The Forger
The New York Times, 2017. Role: Director/Producer/Editor.
By his 19th birthday, Adolfo Kaminsky had helped save thousands of children from the Nazis by hand-making false passports. He went on to forge papers for people around the world in practically every major conflict of the mid-20th century. He kept his past a secret--until now. This documentary about a 91-year-old man’s secret past is told with innovative handmade paper shadow puppets. In an era of a global refugee crisis, Kaminsky knows there are people in similar peril today and forces viewers to confront their own responsibility. He knows there is more to be done, but “I can’t anymore,” he says.
Directed and Produced by Samantha Stark, Alexandra Garcia, Pamela Druckerman
Shadow Animations, Original Music, and Sound Design by Manual Cinema
Field Producer Murat Gökmen
Cinematographer Stu McCardle
Editing Samantha Stark, Alexandra Garcia, Taige Jensen
Executive Producers Adam B. Ellick, Nancy Gauss
Select Awards
News and Documentary Emmy Awards Winner, New Approaches: Arts & Lifestyle Coverage. New York, NY.
Hot Docs International Film Festival. Audience Award, Short Film. Toronto, Canada.
Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival. Jury Award: Best Documentary Short. Hot Springs, Ak.
AFI Docs Film Festival. Official Selection. Washington, D.C,
Florida Film Festival. Official Selection. Orlando, Fl.
Best of International Short Films Festival. Audience Award. La Ciotat, France.
DC Shorts Film Festival. Jury Award: Best Documentary. Washington, D.C.
Peabody Awards. Finalist. Athens, Ga.
World Press Photo Digital Storytelling Contest. Second Place, Longform. Amsterdam, Netherlands.
National Press Photographers Association. First Place, Documentary. Athens, Ga.
Annapolis Film Festival. Audience Award: Best Documentary Short. Annapolis, Md.
Reframe Film Festival. Official Selection. Ontario, Canada.
Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. Official Selection. Atlanta, Ga.
Boston Jewish Film Festival. Official Selection. Boston, Ma.