I Am Here (2021)

• biography

Logline

Ella is not your average 98-year-old. Her magnetic personality makes her past even more surprising. Follow this spirited South African Holocaust survivor as she reveals her astonishing life journey and unwavering appreciation of life.

Plot Summary

This documentary contrasts Ella’s vibrant day-to-day life with stories of her experience surviving the Holocaust. These memories are depicted through dynamic 2D animation, innovatively bringing her storytelling to life. Ella recalls bearing witness to losing her family, being a prisoner of three concentration camps, and narrowly escaping death in a gas chamber. However, she never lost the connection to the beautiful moments and people who changed her life forever. As tragic as her past has been, Ella triumphantly cherishes each moment and will stop at nothing to live life in a full spectrum of experience and joy. A universal message of resilience – the documentary explores important themes such as the pervasive nature of xenophobia, the will of survival and most importantly: Hope.