The filmmaker Daniel Schubert discusses his new film Martha (NFB, 2021), its subject, his grandmother Martha Katz and her experiences during the Holocaust, with Joseph Planta.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Starting today at the National Film Board’s site, available for streaming is the new short film, Martha. Its director Daniel Schubert joins me now. He wanted to get his grandmother Martha, aged 90, to tell of her experiences during the Holocaust. She had been reticent heretofore, and finally after the events of the last four years, such as the tragedy after the rioting in Charlottesville and the former American president saying there were “fine people on both sides,” as well as the shocking statistic that 50% of millennials don’t even know what the Holocaust is, Mr. Schubert got his grandmother to speak. She talks in the movie of her time at Auschwitz, her encounter with Josef Mengele, the loss of family members, as well as meeting Daniel’s grandfather Bill and their moving to Winnipeg where they began a family. There was a successful grocery store, and now, it’s life in Los Angeles that we see in the film, Daniel talking to his grandmother, and her reliving the trauma. It’s a moving film, but it’s also got a sense of humour about it. Daniel Schubert is a Vancouver-based filmmaker, who has written, produced and directed documentaries for myriad broadcasters like National Geographic, CBC, UKTV, Smithsonian Channel, and History Television. He attended the Capilano University School of Motion Picture Arts, as well as the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Los Angeles. Martha is produced by Teri Snelgrove and Shirley Vercruysse at the National Film Board of Canada’s BC & Yukon Studio in Vancouver. Visit www.nfb.ca to view the film. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Daniel Schubert; Mr. Schubert, good morning.

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