“I was not supposed to be here. My very existence is a miracle of survival, resilience, and love.”

–Jennifer Podemski

In April 2025, Ashkenazi/Ojibway filmmaker Jennifer Podemski returned to Bergen-Belsen for the 80th anniversary of liberation with her family. Deeply feeling the absence of her grandfather, Joseph Podemski, a Holocaust survivor from Lodz who died in 2021, Jennifer embarked on a journey to tell his story. In her forthcoming documentary film Proof of Life, Jennifer situates Joseph’s story within the larger context of the aftermath of the Holocaust and in the renewal of Jewish life that erupted in the displaced persons camp post-liberation.  

Both a personal journey and a call to memory at a time of surging antisemitism, this work speaks across generations to convey the urgency of sharing stories that define who we are. In honour of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, join the THM for a special program exploring themes of remembrance, renewal, and legacy through this unique lens. This program will feature a trailer for the forthcoming film and a discussion with Jennifer Podemski and Menachem Rosensaft, a son of two Holocaust survivors, born in a Bergen-Belsen displaced persons camp and family friend of Podemski.

The program also features an opportunity to see the panel exhibition, From Destruction to Renewal: Bergen-Belsen After the War, which shares local stories from the DP camp. 

Explore the THM galleries, free, when you attend this event.
Tickets to this program include free admission to the Toronto Holocaust Museum on the day of the program, February 18. Stop by and explore the galleries and view our latest panel exhibition, From Destruction to Renewal: Bergen-Belsen After the War, before coming to the theatre.