Synopsis

In 1943, 250 Jewish slave workers successfully escaped from a Nazi labor camp in Novogrudok, Belarus, via a tunnel they dug. The film follows the remaining escapees, accompanied by their descendants, in an attempt to find the tunnel. The archaeological excavations dig up not only piles of dirt and some physical remnants, but also dredge up the memories, pain and hope of three generations that merge to become one story.

“The film is inspirational, it takes you on a journey back into the dark times of the Second World War and connects new generations to one of the bravest acts of escape and survival ever told.” Diane Lees, Director General Imperial War Museums London, UK

“This film is much more than the sum of its parts. It is the tale of a multi-generational group coming together in Belarus to search for the wartime tunnel through which Jews escaped from captivity in a brutal labour camp. But underneath the surface, like the tunnel itself, lies a rich layer of explanation leading to a fresh perspective on the Shoah. Yes, Jews suffered and died in untold numbers but some resisted and were determined to survive against all the odds. A truly inspiring story told largely through those who were there.” Jon Silverman, Professor of Media and Criminal Justice, University of Bedfordshire (UK) and former BBC Home Affairs Correspondent. Winner of the 1996 Sony Gold Award as Radio Journalist of the Year for reporting on war crimes.