CLAIMS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES WINNER OF FILM CONTEST FOR EMERGING DIRECTORS FOCUSED ON THE HOLOCAUST

Winning Film Inspired By True Story Of Two Heroic Families: One Risked Their Lives During The Holocaust — The Other Returned The Favor Five Decades Later

NEW YORK, May 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference), announced the winner of the Short Film, Large Subject Emerging Filmmaker Contest. First place goes to Sabina Vajrača, a Bosnian-American filmmaker influenced by her Muslim family's experience in Bosnia during World War II. 

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. 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."

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. Because of the Hardaga family's heroism and humanity, the Kavilio family survived the Holocaust.

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.

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." 

Greg Schneider, Executive Vice President of the Claims Conference, said, "We are elated to award Sabina Vajrača the top prize for the Claims Conference's Emerging Filmmaker contest. Her film amplifies a story that inspires all of us to reach beyond social and political norms and lean into our humanity."

More information about the 2021 contest can be found on the Claims Conference website: https://filmcontest.claimscon.org/2021-contest/. Applications are open now through June 6, 2022 for the 2022 Emerging Filmmaker contest. More information and applications can be found at https://filmcontest.claimscon.org/.

For more information about the Claims Conference, please visit: www.claimscon.org.

About the Claims Conference: The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference), a nonprofit organization with offices in New York, Israel and Germany, secures material compensation for Holocaust survivors around the world. Founded in 1951 by representatives of 23 major international Jewish organizations, the Claims Conference negotiates for and disburses funds to individuals and organizations and seeks the return of Jewish property stolen during the Holocaust. As a result of negotiations with the Claims Conference since 1952, the German government has paid more than $90 billion in indemnification to individuals for suffering and losses resulting from persecution by the Nazis. In 2021, the Claims Conference distributed approximately $820 million in direct compensation to over 210,000 survivors in 83 countries and allocated approximately $650 million in grants to over 300 social service agencies worldwide that provide vital services for Holocaust survivors, such as homecare, food and medicine.

SOURCE Claims Conference