conference is on a mission to inspire the world to lean into their humanity, a purpose that aligns with the message of Vajrača’s winning film.
Sabina Vajrača responded to the announcement saying, “I’m deeply humbled and very excited to be the recipient of this year’s filmmaking grant from the Claims Conference. What an honor to be selected from what I can only imagine was an incredible group of stories.” Referring to her own film she added, “May this story inspired by a Muslim family and a Jewish family helping one another survive when wars came to their doorsteps inspire us all to continuously choose good over evil, no matter the circumstances, even if it means crossing religious, political and any other borders we may at times deem insurmountable.”
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