Filmmaker Nick Davis Discusses His Holocaust Documentary on The Neil Haley Show

On The Neil Haley Show, host Neil Haley sits down with filmmaker Nick Davis to discuss his powerful new documentary about non-Jewish rescuers during the Holocaust. The conversation explores how ordinary people across Europe risked their lives to save Jewish families during one of history's darkest periods. Davis shares the journey of bringing these untold stories to light, revealing a side of Holocaust history that many, including history majors like Haley himself, had never fully understood. Davis explains how he discovered the project through transcripts of interviews with rescuers from across Europe who had independently helped Jewish families escape persecution. These were ordinary people who acted without organization or networks, simply responding with humanity when someone knocked on their door asking for help. The filmmaker was struck by how these pockets of goodness emerged within a sea of evil, with people sheltering children, hiding families, and risking execution for themselves and their loved ones. Davis notes that while he had heard of Oscar Schindler, the breadth of individual heroism documented in these transcripts was revelatory. The documentary takes an unusual approach by examining the period before Hitler came to power, showing how antisemitism built gradually through exclusionary policies like segregated park benches and restaurants. Davis, through character voices including Martha Plimpton's, emphasizes how dividing people based on accidents of birth leads down a dangerous slope. The film uses color footage from the 1930s and 1940s of ordinary European life to make the history feel immediate and relevant, helping viewers understand that people living through those times couldn't see what was coming any more than we can predict our own future. To bring these stories to life, Davis assembled an extraordinary cast including Dame Helen Mirren, Jeremy Irons, F. Murray Abraham, and Carrie Coon, who collectively hold five Academy Awards. The breakthrough came when Mirren agreed to participate, opening the floodgates for other acclaimed actors. Davis explains that Helen Mirren's character speaks to a crucial motivation for the film: countering Holocaust denial by ensuring these witness testimonies are preserved and heard. The stellar performances elevate the material, making viewers contemplate what they would do in similar circumstances. The film opens Friday, December 6th at Cinema Village in New York before its nationwide VOD release on March 31st, 2026, on platforms including Amazon Prime and iTunes. Davis hopes audiences will reflect on our divided world and recognize how arbitrary team divisions can be, whether based on birth, politics, or other factors. The documentary ultimately celebrates shared humanity and asks viewers to consider how they might respond when someone different from them needs help—a question that remains urgently relevant today.