POINT PLEASANT — Local filmmaker John Rokosny is telling the stories of Holocaust survivors and those affected by that horrific time in human history.
Rokosny, from Point Pleasant, has founded a nonprofit organization, called Their Stories Foundation. Its mission is to create films that tell stories of the Holocaust and related topics, and to educate future generations about this traumatic time in history.
“We started Their Stories Foundation for donors and supporters to make tax-deductible donations and help us create these important films,” said Rokosny. “Surprisingly, many people have little or no information about the atrocities of the Holocaust and its aftermath. Or, they have the wrong information. Hearing stories from the people who were actually there and their children, is incredibly valuable.”
He said, “The rise in antisemitism is a motivating factor for the formation of Their Stories Foundation. We’ve interviewed over 40 holocaust survivors in the past year, and let me tell you, they are being re-traumatized by recent events. It’s really sad. We want to honor the survivors — and those who didn’t survive — with our films, and to share their stories with new generations.”
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported record-breaking levels of antisemitic incidents in 2023, with over 8,800 recorded cases of harassment, vandalism, and assault — a 140% increase compared to 2022.
One of the films Rokosny and this organization has made is “They Survived Together,” which aired on PBS and went on to win several awards including an Emmy Award for Best Historical Documentary.
“They Survived Together” tells the story of the Neiger family and their miraculous escape from the Krakow Ghetto with four small children.
“We spent a long time getting to know the Neiger family, gaining their trust to allow us to tell their story. It was an amazing experience on so many levels,” said Rokosny.
With the help of his life partner, Andriette Redmann, who conducts all the interviews, the organization has prospered in making films that highlight these issues.
“She has a real talent for making the interviewee comfortable and relaxed to tell their honest story in a heartfelt way. We became very attached to the family,” said Rokosny. “We have a great team, friends that we have made working in this field for many years. ‘You need a good team,’ Bruce Springsteen once told us when we were filming at his house one day.”
“They Survived Together” is available on Amazon Prime for streaming or DVD.
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