Experiencing Interruptions?

After Auschwitz

As she sets about preparing the Sabbath table Rebeka reflects on the paths not taken, of loves lost and the moral obligations of being a survivor. 'After Auschwitz' is a short film about survival, truth and reflection. It explores one woman's struggle to escape the shadows of the past and to contend with the choices that she has made in life.

  • Paul Blinkhorn
    Director
    Duty Calls
  • Paul Blinkhorn
    Writer
    Duty Calls
  • Paul Blinkhorn
    Producer
    Duty Calls, No Regrets
  • Paul Anderton
    Producer
    Duty Calls, Will Power, Kassia, Bog Standard, No Regrets, Invisible Bullets, Seeing Smoke, One Woman Show, Somnium Illis
  • Steven Hutchinson
    Producer
    Duty Calls, Kassia, Seeing Smoke, Samuel Doesn't Live Here Anymore
  • Cathleen Blower
    Key Cast
  • Hazel Earle
    Key Cast
    Mancatten, Seeing Smoke, Going Out, Tomorrow at Noon, Au Gnome De L'Amour
  • Dominic Mason
    Original Music
    Wuthering Heights, Three Minute Warning, ...And Counting, William Shakespeare's Venus & Adonis
  • Philip J Lunt
    Production Designer
  • Project Type:
    Short, Other
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 23 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 6, 2016
  • Production Budget:
    1,000 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Tryon International Film Festval
    Tryon, North Carolina
    United States
    October 9, 2016
    North Carolina
  • Eureka Springs Human Rights Film Festival
    Arkansas
    United States
    August 5, 2016
    North American Premiere
    Silver Award for Excellence - for "outstanding efforts in digital storytelling and for courageously fighting to increase equality, freedom of speech, eradicate discrimination, and to protect human rights for all people"
  • Awareness Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    October 9, 2016
  • Universal Film Festival
    Kansas City, Missouri
    United States
    September 30, 2016
    Nominated for 'Best Documentary'
  • AHRC Film Awards
    London
    United Kingdom
    November 10, 2016
    Nominated for the 'Inspiration Award'
  • Shorts Off Film Festival

    United Kingdom
    Shorts Off is part of the CBFF group of film festivals which also runs the Carmarthen Bay Film Festival (a BAFTA Cymru qualifying festival)
  • Tirana International Film Festival
    Tirana
    Albania
    November 7, 2016
    Albanian Premiere
    Nominated for 'Best Documentary'
  • Phoenix Film Festival Melbourne
    Melbourne
    Australia
    Australian Premiere
  • Cumbria Short Film Competition

    United Kingdom
    November 18, 2016
    Nominated for 'Best Original Screenplay'
  • The Immigrants of Spitalfields Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    June 19, 2016
    Marking the UN’s World Refugee Day (20 June) and as part of Spitalfields’ multi-venue celebration of the lives and culture of all immigrant communities. The programme includes artists’ films, shorts and documentaries exploring migrant experience globally.
  • The Taste Awards
    Los Angeles
    United States
    Nominated for 'Best Short Film or Documentary'
Director Biography - Paul Blinkhorn

Bio (short):
Paul Blinkhorn is a director of short film, audio drama and theatre and a member of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab (New York) and the Young Vic Directors Program (London). His previous short film 'Duty Calls' featured at festivals in Canada, France, Germany, Ireland and Romania.

Bio (long):
Paul Blinkhorn (Writer-Director) was shortlisted for the Genesis Future Directors Award 2016 at the Young Vic. He is the Artistic Director of Northern Outlet Theatre Company and a member of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab, New York.

Training: MA in Theatre Directing from East 15 (supported through an AHRC bursary).

Short film includes: As a writer-director his award-winning short 'Duty Calls' screened at festivals in Canada, France, Germany, Ireland and Romania.

Radio includes: 'The Mighty Carlins' (selected to be part of the UK Radio Drama Festival 2015 and the HEAR Now: The Audio Fiction and Arts Festival in Kansas City, USA) and 'Country Life' (Wireless Theatre Company)

Theatre includes: JB Shorts 14 - 'Sugared Armour' (a new play by BAFTA-winning writer Anita Pandolfo), JB Shorts 12 - 'A Hairline Crack' (selected to be a part of the Re:play Festival at HOME), 'Shakespeare Lives!' (Irlam Festival Fringe 2015), 'Naked Old Man' (UK premiere by Academy Award nominated writer Murray Schisgal) and 'John and Mark' (Northern Outlet Theatre Company, tour), 'Country Life' (RADA GBS Theatre/ Camden Festival Fringe before transferring to the Old Red Lion), 'Spring and Port Wine' (Northern Outlet Theatre Company, Kings Arms Salford), 'Raving Beauties' (Broken Echo Theatre Company, Kings Arms Salford), 'Tape' (regional premiere, tour, selected to be part of re:play at the Manchester Library Theatre 2009)

As assistant director: 'Two' and 'Two 2' (World Premiere) (Octagon Theatre Bolton, Dir: David Thacker), 'Frozen' (Library Theatre Manchester, Dir: Roger Haines)

Other capacities include:
* 2nd AD - 'Fairytale of London Town' (TV), Dir: Louis Neethling, Mutt & Jeff Pictures
* 2nd AD - 'Screen Acting: Close-Up' (documentary), Dir: Nic Phillips, Clever Boy Media
* 2nd AD - 'Do it like a Dude' - Jessie J (music video), Dir: Ben Peters, Luti Media
* 2nd AD - 'Sing, Sing, Sing' - Yolanda Be Cool (music video), Dir: Ben Peters, Luti Media
* 2nd AD - 'I Am Ruthie Segal, Hear Me Roar!' (short), Dir: Minkie Spiro, Third Man Film & Company Films (Official Selection: UK Jewish Film Festival, Toronto International Jewish Film Festival).
* 1st AD - 'No Regrets' (short), Dir: Nicolas Challenor, NC Films (Deep Fried Film Festival, Speak Up International Film Festival)

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Writing-Directing:
As both the writer and director of 'After Auschwitz' I was heavily influenced by documentary film in the development of the short. The film very deliberately blurs the line between fiction and documentary and places great emphasis on the instrumental role of the actor. The result, I hope, is a very stripped back aesthetic which places emotional truth at its core.

Cinematography:
When approaching the look for 'After Auschwitz' the DOP Paul Anderton and I knew how important the cinematography would be, especially given that the dialogue is being delivered solely by one character. Not only did it need to be visually interesting, it also needed to emphasise her sense of separation and her inner struggle with her own faith. Paul Anderton and I have been admirers of Christopher Doyle’s work with director Wong Kar-Wai, and the characteristic splitting of the screen proved to be something which we felt suited the style that we where after with 'After Auschwitz'.

Editing:
The film benefited greatly from the editor Steven Hutchinson being on the set throughout filming. We always wanted the editing to have a hand in telling the story and Steven also operated camera for sections of the shoot. It was our intention to elevate the piece beyond being a filmed monologue, so we chose to apply subtle yet cinematic storytelling techniques through the edit. One technique we used was to overlap images with a disembodied delivery of the dialogue, done as a means to suggest a stream of consciousness. This very deliberately impacted on how the passage on time would be perceived at the short progressed. The flashback sequences provided an extra texture to the piece and allowed us to break up the often static imagery and stillness required during the bulk of the dialogue driven sections of the film.